FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 118, 12 August 1913, Page 3

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

The August Meeting.

Thosa "present at the last meeting of th 3 Franklin County Council, held in Pukekohe en Ihursdav, were Messrs W. C. Motion (Waipipi, in tha chair), J. A. Kenall (Awhitu.) R. Higginson (Waiuku,) Dynes Fulton and H. Wilcox (Pukekohe), J. Flanagan (Dtury), K. Lyons (Mercer,) Grant Campbell (Huuua). BOMBAY-PAPARATA ROAD BRIDGE. The Paparata Road Board forwarded Mr Wilson's l>ill for plans and specifications in connection with the creamery bridge on the BombayPaparata road which the Council had taken over from the Puparata Road Board. The account was £5 OS. On the motion of Crs Flanagan and Lyons it was decided,* That as the engineer will not be available for some time this work bo proceeded with. Cr Lyons added that Mr Wilson might also be employed to do other urgent works. The chairman: Yes, since we_ are not paying our own man we might as well be paying someone else and getting the work done. MONEY FOR METAL. L. W. Milsom applied for payment for breaking Ponga metal for the Hunua Road Board. The clerk's announcement was Milsom had been paid.—Confirmed. WAIAU PA TELEPHONE. The Post Office notified that the Waiau Pa telephone extension would be from the Patumahoe end and direct with Pukekohe, not Waiuku. MAUKU CONTRACTS.

Considerable correspondence and a big statement regarding Mauku contracts were read, which enabled the Council to see where they stood. WAIAU PA WHARF The Treasury advised that £IOO had been remitted to the Franklin County fund, being payment on account of erection of above wharf. CHANGE IN RIDING. G. H. Stubbs, Wharekawa station, Mangatangi, wrote :—" In tho beginning of November last year I signed in conjunction with others a petition to have our present riding of Hunua changed to that of Mercer. You will, I am sure, appreciate how vital to the interests of this district that this should be done, and I will be glad if you could inform me if the matter has been dealt with."

Cr Lyons thought that something should be-done.

Cr Campbell said there was the possibility that the boundaries between Manukau and Franklin counties would be adjusted and he thought the adjustments between the Hunua and Mercer ridings could be left until then.

Cr Lyons said he was not altogether satisfied. He did not see why those people (who were in Hunua riding but should be in the Mercer riding) should pay rates unless they had the assurance that they would get some benefit from it. They were in as bad a petition as any part of the county. .If Mr Stubbs continued his fence as had been talked about theie would be people " cut off. from the world," so that a bridge would have to be ejected. He thought tbat the Chairman, Cr Campbell and himself should be a committee to visit this district.

Cr Campbell saw no necessity for going over the place ; if the bridge were needed it should be built. He intended to divide his riding up into wards and endeavour to allocate the spending of the money in those wards in which it was raised. Cr Lyons expressed himself satistied with this declaration. A REWARD. Cr Remtll moved that to os he paid to Mr Druinmond for the clerical work lie did for the Pollok Road Board in connection with merging. The Chairman and councillors thought the payment was right and the vote was carried. COUNTY OFFICES.

Mr L. C. A. Potter, architect, of Pukekohe, submitted an excellent plan of proposed offices for the County. Members were unanimous in the opinion that the work could not be carried ou in the present office. The matter of finance caused some discussion, Cr Campbell favouring the spreading of the cost over a five to ten years period. " A decent building, which will last for all time," was what the Councillors appeared to be aiming at. Finally the plan was adopted and a committee, consisting of the chairman, Crs Flanagan, Campbell and Lyons, was elected to consider the specifications, enquire into the best way of arranging the finance, and to report to the next meeting.

The committee agreed to "make all haste," and it is likely that tenders for the building, in brick, will be invited within the month. A RANGER WANTED. Cr Lyons said they all had experience of tha damage that was done to water-tables, culverts, etc., to say nothing of the broken fences which the settlers' suffered as a result of straying stuck. He moved, That the Council appoint a ranger. Cr Fulton seconded. He had contended all along that they should have a pound. In the winter months the stray cattle did rs much damage as vehicular traffic. He thought they should have a pound, but now that the Borough Council was establishing a pourd the County Council would he relieved of so much. Cr Wilcox: I would rather see two or three surfacemen than a ranger, L'r Renall said there was always a good deal of talk about tt.e gras3 in the lanes. At Waipipi tbey had tried the ranger system but had "passed it out.'' They bad been very glsd to allow people to grr/.e the roads in order u get away from the risk of lircs in aummer time. Wrier: they had fcotpatha a ranger was wanted, but they did not want one in bis district. 'lhe motion was carried without dissent, and a committee set up to consider the whole position.