H.—2B,

The Commission, dated the sth March, 1928, required the Commissioners to report their opinion on the foregoing matters not later than the 21st day of May, 1928. Your Excellency's further Warrant, dated the 28th April, 1928, extended such period to the 21st June, 1928. Your Commissioners duly advertised the sitting of the Commission in newspapers published in the City of Wellington (two), and in the Boroughs of Otaki and Levin, and cited parties as follows : — (!) The Otaki Borough Council. (2) The Horowhen.ua County Council. (3) The Porirua College Trust Board. (4) The Valuer-General. (5) The Under-Secretary for Lands. (6) The Director-General of Health. (7) W. Thomson, A. J. Fogden, J. L. Buick, A. Bolton, and Tews Brothers, leaseholders of lands which were, by Orders in Council, dated respectively 2nd August, 1926, and 22nd March, 1927, and hereinafter referred to, declared to be excluded from the Borough of Otaki and included in the County of Horowhenua. (8) L. H. Newport, C. H. Williams, A. Dixon, L. A. W. Edwards, and E. Ahern, freeholders of lands which were, by Order in Council dated 22nd March, 1927, declared to be excluded from the Borough of Otaki. (9) Edward Harry Letts and Robert Bruce Anderson, petitioners for exclusion from the Borough of Otaki. (10) Frederick Kilmister, Isabel Kilmister, Constance Olivia Tipler, Ida Louise Tipler, and Frederick George Letts, also petitioners for exclusion from the Borough of Otaki. The Commission assembled at Otaki on Monday, 7th May, 1928, and commenced its sitting at the Courthouse, Otaki, on the morning of the following day. Mr. G. P. Shepherd, instructed by the Native Minister, and all the parties cited (except the Lender-Secretary for Lands) appeared, either in person or by representatives, before the Commissioners. Mr. C. F. Atmore appeared as counsel for the Otaki Borough Council, and Mr. Martin Luckie for the persons named in groups (7) to (10) above, inclusive, with the exception of Mr. C. H. Williams, who appeared independently. The Horowhenua County Council was represented by Mr. G. A. Monk, Chairman, and Mr. F. H. Hudson, County Clerk ; the ValuerGeneral, Mr. T. Brook, attended the sittings of the Commission, and the Health Department was represented by Dr. R. A. Shore, Medical Officer of Health, Wellington. Mr. F. M. Martin, as counsel for the Porirua College Trust Board, addressed the Commission in Wellington. The Commissioners held eight public sittings in Otaki and two in Wellington, and took evidence at considerable length. They also at various times visited the vicinity of the whole of the area now or formerly comprising the Borough of Otaki, and obtained extensive evidence and information from numerous Government Departments in the City of Wellington. The Commissioners further carefully perused all available reports in connection with the Borough of Otaki, and particularly those having reference to the inclusion and exclusion of lands in and from the Otaki Borough. Enclosed herewith (Schedule A) are full notes of the evidence (with appendices and exhibits) and of addresses taken by the Commissioners at the public sittings of the Commission. In the years 1907 (vide New Zealand Gazette, 1907, p. 1195) and 1910 (vide New Zealand Gazette, 1910, p. 4297) petitions were lodged praying for the constitution of a borough at Otaki. Neither petition was acceded to. In the year 1912 an area comprising the Town of Otaki and some adjoining land (vide Exhibit I, and New Zealand Gazette 1912, p. 2731) was constituted a town district, and it became a town district apart from the County of Horowhenua in 1914 (vide New Zealand Gazette, 1914, p. 1149). On 4th March, 1919, the ratepayers of the Otaki Town District adopted, by 132 votes to 44, the system of rating on the unimproved value (vide New Zealand Gazette, 1919, p. 840).

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