King Country Council wants Waimarino

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 28, 8 December 1987, Page 2

King Country Council wants Waimarino

Retaining the present boundaries of the King Country Regional Development Council and extending the southern boundaries t o take in the Waimarino, Turangi, Waiouru and Mangakino areas was the consensus of a meeting held recently to discuss the future of the council. The meeting was held at the Civic Centre, Te Kuiti. Local authority leaders from the region joined with Mr Jim Bolger, MP

for King Country, Mr Noel Scott, MP for Tongariro, and Mrs Catherine O'Regan the MP for Waipa, for discussions on the future of the King Country Regional Development Council. The Minister of Regional Development, David Butcher, has indicated that he would like to see Regional Development boundaries aligned with United Council boundaries. Council chairman, Mr Murray Loewenthal, who organised the meeting to gain local input before attending the Chairpersons Conference in Wellington next week, mooted four points for discussion at the

meeting. (i) That K.C.R.D.C. boundaries remain 'as is' despite being dissected by two United Council boundaries. (ii) That the K.C.R.D.C. be dissolved and the Counties of Otorohanga and Waitomo be included in the Waikato Regional Development Council and the T aumarunui County and Borough be included in a Tongariro Regional Development Council. (iii) That the K.C.R.D.C. be extended to include the Tongariro United Council area. (iv) That the Tongariro United Council boundaries be extended to include Waitomo and Otorohanga and the K.C.R.D.C. be changed to include all Tongariro United Council areas. Those present at the meeting strongly supported the retention of the King Country as an identity and the retention of the status quo. Two recommendations from Mr Jim Holmes, president of the King Country branch of Federated Farmers, were adopted by the meeting. They were: ★ That the K.C.R.D.C. extend its boundaries to include the Waimarino, Turangi, Waiouru and Mangakino areas. ★ Look at changes to the United Council's boundaries for better co-ordina-tion of the central North Island.