FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 169, 10 February 1914, Page 1

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

The February Meeting, The monthly meeting of the Franklin County Council was held at the county offices, Pukekoh?, on Thursday, February sth. Presenters W. C. Motion (Waipipi, in the chair), R. Lyons (Merc r), G. Campbell (Hunua), J. Flanagan (Druiy), H. Wilcox and Dynes Fulton (Pukekohe), J. Henry (Mauku), J. A Renal 1 (Awhitu), R. Higginson (Waiuku). The county solicitor (Mr Hanna) was also in attendance. THE NEW OFFICES.

The chairman said that before proceeding with the ordinary business of the meeting he desired to congratulate tne Council upon the firm stand that had been taken in getting the present site and having the offices built, bo far as he (OJld see the offices were all that could be expected and were a credit to the district and members could row carry out their duties in an efficient manner. The office staff were now well housed so that they could do their best. What had been done had been done with the beat intention and in such a manner as would benefit these who came after them. He had also to congratulate the members upon the friendliness with which they had carried cut their work in the past under trying conditions. They had had differences of opinion but everything had been done in a good spirit. For himself he had to th.;nk members of the Council very sincerely for the cou'tesy extended to himself. He now had pleasure in declaring these county chambers open for the transaction of business of the Franklin County Council. (Applause). Cr Wilcox congratulated the Building Committee upon the offices and upon the way they hed been furnished.

Cr Renall aho added his congratulations. He humorously sugeested that under the new conditions he would "behave better in future," but if the same spirit prevailed in the future as in the past they would have nothing to regret for members of the County Council. a BAD CUTTINU.

H. Beckett dre'v attention to the state of the cutting leading into Kawa Kawa bay at Sandspit. Deep ruts and slips were complained of. Cr Campbell said this place was in that part of the county about to be transferred to Maaukau county. As there was some doubt about the exact location of the road the clerk was instructed to ascertain this; if found that the load was under Government supervision the matter is to be referred to the Department. A PERSISTENT COMPLAINANT.

John Taylor, of Cameron Hill, Ness Valley, again wrote:—"You arc taking a long time to think of sending me a reply to the letter I sent you about the rates on this road going through my place. It you pav me for the land taken for the road then I i;ill pay rates for it, but not otherwise. 1 have paid lor all the land I have and improved it, and now the Government and you take a road through and not pay me for my labour and make me pay rates on it. I was told, too, that Campbell and a surveyor were coming up to see the road but they haven't come yet." Cr Campbell said he had no comment to make. It was the old dispute. "Letter received," said the chairman. THE HUNUA LOAN. The Government Printer wrote demanding 22a[in prepayment for gazetting a resolution re loan of £ISOO. The loan could not be advanced until the resolution wa* gazetted. Cr Campbell asked if the clerk had heard anything further from the Department about the loan? The clerk: Nothing further.

KARAKA BRIDGES. The Under-Secretary advised with reference to the apportionment of the cost of bridges over the Hingaia atid Whangamaire creeks that Mr W. S. Short had been appointed to be a commissioner to enquire into the matter. The Council was asked to he r; presented at the enquiry. Mr Short would give notice cf the place and time at which the enquiry would be held.

Tne chairman (to Cr Henry): That will give you trie opportunity of informing the Mauku district so that they may prepare evidence. Cr Henry: Who will prepare tte evidence?

Ihe chairman: I suggest that you should have a public meeting of ratepayers and Lt them appoint somebody to repieaent the ratepayers and arrange for witnesse®, etc.

A CONTRACTOR'S REQUEST. H. C. Small, who was a tenderer for the building of the ccusty offices, and whose deposit of £2O was estreated, wrote asking for a refund as he had made a mistake in the tender.

Mr Potter, the architect, said he believed the excuse that a mistake had teen made was bona fide. The chairman said that Small had not mads an amended tender until after the tenders had been opened and he had been asked to sign up. Some discussion tcok place as to what should be done in these cases, but a 9 the Council had been put to expense it was decided to give Small a refund of £lO without prejudice. TUAKAU TOWN. DISTRICT. The Under-Secretary forwardtd the official notice respecting the Tuakau town district, about to be formed.

Cr ReraH: Of cource we have no ojection to this? The chairman: None at all. A DISPUTE SETTLED. The solicitors sdvised that Mr A. M. Sheppard had now agreed to accept £7 16s in payment of his surveying services to the Pukekohe East Road Board. HOMES FOR WORKERS.

