H—2B

planned, developed, and co-ordinated with the city. Although some services had been provided in the areas by both County Councils, it was desirable that the areas should be administered as part of an urban unit of local government. The County Councils were generally in agreement with the city's proposals, although the Waipa County Council was of the opinion that further extensions than those envisaged by the City Council should be made. It was finally decided that the areas in the Waikato County, generally known as Hillcrest, Enderley, and Fairfield, should be excluded from the county and included in the city, and that the Maeroa area, together with a substantial addition determined by the Commission, as well as the Melville district in the Waipa County, should be incorporated. As it was evident that there was a rating problem in regard to farm land, we recommended that a suitable roll be prepared to provide for rating relief in terms of the Urban Farm Lands Rating Act, 1932. (9) Papatoetoe Borough : Manukau County A petition was received from certain of the residents in the Manukau County adjacent to the Borough of Papatoetoe praying for the exclusion from the county and inclusion in the borough of certain areas. A public inquiry was opened on Ist March, 1949, at which the Papatoetoe BorOugh Council submitted proposals to include in its district an area totalling approximately 1,432 acres of land, and lengthy evidence was heard'for and against the proposals. The decision of the Commission has not, as yet, been issued. (10) Tauranga Borough : Tauranga County On the 14th May, 1948, the Tauranga Borough Council forwarded to the Commission an application from certain ratepayers in the Otumoetai area of the Tauranga County that their properties be included in the Borough of Tauranga. The Tauranga Borough intimated that it was prepared to assist the petitioners, while the Tauranga County Council, which had been approached by the petitioners, agreed that an inquiry should be held although neither supported nor opposed the proposal. On the 7th October, 1948, an inquiry was held at Tauranga into the question of incorporation of the area of the Otumoetai Perinsula up to the Tauranga-Waihi State Highway, and the scope of the inquiry was extended by the Commission to include the area to the south of the highway, commonly known as the Judea area. On the evidence submitted on behalf of the petitioners we were of the opinion that there were no available or suitable residential building sites in the borough, and that substantial expansion would take place in the Otumoetai area. There was evidence to show that the borough was progressing rapidly, and that the population was steadily increasing, and would be likely to continue to do so. Although there was substantial objection to the petition, it was evident that there was a definite lack of urban amenities not only in the area, but in relation to the borough, and also that there was a disparity in the rates levied at present, those in the borough being less on urban properties than in the County. The Mayor of Tauranga stated that there was likely to be extensive expansion of the forestry and timber industry in the back country, and, with possible industrial development and the provision of deep-water harbour facilities, an increase in population was likely to result. The borough's contiguity with the Otumoetai area was established by the inclusion of the Judea area, which is co-terminus with the borough at its south-eastern extremity, adjacent to the point at which the Tauranga-Waihi State Highway enters the borough. The Otumoetai area itself has no direct communication with Tauranga Borough, on account of the Waikareao Estuary, which intervenes. It is understood that a proposal has been made for this estuary to be bridged.

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