BOROUGH OF PUKEKOHE.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 759, 8 September 1922, Page 5

BOROUGH OF PUKEKOHE.

ORDINARY MEETING OK COUNCIL. The Pukekohe Borough Council met on Monday morning, when ali were present excepting Cr Armstrong, and adjourned until 8 p.m. At t;his hour the Council resumed, when there were present : The Mayor (Mr John Rcutly), Crs D. R Hamilton, A, P. D.aysh, R H, McGough, J. Patterson, F. J. Morrow, jThos Brownlee,, the clerk (Mr J. F. Deane) and the foreman (Mr S. J, Clews). Appeal for Blind of Dominion. Mr C kith a Mackenzie wrote appreciating the Council’s warm invitation to visit Pukekohe to launch the appeal ffor the aid of the blind of the Dominion. He stf/.ed that it would probably be better if he visited Pukekohe some time in April, when Auckland City was Setting out to collect its ; quotla.—Received. Farm School at Ruakura. The Minister of Agriaulture, Hon. W. Nosworthy, in reply to the Council’s letiteij, advised that the Repatriation Department’s buildings at Ruakura are tb be retained for use in connection with the instructional activities of the farm. The form in which this instructional work will be devloped is under consideration at the present time.—Received. Station Road. The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon, W. F. Massey, in reply to the Councils letter which drew attention to the necessity of widening tihe approach road to Pukekohe station, stated that he had noted that the Council was now contemplating effecting considerable alterations and improvements to Station Road and according to the plans of the Railway Department. He stated he would confer with the Miniver olf Railways concerning the Council’s representations and would advise the Council of his decision.—Received. Eati Street Re-grading. The foreman in his report stated that he had taken levels along East Road and found that to straighten and grade the road, which work was very important, would cost approximately £235, This would give a nice straight and well graded road from the foot of saleyards gates to the foot of Reynold’s Hill, about 700 yards of metal were required. The total cost was £6Bo.—The Mayor said the Council had • thtji apparatus for breaking up a roadway. In connection with East Street he thought the metal could be scarified and removed to, Belgium Road, and a new coat of metal from the Pukekohe East quarry could be put on and then they would have a good road. —Cr Daysh moved 'that the work be done by the Borough staff.—Seconded by Cr Morrow.—Cr Patterson «aid it was common talk and the general opinion was that they were not getting enough for itheir money—Crs Morrow, Brownlee and McGough stated that they had heard the same thing.—Cr Patterson said the matter had been mentioned to him. He himself, was not complaining. He thought it was no good Staatinc the work on Street unless the Council had the metal on the road ready to put on or else crushed in the quarry ready to come out —The Mayor said they were not going to handle; the metal twice.—Cr Patterson thought that if his suggestion was not carried out they would Dfc landed in the mud—TVe Mayor : You have got a go-a-head Council this time. —Cr Patterson : If they attend to this work lik« other jobs you know where you’ll land- The motion to hpve the work put ; n hand as early as possible wa§. carried unanimously. In reply .to statements (that it was general talk that the Council was not getting value for its money the foreman said that he had a number of matters to attend to a.ll over the Borough. If any Councillor saw the men were not doing a fair thing then it was his duty to inform the person in charge of that particular department that auch was the case. Referring to the staff under him, he stated that he had a very creditable lot of mem and the work he had undertaken with this staff compared more than favourably with works err tied out uncled the contract system save the contract .for work on Franklin Road. He contended that he could carry out work with his staff cheaper than the work cou-d be done by contract. Glasgow Road. twenty chains of formation work were required on Glasgow Road, stated the foreman in his report, so this could be linked up with Manukin Road. Provision was made in the loan for this work, and in view of the. fact that the Council's teams were not likely to have so much metal carting for a few weeks the teams could be profitably used in the construction of the road.—On the motion of the Ma l' or 5t

was decided to have the earth work on Glasgow Road done by day labour.—Cr Patterson voted against the proposal.

Ward Street. In connection with Ward Street, the foreman said there were 31 chains of unformed road and two culvea-ts to be attended to on Ward Street as the formation was light. He estimated the cost of the complete formation and culverts at £l4O. Metal totalling 75Q. yards was required, The total cost was approximately £665. —A motion by Cr Hamilton, seconded by Cr Daysh, that the work be carried out by day labour was agreed to. Edinburgh Street South. Edinburgh Street, stated the foremam required 11 chains q£ formation work and 250 yards of metal, the estimated cost was £22s.—The foreman was instructed to prepare the necessary engineering data, so that tenders could be called for the work. Birch Road. With reference to Birch Road, the foreman said he had (taken levels showing here were 24 chains of heavy (formation work, and as the work was sraightt-forward he recommended the work be done by contract.—The foreman was instructed to prepare the necessary engineering dfeita, with a view of calling tenders for the work. i , Adams’ Bridge. The foreman reported that the approximate cost of a reinforced concr®te bridge 20 feet wide, together with the necessary wings, hand rails; guards, all reinforced and the bridge to be raised 3 feet above the level of the present, together with approaches and finished completely at an estimated cost of bridge £897, approaches £330, total £l227,—The clerk w,as instructed «to intimate to the Franklin County Council the (amount of the estimate, and to ask what sum it was prepared! to contribute towards the cost of the work, I ' • Metal and Scoria, The foreman repouted that, the Council had about 3000 cubic yards of spfawls lying at the quarry. Out of tjhis quantity, 700 cubic yards were required for East Street, 250 yards for Edinburgh Street and 750 yards (for Ward Street. Fifteen hundred yards of scoria were required to complete Bdresford Street, Wellington Sjtreet, Belgium Road, Birch Road and Glasgow Road. A considerable quantity of metal was required for next year’s maintenance, He urged thatl crushing operations be commenced as soon as possible. The foreman uprged that tenders be called for the cartage cf metal from the quarry.—Agreed to. Specifications for aarting and spreading are to be drawn up and tenders called. The Mayor qtated that when the Council left office it would leave the best part of 1000 yards of metal on hand ifor repair work, so that the incoming Council could go ahead and repaait streets, and not leave it as the present Council had found mat. ters—only about 100 yards being on hand. Cr Brownlee put in a claim for some long authorised work in Beresfond Street, being carried out. —It was decided to pot this work in hand as early as possible. Swimming Baths. The matter of arranging for plans for a swimming bath arid a working bee to assist in excavation work was lsift in the hands of Cr Patterson. Toiara Avenue. In answer to Cr Patterson when the work on {Totara Avenue was going to be put in hand* the Mayor said there was no chance of tl>e work being done this year.