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Public 'very angry' at New Plymouth council

Wednesday 3 April 2013, 5:35PM

By NP Linked Taranaki

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Man gets all the support
Man gets all the support Credit: ANDY JACKSON/FairfaxNZ

NEW PLYMOUTH

EXCLUSIVE: New Plymouth beach hermit Eric Brewer has been evicted from his driftwood home of 16 years this morning.

The New Plymouth police and New Plymouth District Council staff members in white boiler suits arrived to take away Brewers beach hut at about 7am today.

Brewer was threatened with eviction last week, however the New Plymouth District Council failed to show up on the day they indicated, leaving Brewer celebrating.

His story made international headlines on CNN and Sky News UK and sparked comments from around the world.

A petition asking to allow Eric Brewer to stay last week was given to the New Plymouth Council just before they decided not to evict the man.

The public were pleased with the councils decision however this morning police did arrive and three officers and a large number of council staff began to take his house down.

Mr Eric Brewer sat quietly to the side while people went to take stuff from his home.

He told Fairfax NZ that he had no immediate plans but would consider moving to Wellington to live with his daughter and grandchildren.

However the New Plymouth public are reportedly 'very angry' at the council for evicting him.

One New Plymouth resident posted on the councils Facebook page as a threat:

Enjoy your victory. It will be short lived come election time. Eric has won this battle even though he's lost his home. The Public and the people of New Zealand and even abroad know exactly where NPDC's loyalties lie. It's not with them. You've shown what you're capable of. It's nothing to be desired.

Another resident said:

Shame on you NPDC you spend ridiculous amounts of money on stupid structures/sculptures that no body wants and then all of a sudden a dawn raid on Eric SHAME ON YOU !! I'm ashamed to say I'm from the naki right now !!!!!

And it didn't stop there:

Cowards aye. where was your notice to the public. . were you sacred of public uprising. i have no respect for our council any longer. . . do you wish for anarchy. . is that what it will take before you listen to your people. . the wishes of the many out weigh that of the few. . not the other way around

 

The council said it was removing Brewer's home because it was an illegal structure under Section 164 of the Local Government Act.

In a statement it said Brewer had been in breach of both the Reserves Act 1977 and Part 5, Public Places, of the New Plymouth District Council Bylaw 2008.

Council chief executive Barbara McKerrow said: "This has been a difficult issue. Mr Brewer has his supporters but his occupation of this reserve breached both the Reserves Act and the council's public places bylaw.

"Our approach has been to ask Mr Brewer to remove his dwelling and belongings, not to ban him from using the beach like any other member of the public.

"Mr Brewer ignored our requests and so we have taken this action. To reiterate, we have not trespassed Mr Brewer from the beach."

When infonews.co.nz tried to contact the NPDC threw there Facebook page they 'saw' the message but failed to respond. 

The public of New Plymouth have all said however that there will be a change to the council one person even threat that Council chief executive Barbara McKerrow will get the boot in the next election. 

"The council is the worst council in New Zealand" Jake T told infonews.co.nz

 

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