Waiuku.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 2, 20 March 1912, Page 2

Waiuku.

Waipipi Road Board. Those present at the monthly meeting of the Board were Messrs A. M. Barriball (Chairman), W. C. Motion, 0. Ridgley and J. A. Renall. The Clerk (Mr A. E. Mellsop) was also in attendance. The question of the new Post-office bridge was gone into. There was a Government grant of £500 for this work, but the Chairman reported that the roads engineer (Mr S. R. James) had estimated that a bridge suitable for the requirements of the township would cost £800. As there appeared no means of raising the extra £3OO required it was decided to ask the Government to take over the whole construction of the bridge.

While on the same visit the engineer considered the matter of Deed's Creek bridge. It is understood that it was thought possible to put in concrete culvert instead of a bridge. Nothing was done, it being remarked that it was getting too late now to undertake the work. In any case the plans and specifications were in Auck land for approval and nothing could be done until these were available.

Legal opinion was read from the Board's solicitor about a drain that had been dug along the road and their advice was to the effect that if the Board desired to dig a drain that was necessary in the ordinary course of road construction, they could do so. The drain in question excavated along Mr B. Neil's property in Otaua. It is 5ft wide and 3ft 6in. deep. The drain only leaves six feet between itself and Mr Neil's boundary and Mr Neil desired the Board to bridge the drain so as to allow him access to the road. The legal opinion appeared to be that if sufficient room were left for Mr Neil to get out (and six feet was said to be sufficient) there was no legal necessity for the Board to do anything further. The drain, it will be understood, was dug to provide spoil for forming the road (which is the only convenient way of procuring the required clay) and it is said incidentally, that great benefit occurs to adjoining lands by the drainage automatically provided. The Board decided not to do anything with respect to bridging the drains.

The rates of the Board amount to £1258 annually and at the time of the meeting about £50 was outstanding. It was hoped all this would be cleared up by March 31st. Last year at the end of the financial year only £12 was unpaid, while on one occassion two or three years ago a clean sheet was shown.

Great interest was evinced in the first appearance of the " Pukekohe and Waiuku Times " and it is to be hoped that the people of this district will appreciate such a progressive venture, especially as it deals so thoroughly with the news of the county generally, The Harvest Festival Thanksgiving services in connection with Holy Trinity Church were held on Sunday last. Despite threatening weather there was a congregation of over a hundred. In the morning the Vicar preached a very impressive sermon. Special hymns were sung. The church was beautifully decorated by a band of willing lady helpers and there was a fine display of fruit and vegetables, wheat and oaten sheaves.

On Monday morning we had a white frost in and around Waiuku.

The shipment of pigs continues and on Tuesday nearly 200 were yarded for shipment, per the scow Elsie. The tides being very poor some inconvenience has been experienced and the Elsie has been aground below Waiuku, and unable to land her cargo.

There was an excellent muster of Territorials at Otaua, Monday night, to receive instruction, and Sergt. Major Bell was well pleased at the interest taken by the young men in the movement.

Thus a correspondent:- " The fight over the proposal to form a Town Board waxes hot. There are two petitions—one for and one against. The latter counter petition was signed by about 40 householders, chiefly on the grounds that the town area is too small and that to get anything like a population required a tremendous lot of land (which does not work in with the town area at all) would have to be included. In the town area there are only a about 75 bona fide householders. The signatories to the counter petition represent the proprietorship of about five-sixths of the total area. We would require nearly another 100 population in order to be free from the domination of the County Council; if the Town Board were formed at present people would have to pay town as well as county rates. It would be distinctly unsatisfactory to be under two bodies." [We would very much like to hear the other side of the case.—Ed.]