WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 18 June 1913, Page 2

WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

.Th 6" v Waitemata County Council met last Friday: present—Crs A. Cochrane (chairman), A. M. Lang. W. McCathie, F. Poynton, W. KerrTaylor, J. McLeod, J. O'Neill, F. Dye, J. Greenwood, and E. Day. Deputations. Mr A. Harris M.r. waited on the Board to ask that a list of the grants the Council intended to apply for during the coming session be supplied to him as early as possible, which would be a great convenience.—Cr Greenwood hoped Mr Harris conld hurry up the Dept. to pay over the grants previously authorised,—MiHarris mentioned the many requests made by individuals for grants for roading purposes, which were generally to benefit only one or two ratepayers ; but he intended to set all Buch aside and support those considered most urgent by the Council, who were in the best position to know the requirements of a district.—Ci McLeod mentioned an instance of a grant being made for a certain road; and when the Council proceeded tc spend it on the worst portion, they were informed that the grant had been made at the request of a private individual and was for another portion of the road.—Cr Kerr-Taylor stronglj objected to private applications foi grants, as he considered the loca' authority the proper source. —It wa< agreed to supply Mi Harris with the list as early as possible. On tht motion of Crs. McLeod and Taylor s hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Harris. Or Kerr-Taylor drew the attention of Mr Harris to fhe fact that an area of about 100 acres had been left as part of the county district between the ' Birkenhead and Takapuna boroughs, which he argued should have been consulted in the matter and they now found this strip of land left out of the newly-formed borough. It was left out for a purpose, he argued, as there was very little rates from this land, and there would' be an expensive road to make before long.—Cr Poynton said the Council did not object to the formation of the boroughs, but to the manner in which the Council had been ignored.—Mr Harris M.P, advised the Council to communicate with the Minister for Internal Affairs and ask for the strip of land mentioned to be included in one of the boroughs. A deputation from Waikumete riding objected to an explosive factory being started near a public landing and part of the public, reserve being fenced off.—ln the discussion it was argued that tho factory waa too near a public road, —Fence to be removed. Some Waitakere ratepayers attended to protest against a proposed deviation of the Wairere-Waitakere road, and suggested another route as being more suitable, as it would be shorter and less expensive to. make.—Cr O'Neill also made remarks in favour of the suggested alteration and was supported by the Engineer.—Request granted. The Ratepayers 7 Association in Birkenhead Riding asked the Council to resume possession of a reserve on Glen field road, which the Birkenhead Borough Council was using as a dumping ground for nightsoil. The place could be planted and beautified by working bees of re« sideuts.—Referred to Cr Day and Engineer with power to act. Engineer's Report. Included in the Engineer's (Mr G. A. Jackson) report were the following items :- -" During the past month, I have been engaged in laying out work in connection with Grants and inspecting completed contracts and new roads. While up at Maretahi. inspecting the South Head road, I was compelled to put in a week surveying a portion of the new road, as Fenton Bros, are contemplating cutting up their property and want the road exchange completed. There is still some three or four miles of this road to be surveyed. v Proposed Wainui-Dairy Flat Road.—l have reason to believe that this road could be obtained now, if it were laid out and surveyed at once. The Council has previously resolved that this road should be pushed on and I now propose to make it the first job after, this meeting.—Adoptod. " Kumeu Level Crossing—On the 4th inst. Crs O'Neill, McLeod and myself waited upon the Minister for Railways to point out the unfair terms that the Railway Department is imposing re Board's level crossing. The Minister seemed very reluctant to create any new level crossing, but promised to cotninunicate his decision to the Council later. < The Minister further said it was his intention to ask the Local Bodies to co-operate with the Railway Department in erecting more conspicuous notice boards at level crossings, some distance from the rails. In reference to the deputation that waited on the Minister, Cr Taylor criticised the action of Cr McLeod •in approaching the Minister for an overhead bridge at Helensville south when the deputation had attended for another purpose.—Cr McLeod replied that with Or O'Neill and Mr Jackson he spoke for the level crossing at Kumeu. Ho had previously told Or O'Neill he wished to bring a question to the Minister's notice as chairman of Belonsville Town Board, and when the Minister asked if they had any more requests, and would not first answer the deputation about the level crossing, he proceeded to explain the need for the overhead bridge at Helens ville. He showed that, two cases were Entirely different as the crossing at Helensville south was a very busy one. whilst at Kumeu this would not be the case,—Cr O'Neill said he was partly to blame as he should have pressed for au answer to their request

; vsher business was intrO" '■ duced.—The report was adopted. '' Sunnysede Road—Tenders are called inter alia for Sunnyside Road, as this is part of the work in connection with the Paremoremo Block. The tenders should be opened and submitted to the District Engineer of the Public Works Department. Cr O'Neill thought this a necessary work. The settlers sent their cream. to Helensville factory, and had to go thiough private property and •' pack " the cream to get it out. —Report ad* opted, "Re heavy traffic deposits—Both Messrs Niccol at Titirangi and Frost at Waimauku, have reinstated the the respective roads upon which they ran traction engines last Summer and I beg to recommend that the deposits be returned, less the cost of wages of the men who were put on for the purpose of bringing a prosecution and also th 9 legal cost in connection with the case,—Adopted. "Helensville Swing Bridge—The filling at the end of the bridge has not been done, on account of the difficulty in obtaining clay for -filling. ! The adjacent country is all flat and there is not a yard of earth to spare. [ I have been successful in persuading the Helensville Bowling Club to allow '. Council to cart clay away from their . ground. The Club has written ofEert ing the clay and I would recommend that the offer be accepted. —Adopted. ( Among the plane submitted for new y x roads, which were approved, was subdivision for MrV. F. KenvTaylor, Waimauku. General Or Taylor commented strongly on , the fact that one of the rooms rented i for the engineer, was shared with i other tenants. If the Council's work was to be done properly they should have proper room for their officials. He contended it was detrimental to the Council's business, and their officials shonld be the sole occupants of rooms for which they were paying full rent. —The Engineer explained the arrangement by which the room was shared and that half rent had to be paid the Council. Very few matters on the order paper were dealt with, finance affairs and deputations taking up a good deal of of the Couccil's time, and at 4 p.m. the meeting was adjourned for a fortnight.