Letters to the Editor

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 45, 28 April 1987, Page 2

Letters to the Editor

For the Record Recently I observed a heated conversation on the subject that Raetihi had a greater permanent population than Ohakune and therefore should have greater representation on the new amalgamated council. Through your newspaper could you establish some facts and answer some questions. Has Raetihi a greater permanent population than Ohakune? What were the permit values for permanent residents issued in the two towns over the past year? A report in your newspaper late last year stated that Ohakune's population was declining. This is a very serious problem taking that over the years Ohakune has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless manhours on promotion. This promotion was to ultimately increase the permanent population so that we would have a more viable community. Why then has all that expense and effort gone down the drain with a population now of no more than what it was 20 years ago at the depth of the rural decline? How do those people who went to incredible lengths with promoting Ohakune feel now? Will the completion of the NZR electrification contract plunge Ohakune's population well below that of Raetihi? Should the Ohakune 3000 club be reactivated and renamed the Ohakune 1000 club to stop the decline?

Why is the town's population dropping and what are the future consequences and reasons for this disturbing trend? Recent rate increases of close on 100% over two years is certainly a big incentive for people to leave town, but no doubt there must be other reasons as well. Quite some time ago, three professors from the Auckland school of town planning brought their senior students to study Ohakune and improve its town plan. Wide public participation was called and a large public meeting at that time unanimously resolved that non-resident development with all its inherent problems be kept out of the residential area. From this was born the "Apres Ski" zone designed to protect the local community and its way of life. It now seems that any section or house in Ohakune can be purchased as a commercial proposition for developing high density non-resident ski chalets on postage stamp sections. The high prices that are paid for such properties must make it very attractive for locals to sell up and leave. Is Ohakune then on a perpetuating downward spiral with diminishing chances of ever recovering as a vibrant local community? Will future neighbourhood watch groups consist of one local looking after five or six houses for out of town people?

In Raetihi a young couple can still buy the good old kiwi quarter acre at a very reasonable price and develop a typical residential family home and garden. Their rates are not exorbitant and they can expect sane rate increases in line with national trends. Can you do this in Ohakune without the fear of half a dozen non-resident units popping up next door to skyrocket your residential values with the accompanying "benefit" of horrendous rates. This sort of thing must make family life in Ohakune very depressing for a lot of people. High residential values only benefit those people selling up and leaving town. High residential values bring high rates making families think twice about settling in Ohakune. Are not people LIVING in a community more important to consider than rates gathered from a "community" of non-residents? Isn't it about time that Ohakune started to be honest with its neighbours by recognising that Raetihi could have a larger resident community and that Raetihi will increasingly have greater depth as a local community. Has not Raetihi also got a quality of life that relates more homogeneously with the aspirations of the county people?

Therefore should not the new centre for our amalgamated council be retained in Raetihi and should not Raetihi have greater representation than Ohakune on that new council?

Bruce

Wilde

Road-toll The Easter holiday roadtoll was 19 and understandably Ministry of Transport officials expressed disappointment and criticism of driving behaviour. Traffic Sergeant Rey Aanensen of the Wanganui MoT cited two examples of excessive speed — one motorist was clocked doing 122 km/h in the city while another was clocked travelling at 103 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. Such irresponsible, senseless driving behaviour was obviously a factor in the high holiday weekend road toll but it wasn't speed alone that contributed to so much death, injury and misery. From my own personal observation I am surprised that the road toll was not higher. On a drive between Raetihi and Wanganui I observed no fewer than six stupid and potentially harzardous examples of overtaking where, had another vehicle come round a blind corner, a head-on collision would have been unavoidable without desperate evasive action being taken by : 1 . the overtaking vehicle; 2. the vehicles being overtaken and; the vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. The drivers of these overtaking cars appeared to enjoy charmed /ives — they would pulkmu of a line of tftffic and starrtljeir passing manoeuvre with insufficient visibility ahead and when approaching a blind corner. Fortunately in each of hest instances nothing was ;oming the other way but I hate to think what would have happened if there had been.

Jason

Ohakune