WHAT TUAKAU WANTS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 180, 20 March 1914, Page 11

WHAT TUAKAU WANTS.

The Minister Buttonholed. (CoxriM-Ei) from Page 3.) TOWN BOARD DISTRICT. 1 Messrs W. Glasgow, J. Perritt, k ' Craig, H. B. Free, A. 11. Tapper, J. Henderson, Finch, Madill and Fulton waited with a request that the" Government should .make a straight-out grant of £2OO to meet the preliminary expenses in connection with the formation of a town district. Mr Fulton said that while trying to do what was fair they found that they could not cope with the cleaning out of the water-tables, sanitary arrangements and so on, so they asked assistance. Mr Fisher; As a rule local bodies ask for a loan. And they are never in a position to pay it back. That's how it is usually done. He suggested that if the Government would not give a straight-out.grant that the deputation might be satisfied with a don't-pay-it-back loan arrangement. The most they could hope for was that Mr Bollard would work and that he (Mr Fisher) would remember.

TOWN HALL. Messrs Tapper, Craig and Fulton were next. Mr Tapper said that over an acre of land had been given by Mr Madill for various purpose?, and they now wanted to erect a town hall He hoped they could soon go to the people for a loan for a town hall, and asked whether the Government would subsidise it to the extent of £3OO in the same way as tho grant had been made at Mercer. Mr Fisher said he would refer the matter to the Minister for Public Works. ONEWHEKO TELEPHONE SERVICE.

Messrs S. H. Crawford, E. Muir, W. Colo Baker, E. Attewell and J. Griffin nest approached the Minister. Mr Crawford said if it had not been for th'o people of Onewhero, of Pukekawa, and of Wairamarania, the Minister would not have had the privilege of opening the Tuakau post office that day. Mr Cole Baker said he had been told that thoy did as much postal work at Onewhero as they did at Tuakau, but the business was done in a private house. " What is it you ask?" said Mr Fisher. "Wo want an up-to-date post office in Onewhero. That's what we want," was the reply. Mr Cole Baker said it would cost between £SO and £IOO to do what Was required. It was explained that Mr Cole Baker could not himself spend the money to bring the office up-to-date, as the Department would give him no tenure for a definite period. This matter was to be considered. f THE TELEPHONE. Mr Crawford said they also wanted to talk labout the telephone. Yesterday morning he wanted Mercer and could not get them from 9 to 12 „ o'clock. Sometimes they were hung up for over half-a-day. They wanted the telephone business to be put on a better basis. If they rang up Tuakau it cost Cd but if Tuakau rang up Onewhero it only cost 3d. They had rigged up over 150 miles of private telephones and had been in no way behind, consequently they did not see why it should cost them 6d to ring up Tuakau. Mr Fisher: And your messages all came down hill, too. In the laughter that ensued a promise of reform-was understood to be made.

Mr Cole Baker said they had OH subscribers and they wanted to be put on the same basis as an ordinary bureau.

Mr Dynes Fulton said his experience was that if you had a day or two to spare you should telephone, but if you were in a hurry then you should write or go and see the person you wanted. Mr Bollard said they clearly needed better facilities at Onewhero. Mr Crawford urged that a definite promise should be made that this matter would bo att nded to. Later Messrs Tapper and Free said they came to support the application for better communication between Tuakau and Auckland. At present they were" subservient to Pukekohe's requirements. Mr Tapper said he was cut off from a hospital communication three times so as to let Pukekohe use the wire. That was how they were treated in Tuakau.

Mr Free supported. After having been kept waiting two hours he had been frankly told by the office that if lie was in a hurry he had better send a letter to Auckland as the wire could not be got. If they had to wait half an hour it was not" so bad, but it' you have to wait three hours the telephone was not a privilege.

" It's not a privilege ; it's a curse," was the way one member of the deputation interjected. Mr Fisher promised to see the Hon. Mr Rhodes and bring these matters under his notice. He would write to Mr Bollard about the re-

sults'. NATIVE LANDS AND NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Messrs Crawford, McDougall, E. Brewster and T. Murray put the case for the native lands and noxious weeds trouble, Mr McDougall being the chief speaker. Mr Brewster complained that no jnattor how they tried to keep down tho lilackborry and other pests, fresh seed was always being supplied fioro these places. - THE MAIN KOADS. ».*fr Crawford said he heard the pooplo were trying to get tho Government to tuke over tho mai'i r:jads. IL wantod to know it the Government would take over all the main roads. Mr Fisher said the prospects of them doing that were not bright. Ho suggested that tho Government should lirst be lot fako over tho arterial roads, which was a sufficiently big contract, and they could take over the side contracts later on. There wne mutual expressions of good will and thanks for the Ministerial patience as tue lastde'-putation withdrew.

On Tuesday and Wednesday next tho Lyceum management Avill screen a LSOO feet picture of ''David Garrick " the famous Drury Lane player of the 18th centum*