ADVANCE WAIUKU!

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 203, 12 June 1914, Page 4

ADVANCE WAIUKU!

Town District Proposal.

Commission of Enquiry.

No Objections Raised,

As the outcome of u petition presented to His Excellency the Governor asking for the constitution of a town district for Waiuku, a Commission of Enquiry was conducted at the Courthouse on Friday. The Commissioners were Messu H. M. fcjkeot (Commissioner of Cr»wn Lands) and E. Morgan (District Land Valuer.

The Commissioners were taken over the boundaries of the proposed Town District, and had explaiued to them a few in.stancos where an alteration was desired to prevent what might be considered an unfair inclusion of territory. Tho proceedings commenced a little after ten o'clock, Mr Skeet reading the warrants of authority to conduct an enquiry in reference to the petition of A. M. Barriball and others for tho formation of a town distiict at Waiuku. Ho showed that tho notices had beon duly published, and that Mr fl. Harvey had lodged an objection ; but in a later letter Mr Harvey had withdrawn his objection.

Mr A. Banna (solicitor; who appeared for the promoters, outlined the procedure that had been followed, which was in compliance with the Act, and all details had been properly carried out. The Commission agreed that this had been done, and the enquiry was then proceeded wi'h. The lirat witness called was, Mr S. T. Rossiter, who said he was strongly in favour of a town district, one argument being the deplorable condition of the streets for many years past. It wa9 about ten years since a move was made in the matter, but the opposition was then so strong that the question was allowed to drop. A little over two yearn ago the question was again taken up, and with one dissentient a well-attended public meetiug voted in favour of a town district. A committee was set up to see the matter through, and the lato A. E. Mellsop, clerk to the Road lioard for many years, drew up a plan of the proposed area. About "0 or 80 signatures were got in favour, more than enough to comply with the lnw, but some little trouble arose and a counter petition was put in circulation and sent to the Micister for Internal Affairs. To their disgust they found that a number of the petitioners had also signed the counter petition, and the Minister's intimation came that the matter had better remain iu abeyance. It was recently thought the time had arrived when another move should be made, and as the former petition was shown to be in order by Mr Ilauna, they had gone ahead. I'horo was one ratepayer in opposition, Mr Harvey, and witness thought justly iu opposition. But it had beou agreed with Mr Harvey to slightly alter the boundary, as had been shown to the Commissioners.

The Commission hero took a note of the membeis oi the Committee, Messrs A. M. Bairiball, J. (fribble, Dr How den, \V. Adamson and S. T. Eossiter (it was stated that the other member, Mr H. King, did not desire office) with a view to their being recommended to the Governor as the members of the first Board.

Mr A. M. TWiiUn ion-i loifd the pri posed area to >k t«vi much of McNaugbten's l>nd and of Kei.t farm. He suggested a line a little faither down the plan ns tlie bouudary, which would take in the buildings ou th<? two farms tnontioned and tho frontage, but leare out tho land at the back.

In reply to Commissioner Morgan, witness thought there was every probability of the railway being on the recreation reserve, which would give value to tho land near, but he did not think it would much inctease tho value ol the land at the back of his farm, as be did not think settlement would go that way. If the present proposed area was too largo he thought the portion he described should be omitted from the town district.

MrW. J. King, alter long experience of the Road Board's affairs, thought it a mistake to tako the centre of a road as a boundary, and advised a boundary ton chains from the roadway.—ln reply to Mr Morgan : In his opinion tho town would spread equally within a milo from the railway station, and not in one particular direction. The land around was valued at from £'>o to £BO an acre within a mile of tho post office. He would say there was every probability of the town extending in the direction of Harvey's. Ho did not see why the education reseivo should be cut out, and it would cause an awkward position to cut out a portion there and leave it to the county. The suggestion to includo a ten chain strip of land along the Sandspit road met with his approval. He thought the town as likely to spread Martin's way as any other. The population of the proposed area would be over 000. Mr J. Oribble, who had been in business at Waiuku for 'JO years, said that the place had advanced considerably during the last 6 years —more so than in the previous 1-1. He contended that the township was not in keeping with the district around. He mentioned the various recent improvements, and indicated further probable business ventures all of which pointed to progress and the need for a local governing body, Some of the old settlers from outside were now comiug to reside at Waiuku. He thought the town just as likely to extend one way as the other, mentioning recent sales of land and their locality. He argued that there was ample evidence of progression about the place to warrant a Town District, mentioning the rumour that another Bank was about to be established.

