County and Raetihi for amalgamation

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 5, 25 June 1985, Page 1

County and Raetihi for amalgamation

Raetihi Borough Council and Waimarino County Council have come out in favour of amalgamating with Ohakune Borough Council to form a new local authority which would administer both towns and the county.

However, at their full council meeting on Thursday evening, a majority of Ohakune Borough Councillors spoke in favour of Ohakune retaining its own identity, claiming that amalgamation with its two neighbours would not be in the best interest of the town. Mr Brian Elwood, chairman of the Local Government Commission which is charged with restructuring local government throughout the country, will be in the Ruapehu region on 8th and 9th July. It is to prepare for this visit that all three local authorities have been airing the issue. A meeting between the three authorities took place last Tuesday to enable councillors to exchange views. At that meeting Raetihi Borough Council and Waimarino County Council made it clear they were in favour of the three authorities amalgamatipg. Opening debate on the issue at Thursday's Ohakune Borough Council meeting, Mayor Bill Taylor asked whether a public meeting should be called on the issue before the council meets with Mr Elwood. However, Cr Snow Brannigan and Cr Margaret Horne both stated that if a public meeting was held there wasn't really much councillors could tell the public at this stage.

Speaking on the subject of amalgamation itself, Cr Mike Wiggins said he thought it would be detrimental to Ohakune if the three authorities amalgamated, as it would stop Ohakune's development dead. "Ohakune Borough Council is an efficient administration," he said, "and should remain as a separate entity." Cr Mary Wright was also for retaining the status quo, but expressed the view that if amalgamation was forced upon Ohakune, the town would be better served by joining with Turangi and possibly even Taupo than it would by being tagged onto the top of Wanganui. Cr Snow Brannigan suggested that Ohakune 'take over' the ridings of Waimarino County which were adjacent to the town and let Raetihi and the rest of the county form another new authority. However, Cr Ellen Gould came out for amalgamation of the three existing local authorities into one new authority. "I feel we should get on and talk with Raetihi and Waimarino County and work something out. "The Waimarino is one entity and the sooner we work something out with the other two authorities the better." Cr Brannigan replied that in the past ten years Ohakune had forged ahead.

"The Winstone mill and the market gardening industry are serviced from Ohakune and the region's tourism is centre in the town," he said. "Unlike Cr Gould I feel strongly in the other direction — against amalgamation." "Remaining as we are may be a selfish objective, but we are a growing town and I feel it is right for Ohakune," agreed Cr Wiggins. "I believe we must push to keep the status quo and until we are told to amalgamate we must fight." Closing the debate Mayor Taylor said he had one abiding interest — "what is best for the Ohakune community " The town had come through a crucial ten or twelve years during which partners would have been useful, he said, "but it is different now." He added, "I cannot see how this borough can be served in a situation where we would not have an equal voice. "By the very fact that our two neighbours are partly married already it is more likely they would act in concert with each other rather than with us. "We may well end up in a different relationship, but it hasn't been proved to me that we will have to amalgamate." The Mayor continued, "If I thought amalgamation with God knows who would make it easier for young families to afford houses in the town I would be for it. But I don't think an amalgamation with our near neighbours would make the slightest bit of difference. "Also if the people of Ohakune said we should be part of a larger political community I would be for it, but at present I am for the status quo."