FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 149, 28 November 1913, Page 1

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Annual Meeting.

Mr Motion Re-elected Chairman. The annual meeting of the Franklin County Council was hell on Wednesday there being present Crs Motion, Henry, Lyons, Wilcox, Fulton, Renall and Higginson. On the motion of Cr Higginson seconded by Cr Henry, Cr Motion was re-elected chairman. Cr Motion on taking the chair thanked the councillors for the honor done him. lie hoped that the same good feeling and fellowship which had existed in tho past would continue in tho future. He felt sure that if dining the coming year they worked in the same manner as they had during the past twelve months they would have something worthy to show the ratepayers before facing the elections. (Hour, hear.) ANNUAL REPORT.

The following report was then read :

"In presenting this report, we do so with pleasure inasmuch as we feel the Council has had a hard task to perform. Up to the 31st of March last the Council had not done any work. But since the 31st ol March the following road districts Hunua, Pollok, Mauku, Waipipi, Awhitu, Pukekoho East, have been abolished and merged in tho county, and a considerable amount of work carried out, both in settling up the affairs of the merged districts, aud in carrying out other works. The Great South Road and iho main arterial road in each district have been declared county roads by tho countv.

" The Great South road has received considerable attention and is in a very much better state than when the county took it over, but it is in need of more repairs, and fortius work your Council have made an urgent request to the Government for a substantial grant. A deviation from the Razorback Hill is desirable.

"A poll upon a proposal to borrow £ISOO for Hunua special rating area has been carried, and the application has been approved by the State Guarantee Board for the money. " The financial position of some of the merged road districts was such as to cause a very heavy drain upon the finances of the county, as will be seen from the accompanying statements of accounts.

A contract has been let for the erect on of county offices, which, it is anticipated, will be ready for use by the New Year. Applications were invited for the position of engineer, when 20 applications were received, from which number Mr J. F. McArthur was selected, and has taken up his duties. There are numerous works needing attention. The chairman and engineer have visited all the ridings in the county excepting Awhitu.

A portable engino and crusher and five graders have been purchased by the Council. The question of acquiring quarries has received some attention, and will be further dealt with.

" The difficulty of collecting rates upon land in native occupation has been brought before tho Native Minister, urging that legislation bo placed upon tho statutes, placing Natives upon the same level as Europeans in the matter of rates. The Council has also communicated with the adjoining counties urging their co-operation upon this question.

" County bye-laws have been prepared and revised aud are now ready to be made law. " The question of licensing control is one that should receive some consideration. At present there are two controlling authorities within the county. Now that the county is established we think that this Council should be the controlling authority. " The alteration of the county boundaries are at present under consideration and a mutual arrangement has been arrived at between this Council and the Manukau County in this respect.

" The goncral rate levied for the current year thould yield about £7OOO. " The question of unoccupied properties should receive immediate attention. There aro a very large number of small allotments in the county, especially at Tuakau and Pekeno, the owners of which cannot be found.

"In consequence of the several road districts and their accounts not having beon audited, we are unable to submit an audited balance sheet for the half year ending September 30th, 1913. The accounts of the county have been audited, and until the road board acconnts aro completed and audited they cannot be included in county accounts. In consequence of the foregoing we have spared no pains in dissecting the county accounts so as to give the fullest information possible." BALANCE SHEET. The balance sheet for the six months ending September 30th was read as follows:

Cr Renall, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, thought that if some of the ratepayers should take exception to the expenses they should remember that included in them was the cost of machinery, aud ho claimed that the life of a portion of the machinery could be set down at 20 years. Further, the Council had to bear the initial expenditure of the merging of the Road Boards. Ee considered the balance sheet very satisfactory. Through various circumstances a great deal of the work had been kept behind. The engineer had now taken up his duties and he felt sure lie was worthy of the position, and the Council were fortunate in securing such a competent man. He complimented the chairman on the

