PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 722, 11 April 1922, Page 7

PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING.

The ordinary meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council! was held on Monday evening, April 3rd, when there were present the Mayor, Mr John Routly, Crs D. R. Hamilton, C. H. Armstrong, A.' P. Daysh, R. H. McGough, J. Patterson, F. J. Morrow, Jas. Kennedy, the foreman (Mr S. J. Clews), and the Town Clerk (Mr J. F. Deane).

Box Culver 1 ! on Franklin Road,

The Mayor reported that 3 tenders had been received for the construction of a concrete box culvert on Franklin Road, but he considered they were excessive. He thought that owing to the high charges for carting that the work could be done considerably cheaper -if the Council found the material and carted it at cost price. He also considered the tenders should be returned to the tenderers for revision, at the same time acquaint each of what the Council was prepared to do. Cr Armstrong moved in accordance with the Mayor’s suggestion, seconded by Cr McGough and cairied.

A motion by Crs Daysh and Patterson that the tenders be returned for revision was defeated, only the mover, seconder and Cr Kennedy voting for it.

The foreman was instructed to prepare an estimate showing at what cost he could erect the culvert.

The Works Committee was empowered to consider the tenders at its meeting on Monday next.

Loan of £IO,OOO Against Debtutures £15,000.

The Bank of New Zealand wrote stating that the advance of a loan of £IO,OOO against £15,000 worth of Borough debentures, had been approved, provided the Government authorises to increase the rate of interest on debentures to 7 per cent, if sold in Australia, or 6!4 per cent, in New Zealand . The bank’s head office advised that they saw no prospect for a long time to come of the Borough baling able to sell, their debentures on a 5V 2 per cent, basis. Advice was also received that the bank might be able to place the amount iin Australia on a 7 per cent. rate. The Mayor said, that in view of the finances the Council had to meet in the near future he instructed the clerk to write to the bankers regarding the hypothecation of the Borough .debentures. There was a possibility of Niven and Co. taking the debentures for the full term but in view of the fact that the rate of interest was likely to decrease, it would be to better advantage if they arranged the finances with the bankers. They did not want to sell the ’debentures in Australia—thier object was to redeem the debentures as soon as possible.

The clerk said he had written asking that the debentures be hypothecated. The Mayor said he was afraid that by handing over the debentures to the bank they may be solid at a high .rate of interest, which would be tantamount to handing them over to Niven an.d Ccl

It was decided to reply to the bank pointing out that the Council did not wish to sell the debentures at

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present, but merely wished them hypothecated, and if need be they could sell later. The Mayor said it was the Council’s intention to avoid paying, if possible, a high rate of interest for the full term for which tire debentures were issued. RJew Machinery. In reply to a communication from the Council to the. effect that the latter may be able to arrange its finances so as to pay cash for the new lighting machinery, Messrs J. J. Niven and Co. stated tha,t( in the event of the Council being able to pay cash for each Item immediately on its arrival at Pukekohe they would be prepared to make an allowance of 2U per cent. They further advised that since the order was placed for the engine there had been a reduction in duty on large gas engines, and they intended to give the Council the benefit of this. They could not state the exact amount, but anticipated to be able to give the Council a refund of approximately £175 on the price They quoted for the engine On the motion of the Mayor, the clerk was instructed to acknowledge receipt of the letter and thank Messrs Niven and Co. for information con eyed therein.

Financial Assistance Solicited.

The Pukekohe Volunteer Fire Brigrade solicited financial assistance towards sending a team of 6 men to take part in the Eire Brigade’s Demonstration to be held at, Tav.marunui at Easter. It was pointed out that the Brigade would take steps to ensure a sufficient number of substitutes were left in the town to work in case of an outbreak of fire. On the motion of Crs Hamilton and Armstrong it was decided to vote £1 per man towards "the teams’ expen ses.

Subway Matters.

The District Engineer of the N.Z. Railways reminded the Council of its undertaking to meet the cost of all loading expenditure on the cattle subway road, the construction of the subway alone to be done by the Department. The question of the maintenance of the roadway was under the circumstances a matter for the Council. At the same time he drew the Council’s attention to the nature of the fence erected by the Council. These fences were of a temporary nature only and required being brought up to the railway standard.

The foreman said the Railway Department left the fences as they were, after they were cut for the subway. The work was 'in hand and would be completed to-morrow. A further request is to be made to the Department to pave the subway.

Fencing on Frankiin Road.

In connection with the work of forming Franklin Road, and which entailed the removal of a portion of the railway boundary fence, the District Engineer N.Z. Railways drew the Council’s attention to the agreement signed by the Council on 16th September, 1915, whereby the Council agreed to do all the necessary fening in connection with the new road. As the Council’s men were now pulling down the fence he requested the Council to arrange to have the fence re-erected at the earliest convenience. The clerk was instructed to refer to the agreement, and if it is in accordance with the terms of the Department’s letter the foreman was instructed to have the work put in han'd