H—2B

20

(8) Matamata County : Rotorua County Particulars relating to the inquiry which was held on the 6th October, 1948, into a proposal for the alteration of the boundaries of the Matamata and Rotorua Counties were referred to in our previous annual report. A provisional scheme was promulgated on the 2nd March, 1949, providing for the exclusion of an area of approximately 16,000 acres from the Rotorua County and its inclusion in the County of Matamata. An objection to the exclusion of portion of the area was lodged by the Rotorua County Council. The Commission had previously inspected the locality and was satisfied that the area concerned should be included in the Matamata County. The objection was disallowed, and a final scheme was accordingly promulgated on the 12th May, 1949. (9) Tauranga County : Rotorua County Following a request from the Rotorua and Tauranga County Councils concerning a proposal to adjust the boundaries of the two counties, the Commission held an inquiry on the 4th October, 1948, details of which were referred to in the previous annual report. A provisional scheme was promulgated on the 28th February, 1949, providing for the exclusion of an area of approximately 75,300 acres from the Rotorua County, and for its inclusion in the Tauranga County. Four objections to the provisional scheme were lodged, three of which related to an area of approximately 1,900 acres to the north of Lake Rotoma, and the other to an area on the northern boundary of the Rotorua County. Consideration was given by the Commission to these objections, and on further investigation it was apparent that the Rotoma-Matata Main Highway passing through the area to the north of Lake Rotoma could be satisfactorily serviced only from Rotorua, there being no direct access from the Tauranga County, and, further, the interests of the ratepayers in this area were more with Rotorua than with Tauranga. The Tauranga County Council and the ratepayers in the area supported the Rotorua County Council's objection, and it was accordingly decided that an area, approximating 2,000 acres, which had been excluded from the Rotorua County in the provisional scheme should be retained in the Rotorua County. The fourth objection, following investigation, was disallowed. A final scheme providing for the exclusion of an area of approximately 73,300 acres from the Rotorua County and its inclusion in the Tauranga County was promulgated on the 17th May, 1949. (10) JOHNSONVILLE TOWN DISTRICT AND CERTAIN AREAS IN THE MAKARA COUNTY On the 13th June, 1947, a request was made to the Commission by the Makara County Council that urgent consideration be given to the future local government of certain areas in the Makara County, more particularly those of Tawa Flat, Linden, Porirua, and Titahi Bay, comprising what is known generally as the Porirua Basin. In its request the county indicated that the areas had developed to such an extent that county control was inadequate ; that projected Government development in the near future added urgency to the problem of local government; that consideration should be given to the question of whether the area could be constituted a borough in view of its separation by a natural barrier ;or that, alternatively, the area should be incorporated in the City of Wellington. The County Council stated that it was unable to indicate the feeling of the residents in the area of the Porirua Basin, but expressed the opinion that any finding of the Commission would be welcomed by the Council and the local residents. The request by the Makara County Council was followed, on the 30th August, 1947, by a communication supporting the Council's view from the Combined Progressive and Ratepayers' Associations of Tawa Flat, Linden, and Titahi Bay. The Commission undertook an inspection of the areas concerned, together with the areas comprising Paremata, Plimmerton, and Pahautanui in the Hutt County, and decided, following