Mr W. Adaruson, who hud beou in business for seven years at Waiuku, agreed with what Mr Gribble had said on the matter. His busiiie9B had increased considerably with the general progress of the district: and he was decidedly in favour of the Town District. The place was goiug ahead, but ho did not think the extension would be in any particular direction. This would be mostly guided by the question as to whether land in a particular locality was for sale and the price of it. Mr J. A. lionall, of Kobe Kobe, district member of the Franklin County Council, and who claimed a large experience in tho affah'3 of local authorities, thought that some matters had cropped up that would bo better avoided. Although he would say that tho street in Waiuku was a disgrace to any local authority, he was of tho opinion that the road wonld bo the better boundary between the County and a Town Board. He thought it advisable to avoid ;iny piece-mealing of any particular section, and stick to the roads as boundaries. He hoped the Town District would be formed, but he would rather see boundaries along roads.

Commi>siouer Skeot pointod jout that his experience was that other districts were opposed to making roads the boundaries.

Continuing, Mr Kenall said his experience had been that one authority made and maintained tho road and charged half cost to the other. He said the Council wanted nothing to do with the roads within the town area. He would like to see an amendment to the Act lowering the population required before a Board could operate apart from the county, from .500 to 000. He did not think it a right thing if the Council collected the Board's rate, as would be done if the Town district had not sufficient population. The question of boundaries he was prepared to leave to the committee. He agreed that Waiuku would grow, but he did not think the growth would be considerable, because the district lauds, on unimproved farms, in his opinion were yielding as much as thoy would at any time. The town area would get better attention from its own Board than could be given by a member of the County Council.

Mr Brown, who represented his son, thought the Education reserve lauds should not be taxed similar to the adjoining territory—Commissioner Skeet, however, explained that the lenses were renewable and that sub-division and building was allowable on one form of education lease tonure, and that the improvements were paid for if tho leases were not renewed. He showed that it land in tho locality went up so these leases were bound to increase in value, and that theso leases hud a prospective value, which Mr Brown admitted.

Mr (ti nonhead lied t') hisection being 0:11 tti> 1 f1 ■ nil tlif I original proposed 1> uind'iries, but was now included. IT' l c msidered that he was beyond tlio mile ladius from tho office He beliored in a Town Board for those within the prescribed area, and referred to j the disgraceful condition of the streets for yours past. lie could ■ not say that he approved of his section being included because they had just gor.e in for a heavy rate for installing purposes iu tho county and thoy would havo this to pay if included in the now area in addition to the Board's rating. The land in his vicinity would be worth £JO or £.30 an acre, but he did not think it should be included unless within a mile from tho centre of the town. Mr J. Harvey said ho had objected because in his opinion too much of his farm had been included, but had withdrawn his objection on the understanding that an alteration would be made in tho boundary. Mr C. B. Herrold, resident in the district for t>'u years, testified as to tho progroseivouess of tho district aud spoke in optimistic terms of Wniuku's future, in which ho had every confidence. Mr Hanna also expressed his opinion concerning the bright business prospects of tho township, also that a newspaper (tho Waiuku " Advocato ") was shortly to be published here, a sure evidenco of progress. Commissioner Skeet then intimated that as they had heard nil the evidence thoy would proceed with the prepaiation of their report, which he hoped would bo completed within a few days. Tracings of the proposed district wero before the Commissioners, and the sections where there were suggested alterations were carefully reviewed with the witnesses^ At the close Mr Kossiter thanked those who had given evidence, and said there was no doubt that it was desirable to form a Town Boaid. It would probably bo hard to please everyone. If one settler considered too much of his land was included on the one side, another may think too much was included at the opposite side, but the Committoo had done what they considered best for everybody ; and he had no doubt but that tho Commission would do the best for all also.