manner he had discharged his duties. Personally, he thought the chairmanship should pass round, and he believed such a course would give an incentive to members to carry out their duties. He congratulated the clerk on the work he had done. ' He has surpassed all our expectations. I had no idea he was so capable, and that augurs well for the future of the Council. He is the right*man in the right place." He thanked the councillors for the courtesy and assistance shown him, and considered the ratepayers coukl congratulate themselves on their representatives. Cr Henry, in seconding the motion, thought the ratepayers might not be so commendatory in their remarks on the balance sheet. The working expenses were large, but they were unavoidable, and he expressed his satisfaction with the balance sheet. He complimented the chairman and clerk, and at the next annual meeting he had no doubt they would be able to say a lot of good things about their engineer. COTTAGE HOSPITAL WANTED. Cr Lyons remarked that he was not going to add any more " soft sawder." He to the Council's contribution to the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board and contended theft with the £I2OO a year paid and the Government subsidy it was desirable that the Council should have a cottage hospital within their own boundaries. He urged the Council to give the matter their serious consideration, and ho was confident action in this direction would meet with the support of a large propoition of the ratepayers, Cr Flanagan added his quota of congratulations, and referred to the absence of " rows " amongst the councillors and the " sympathetic accord " in which the Council worked. He was very pleased to say that they had been able to do something to the Great South road. He considered everybody who saw it would be struck by the improvements and it would convince the most sceptical of the advantages of County Council administration. Many people in his riding wore becoming favourable to merging, aud he believed that next year the majority of the Road Boards would have merged. He paid a tribute to the '•Times" for the excellent reports supplied of the meetings. Frequently, when at sales, ratepayers spoke to him about Council matters " and they knew as much as I did." It was a good thing for the ratepayers that they should know what their representatives were doing. Cr. Wilcox considered the balance sheet very satisfactory. He referred to the pleasant relations which had existed between councillors and felt sure they would bo continued in the future. He spoke of the difficulties he had to put up with in his riding on account of the dual control.

Cr Fulton endorsed Cr Lyons' remarks regarding the establishment of a cottage hospital and thought Pukekohe Hill would make a: most admirable site. Doubtless the Auckland board would oppose the action but they should fight it out.

Cr Higginson endorsed the views expressed by Crs Lyons and Fulton. The chairman after again thanking the councillors said he would always do his best in the interests of the ratepayers and to assist the councillors. He referred to the work during the past period pointing out that the Council had had to do the hard work of organising and those following would have an easier time. What had been done had been done thoroughly and well, and he hoped this system would continue. There had been an outcry against the erection of offices but he was convinced if the ratepayers saw how the councillors had to carry on business they would congratulate the Council on the action it had taken. He contended it was a sound and good business proposition and would be recognised as such. He considered that next year they should take steps in regard to the establishment of a cottage hospital. Speaking of the balance sheet ratepayers would bo fully aware that many items such as land and machinery were not recurring. They had had many expenses in starting the Council but "you can't start anything without expense." He felt sure if they all worked together the Council would be able to accomplish a great deal of good work. The resolution was put and carried.

RECEIPTS. £. s. d. Balance 933 10 1 General rates 325 13 6 10 per cent penalty on rates 29 6 9 Subsidy on rates 607 14 2 Thirds 114 16 8 Local bodies contribution 0 ta South road repair 32 0 Merged road districts 626 0 8 0 Licenses 26 0 Rent of domain 1 10 0 Miscellaneous 15 18 6 Pollok cemetery trust 1 6 6 Contractor's deposit 1 8 0 Treasury Deed's creek 50 0 0 bridge grant Treasury Mauku district grants 155 15 0 Bank deposit 250 0 0 Bank interest on deposit 2 10 0 3183 9 10

EXPENDITURE. £. s. d. Salaries 173 10 8 Printing and advertising 92 4 1 Councillors' travelling expenses 61 13 0 Election and poll 5 4 0 Legai expenses 33 19 0 Audit charge 8 16 8 0 Valuation charges 1 0 Rent of offices 10 2 6 Telephone exchange and 9 0 0 letter box Accident insurance 5 3 0 Licensing cost 6 4 6 Bank charges 5 13 9 Paid Bank New Zealand on account Road Boards 218 4 2 Office expenses 20 15 1 Carried to interest and 338 13 sinking fund 7 Miscellaneous 1 7 2

Land purchase 125 0 0 Machinery104 18 1 Engineer 23 2 0 Carried to deposit account 33 12 6 Auckland Hospital and 449 18 0 Charitable Aid Board Roads and bridges construction & maintenance 1316 9 11 3031 5 8 Credit balance 152 4 2 3138 9 10 STATEMENT OF BALANCES. Credit. £. s. d. Cash in hand 11 19 7 Bank interest account 203 18 9 215 18 4 Debit. JC. s. d. Dr bank 45 6 0 Up cheques 18 8 0 63 14 2 Balance 152 4 o 215 18 4