DRURY ROAD BOARD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 152, 9 December 1913, Page 2

DRURY ROAD BOARD.

The December Meeting, j Those present at Saturday's moot- I ing of tlio Drury Road Board were j —Messrs Glasson (in the chair). Langford, Bremner and Brooks. BOUNDARY ALTERATION PROPOSALS. The clerk of the Karaka Koad Boarl wrote: —"Your letter of October "JStil, relating to your application to the Franklin County Council for an alteration of the i boundaries of this district. wa9 laid ; before the Karaka Road Board at a j meeting oil November loth, 1913, ] and it was unanimously resolved on tiie motion of Mr Johnston, the member for the sub-division of the district affected, to object to the proposed alteration on the ground that it would not be to the best interests of Runcimau, or of the residents of Karaka generally to whom Eunciman station is the outlet." The chairman said the k-tter did not say why the alteration would not be in the best interests of the residents. | Mr Langford said it appeared that the County Council could not alter the Road Board boundaries. The clerk (Mr Fielding^ l replied that the County Council could alter the boundaries if they like:!. The chairman: Are you quite satisfied that the Karaka Road Board in discussing this matter treated this Board fairly ? Mr Brooks: I think they gave us anything but fair treatment, if the report in the papor was correct. Mr Bremner agreed with Mr Brook?. The chairman said he had no complaint with the Karaka Road Board for opposing the proposal: thoy were quite within thoir rights in doing that. But ho did not consider for a moment that they were light iu allowing a member to impute motives that were nob honourable. They were objecting to the inclusion of part of Runciman station in Drury, but that was not intended. Although the line was mentioned as the boundary it was understand that the whole of the railway would be on the Karaka side—the railway goods-shed and the station. It was perfectly well known that neither this Board nor any other Board had any control or jurisdiction over railway property. As far as the po9t office was concerned, that was on private property and was only there so long as it suited the owner to leave it. He did not think Karaka Board had taken the proper course, at all. Mr Bremner said they went out of their way to attack this Board. He noticed that Mr Johnston had gone back on Mr Glasson's statement and had denied what the chairman had said. The chairman: Of course I cannot help that: what I said was tho true account of what occurred. He repeated that the tone of the Karaka Board was wrong and he was rather surprised. He would movo : —"That the letter be received, that the Drury Road Board regrets the toae of the Karaka Board's discussion re the proposed alteration of boundaries, as reported in the local press, and which was not in keeping with the deference usually shown by one representative body towards another." Mr Bremner seconded the motion. The chairman added that he did not want to do anything that would give offence, but they should. do something to meet tho ridiculously unjust rumours that were going about. The anonymous letter that appeared in the paper a few weeks ago was an insult to this district. Mr Langford : There's been a bit of hard hitting from both sides. The chairman said if there had been any hard hitting from this side he had not heard of it. He mentioned that it was not only this (the Drury) side that was represented on the Board. They went two miles past Runcimau station and back to Papakura. Mr Langford said the attempt to shift the Runcimau station was the cause of the trouble. Mr Olasson: That did not come from us : it was a departmental proposal. Now, half Runciman was in Drury district and half 'was in Karaka ; his contention was that the township should be all in Drury or all in Karaka. He thought the Drury district should be extended right to the Opaheke boundary and that would include the whole of No. 1 Karaka ward. When Hingaia creek was bridged all that part of Karaka would go to Papakura, and yet it was suggested that Drury wanted to damn Runciman. If they were satisfied there was nothing offensive in his motion it might be passed: this Board should see that it got that respect which they were prepared to accord to others. The motion was carried without dissent. AN OPAHEKE ROA.I). The clerk of the Opaheke Road Board wrote : " Regarding Mi W. Bremner's request for aid towards a road formation, giving access to his property : the Opaheke Board have carefully considered this matter and decided that as the road in question will undoubtedly benefit properties in the Drury district, they think that roughly the Drury Board should contribute one-third of the aid requested, that is, £lO. I am also directed to state that my Board will provide £7 only on the understanding that your Board will contribute the remaining £;J." Members did not know if the road was a boundary road or not. " If," | said Mr Brooks, "it is a boundary road we should pay half; if it is not a boundary road wo should pay nothing." Mr Langford said the road would 1 be useful for getting out metal. Mr Sam Ballard had said this was the boundary road. The chairman : Shall we grant tho £ .'J '< Tho unfortunate thing is that every copper that goes away cannot be spent on our main roads. Mr Langford moved, " that the matter be hold over until it was definitely ascertained which road it was and what part of the road it was intended to do the work upon." This was carried. A HOSPITAL ACCOUNT. An account for £1 17s Gd was received from the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, duo by a settlor, now deceased, for treatment.

It was decided to recommend to the Board that the amount ba remitted as the widow was not in a position to pay. The clerk said iho settler had paid hospital rates for -10 years. Mr Brooks said that the people in town were very much better off, getting their £5 a week and not paying any rates. IE they got sick they went into the hospital and got treatment for nothing. The chairman : And vet they go on strike ! HAY'S CREEK' WILLOWS. The clerk of the Papakura Town Board wrote " He Mr McComick and Hay's creek my Board has decided to accept McOormick's offer to clear the croak as required boforo the end of Febru iry, 1914, but have added as a condition that ho must keep the creek clear afterwards. The chairman said the matter was settled until after the end of February; if there was any dissatisfaction then, of course the matter might still go to court. But meanwhile the parties had come to an agreement. RAMA RAMA ROAD. Mr Langford said ho noticed there was a grant of £IOO for the Rama Rama road, but he did not know whiAi part it was for. The chairman said he could not understand it : there was £SO more than was asked for for Rama Rama road and nothing for other places for which they had asked for grants. He added that the policy of the Board had been not to have overdrafts aud hy thought the Rama Rama people should help themselves by raising a loan ; if that spirit were encouraged the rates would not be so heavy and there would bo better roads. Mr Langford said tho troublo was that so few holdings were affected and yet the road as soon as it was made would draw all the traffic that way. He did not really think tho Board could ask those people to load themselves with a loan ; tho settlers would not do it. They would, however, be prepared to pay interest on an overdraft. A member : Pay for a year and then let it come back on tho Board. GENERAL. Tho usual batch of business relating to various road-work was put through.