FRANKLIN COUNTY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 18, 10 July 1912, Page 2

FRANKLIN COUNTY.

FIRST MEETING OF COUNCIL.

Mr W. C. Motion Elected to the Chair.

There was a full attendance of members at the first meeting of tho Franklin county council, held in the Masonic Hall, Pukekohe, on Thursday, July 4. Mr J. T, Steiubridge, Returning Officer, presided. Members 1 present were: —Councillors J. Henry (Mauku riding), J. A. Renall (Awhitu), H. Wilcox and Dynes Fulton (Pukekohe), R. Higginson (Waiuku), W. C. Motion (Waipipi), Grant Campbell, (Hunua), Jos. Flanagan (Drury), R. Lyons (Mercer). CIIAIUMA VSIIIP. After Mr Stombridgo had read tho proclamations constituting the county, he invited nominations for the chairmanship for the ensuing year. Cr Fulton: I beg to propose Mr Claude Motiou as chairman. He lias wide experience, and being a young man has a long fature in front of him. Cr Higginson seconded. Cr Renall proposed Cr Henry, who, said the mover, was in closer touch with the county. He was a man who would do justice to the chair, and having a sound business training he would be able to do good work for the county. Cr Cimpbell had much pleasure in seconding. Cr Henry would be very convenient for consultation with the clerk and with tho county headquarters, which no doubt would be in Pukekohe. A ballot was taken and Cr Motion was elected by six votes to three. In acknowledging the unanimous applause with which the announcement of the vote was received, the newly-elected chairman thanked them kindly for the honor corner red upon him. He hoped they would pull together and that the council as a whole would justify the confidence placed in them. Cr Henry : I have to thank those who supported me. (Applause.) Clerkship. Upon taking the chair, Mr Motion said at this, their first meeting, they would have to appoint a clerk. Cr Henry suggested that a temporary appointment should be made, and if Mr Stembridge would accept the position that he be clerk. He moved accordingly. Cr Renall seconded. He was satisfied that Mr Stembridge was tho right man in the right place, and ho trusted the council would give him a unanimous vote The motion was carried, tho appointment to be for three months, applications for the position to be invited meanwhile. Time of Meeting. It was decided to meet on the first Thursday in each month, at 1 o'clock. Cr Renall thought that once a month would be ample for some time. The Road Boards, he took it, would carry on for some time, and meanwhile tho county council would confine itself to district roads. Cr Wilcox suggested Saturday, but against this it was shown that at least one member (Awliitu) could not then get homo till Monday. To hold the meetings on sale day was also suggested, to combine, as Cr Fulton put it, private business with county business. But against this it was urged by Cr Henry that when the council met members should come with a mind free to do tho work of tho county. County Headquarters. A letter was read from A. P. Home, of Duckland, offering the use of the Buclcland Hall for the nominal sum of £ 1 per year. Cr Renall moved that Pukekohe be tho place of meeting. He was surprised to-day to see the progress that had been made, and he looked forward to ag. eat future for Pukekohe. To carry their meeting from hero would be a step in the wrong direction. Cr Henry seconded. Pukekohe, he said, afforded the most conveniences, and its selection as the county centre would be in the best interests of the district. Cr Wilcox said that as a Buckland man it would not be right for him to go against Buckland, but lie saw that the train arraageinents would not suit councillors ; in the future, if the trains stopped at Buckland, he could see no reason why tho position should not be altered. The resolution selecting Pukekohe was carried unanimously. Which Bank? The chairman said the National Bank had been most progressive, and had tried to accommodate tlu -settlers in the outlying districts; for that reason this bank should bo considered. Cr Henry moved to open the account with the Bank of New Zealand. This, he said, was the national bank for the Dominion, and seeing that they would probably be connected with the Government, and interested in Government advances, it would be foolish to go outside the institution. Cr Wilcox seconded. Cr Renall moved, That the National Bank be the county bank. He did not think there was anything in the reference to the Government bank. He expected that any accommodation they would get would be in accordance with their securities. Cr Campbell seconded. The National was essentially the settlers and small tradesmen's bank. Continuing, he referred to years of experience of its liberality and generosity. It was not a small institution and ho believed it was able to control as much infiuenco and money as any other institution in New Zealand to-day. Besides, it had its ramifications iu all the outlying districts. By six votes to three the National Bank was selected. It was decided that any two councillors, in conjunction with the treasurer, operate on the bank account. Cr Campbell said they could get £2OO or £3OO overdraft iu anticipation of rates, and he moved that arrangements be made to draw that amount if required.—This was carried.

Office Accommodation. Crs Henry, Fulton, Campbell and Wilcox were appointed to inspect available offices and report to the next meeting of the council. Salary of Clekk. A desultory discussion took place over the clerk's salary. It was pointed out that there would be a good deal of work to do, for the council not sit without striking a rate. tually it was decided to pay the porary clerk the same salary as it agreed in futve to pay the clerk. fl Should the Boards Merge? A discussion was projected on this issue. It was stated on the order paper that several Boards wore hanging back waiting to see what amount .■ of rates the county would levy. Cr Ronall said ho intended to urge the people in his district to merge. It would be ridiculous for them to go on running over one another. Cr Wilcox said if the county was going to strike a rate and the Eoad Board too it would be serious. He thought if they could manage to let the Boards go on and get a certain part of their revenue they might go on till the end of the year, when the Boards would merge. Cr Flanagan said the Boards in his district werehanging back. Ho would like a full expression of opinion from members on this matter. Cr Lyons thought they might do as was done in Waikato county—strike a rato (say) of Jd, and let the Road Boards strike Id, or such rate as was required for the local needs. The chairman said it seemed to him that they would have to consider which. roads were arterial roads, and which roads had to be kept in order by the Boards. Cr Henry said Karaka and Mauku had raised a loan, and they wanted to spend it to their own satisfaction before merging. He did not know how the county was going to strike a rate at all without the valuation roll being prepared to begin wish. Cr Wilcox said if the county had come in three months ago he did not think there would now be a Road Board in existence. Under the circumstances the Boards had still to carry on whether they wanted to or not. The ratepayers in his district were almost unanimous about joining the county, but now they had to go on for another year as a Hoard. If a rate were struck to-day it would guide the Boards at their next meetings. The chairman: We can't do it. Cr Campbell said they must first have some idea of what their expenditure would be. They must first find out how much money they were going to spend, and then when they had the rate roll they could decide the amount of the rate required. Mr W. Dunn, on behalf of the Pukekohe West Road Board, said that the Board had something between £2OOO and £3OOO in hand, rates and loan money, for distribution between the part of the borough just taken over and the county. They had practically decided to merge and would do so if an undertaking were given that the money would be spent according to the allocations of the Board. If such an undertaking were given the money could be handed over right away; if not, the Board would have to carry on for the year. It was pointed out that as the county had no staff to do the work they might not be ready to do it for months. Cr Renall moved, That all Road Boards be asked to send an intimation to this Council as to what they will do about merging. Cr Henry seconded.—Carriod. Tho clerk was instructed to prepare a schedule of tho ratoable value of the county, to bo presentod to the next meeting. Money. The clerk said that something over £BO was available from gum licenses for distribution botwoon Manakau and Franklin counties. It was agreed (a Manakau delogato approving) that the amount be equally divided forthwith. Appointment of onginoor and county solicitor was held ovor till next meotio f The council had something less than a two hours' sitting.