PAPATOETOE TOWN BOARD

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 665, 6 September 1921, Page 3

PAPATOETOE TOWN BOARD

FORTNIGHTLY. MEETING. The Papatoetoe Town Board met lost Tuesday evening, Mr Arthur \V. Hall presiding. There were also present Messrs J. Bryant, Geo. Smith, J. Watson, S. McCullough, A. V. Timewell and J. Death. Mr Watson, one of the delegates to the meeting held on Friday, August 12, a'ifc the Chamber of Commerce, reported that the meeting was very representative of the various local bodies in the vicinity of Auckland. The whole of the local bodies had appended their signatures, with the exception of the New Lynn Town Board and the Avondale Road Board. Quoting the opinion of #Mr Gunson, he said that within three years the whole of the power district would be supplied with electric power and light. It would take another £300,000 in addition to the £500,000 already in hand to complete the whole scheme. Both Mr Gunson and Mr Parkes, Mayor of Onehunga, thought that arrangements could be made for the transfer of the electric assets of the City Council without going to arbitration in the matter. These were estimated at a value of £600,000. One important question which would be decided later was what amount should be charged for the stipply of electricity to the trams. The matter would be subject to revision from to time.

The election of members to constitute the Power Board was to take place next February, and the Board would take office shortly afterwards. Mr Nicholson was elected as solicitor for the local bodies concerned.

A proposal was submitted to the meeting that an effort should be made to find out how many people wanted electric light, and then the work of reticulating the district could be put in hand._ The proposal war. rejected until more 'finality was reached in the electric proposals themselves. Messrs Watson and Hall were elected as delegates to the meeting on Friday evening, August 26.

Bowling; Club’s Lease. . Regarding the Bowling Club’s lease it was decided to forward a recommendation to the Manukau County Council that the lease be made to terminate at the same time as the Tennis Club’s lease.

Cutting Up Orphan Home

Property.

A letter was received from the Or- - phan Home Trust Board asking the Board to assist in furthering the proposal to road the property near the railway line. The Board was of opinion that no good purpose could be served by their taking over the v.-rk. The Orphan Home people would require to pay the full amount of the road, and in view of the present grate of finance it was decided to ad-‘ vise that the work be temporarily postponed. Leave to Foreman. It. was decided that the foreman (Mr Ward) be granted a fortnight's leave of absence with full pay, to enable him to recover from his illness. Accounts. Accounts amounting to hi-1 19s lid were passed for payment. IVEtsceUaneous. The clerk stated that_ the rates were coming in fairly satisfactorily. Three cyclists had been fined for riding on 'footpaths. The consulting engineer had stated that. a. proposed Idling in the drain on the Carruth Road would, not un-. duly interfere with the passage of storm water. At the point in question the water would gravitate towards Central Avenupe on one side and Birdwood Avenue on the other.

Ir; the course of a lecture delivered to the members of the Wellington Early Settlers’ Association last week Mr Elsdon Best recounted one of the tragedies of the New Zealand bush. ‘‘On the shores’ of the inner harbour at Porirua, when the --hills were all bush-clad, and tracks did not exist,” he v said, “a primitive homestead sheltered a pioneer family. A clearing was made, and a few head of cattle grazed. One evening as milking time approached, cows were seen near the edge of the bush, and a boy was sent to drive them, down to the milking shed. As he drew near to the cattle they turned and entered the', bush, and the parents saw the boy follow them into the timber to turn them back. That was the last they ever saw of the lad. Darkness came swiftly, and such poor attempts at searching as were possible in the night were futile. But next day brought no better fortune. Then clay afiter day search parties of settlers roamed the forest, traversing hills and gullies in vain seeking. So. time settled down on a blank in that family. Eighteen years afterwards, far on the Eastern sjde of the big dividing range, and near the Hutt River, some bush fellers found the bones of the hapless lad.”