A. H. Steele, Buckiand, wrote:— "I wish to state that having been engaged by the engineer as permanent surfaceman for your county, I find that after arriving here and working in Buckiand ridmg that 1 am unable to secure a house for myself and family, and I must ask if your Council will take advantage cf the Counties' Act Amendment passed last year, which authorises County Councils to expend mcney in acquiring land and erecting a dwelling in very much the same way as dwellings are erected und-.r the Workers' Dwellings Act." The chairman said he did not know how members of that part of the riding felt, but he did not think the Council had funds to fnter into this scheme just now. Cr Fulton: I don't think so, either.

Cr Wilcox, who said he heard that Mr Steele had since been offered a house, moved, That the question of building homes could not be entertained at preseDt. Cr Fulton seconded the motion, which was carried.

ROADS AT WAIPIPI. Makgill and Midaleton again wrote respecting some Waipipi road.'. Previous letter.-, said the writer, shou'd give the council some idea of th2 position rcgaiding a considerable amount of deviation work which hsd teen carried out but never dedicated by them, nor had the old roads been transferred to them as the correspondence would show waj the ba?is with vari us fencing conditions and a small monetary compensation as well, "i fear," the letter went on, "that the memories of the late members of the Board, now on your Council, cannot supercede actual correspon. d.-nce. I am aware that the survey of these deviations has been made but by whom 1 cinnct say; surely there will be records to show this also. Your references to the Council not being able to go into this question at present is under the circumstances somewhat strange. It is a matter which has been hanging on for some years. The work has been dune, the roads fenced and in use, but the cleaning up of our side of the transaction is to be shelved, seemingly indefinitely. This ws simply cannot agree to a r d trust your Council will see its way to really have this matter looked it.to and the husiness completed with a3 much expedition as possible." The chairman suggested that the clerk should go into the past correspondence. The clerk said be had gone into the matter extending over two years and could not find any suggestion of monetary considerations. Cr Renall said if any arrangement had been definitely made thev could see it from the minute?.

The clerk said he would look up these records.

WAIUKU TO AWHITU ROAD. F. Bigg-Wither, district engineer, wrote:—"ln continuation of our correspondence re expenditure of a portion of the grant for the Waiuku to Awhitu road on the road immediately beyond the five chains being formed, in connection with the approaches to the new reinforced culvert at Waiuku, 1 have to advise you that the Engineer-in-Chief has approved of your proposals, and the road for the further distance of about 15 chairs is to be graded, formed and metalled. You stated on tehalf of the Franklin County Council that if the Government would spend £l5O on this work your Couccil would find £75. As arrangements are now being made to have the approach completed I shall be obliged if you will send me a cheque for £75, so that the additional work, to cost £225, may also be put in hand."

The chairman said he had suggested that if the hill were excavated on the further side that his riding would beur half the expense. New the Department Wire prepared to spend £l5O if the riding would spend £75. -The matter was left in tne chairman's hands.

GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY. A voucher from the Valuation Department was received for £125. This was on account of rates at Jd in the £ collected by Waiuku Koad Board, £Bl7 8s 6d, subsidy at the minimum was £250, less half to Road Board of £125, left the £125 to the Council

UNSIGNED LETTER?. Headed Kohe Kohe, and dated y 1 1 14, a letter card addressed to the clerk read:—"Would jou te gooJ enough to p-st my rates account a3 I cannot find the account row." The fact that the letter was receiled without signature caused some comment. One councillor ssid that he lisppencil to knoAi that in a particular letter received by the cleik it was stated that £2 18s 5d was enclosed, wherca3 only £1 was in the envelope. In another case twelve penny stamps were sent in and there was nothing to show whom they were from or what they were for. A TUAKAU APPLICATION.

R;v. Father Tigar, 0.P., administrator cf the Tuakau Cath' lie Church, wrjte:—"Yoj are advertising the intention of the Council to narrow the road in Tuakau which is two thaus wide, the part of the road which lies between Whangarata road and the river. As you are ro doubt aware the Catholic Church has some property abutting on the present roaJ which will be affected. May I ask if the Council can see its way to generously transfer the frontage portion of the property to the Catholic Bishop, who holds it in the natns and for the benefit of all the Catholic residents of this large district? The benefit conferred will accrue to no particular person but to the Catholic body at largo in the district for which we shall ell feel very grateful." Cr FuJton explained that this was a continuaticn of Ihe Tramway read.

fhe chairman said in that case it would be dei.lt with in the same way as the other frontages. The clerk was instructed to write and say that action would be taken when dealing with the Tramway road generally. CHURCH PROPERTY RATING. Cr Wilcox said the foregoing matter opened another question, namely, the rating on church property in Tuakau. Hitherto there had been no rating on church property but this had been done since the County Council came into being He had spoken to the Town Clerk of Pukekohe who said it was the practice to exempt church projerty. Of course they may have got rated because the pioperty was not now being ueed as a church. The clerk said that church property was exempt, but unless the property was used for church or educational purposes it was subject to rating. (Continued on Page _'.)