THE PUKEKOHE BOROUGH.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 215, 24 July 1914, Page 2

THE PUKEKOHE BOROUGH.

Much Too Unwieldy.

Proposals Fop Removing Certain Areas.

At Wednesday night's meetirg of the Pukekohe Bjrough < 'ouncil Messrs J. Potter and W. J L. Davidson presented a petition which sought io cut oil' from the borough a cjitiin area of "outside" farm lind which, although in the borough ha', it was sail, no community of interests with the municipality. THE PETITION. The petition read as follows: "We, the undersigned, property own'ra and ratepayers of th»*borough of Pukekohe, disirc to have our several properties, now included in the borouah rating area, removed therefrom and aided to th« Fiunklin County, for the following reasons, viz : "1. Experience has proved to U9 that we hive nit, and cannot have, Identical interests with other parts of the Pukekohe borough. "2. Our land is all farm land with extensive roading area, which will necessarily ba a heavy drag on tha borough iinancs for many years. "3. Being on the outer boundary, the borough would not, at any tinis, receive an adequate return for such expenditure, nor would it be in a financial position for many years, to give us such facilities of access to our respactiVe holdings as we quite reasonably exp'd. "We therefore have to ask tor favourable consideration to our petition, being convinced in all our minds that the granting of our request will be mutually beneficial to ourselves and tha borough of Pukekohs generally." The signatories to ths petition were:—J. Douglas, W. Davidson, W. (Jnyon, H. A. Stuart, M. A. Reynolds, A. D. Douelas, J. A. Wrigh', G. Gatherccll, E. Pollock, T. Pollock, Mason and Roberts, 1. Billing*, W. Moore, S. Boyd, J. Douglas, H. Bilkej, b. Jaguisch, P. Miller, M. B. Koutley, J, Pott r, J. H. Hindman, T. Cannon, L J. Bayly, J. Wylie, A. Wright, J. Pollork, C. M. Wright, J. McCormkk.

PROPOSED BOUNDARY LINE. It was explained that th 3 new boundary would start from a point 24 chains south of thi road on the southern buundary of Mr R. F. Wilkinson's p:operty, thence west through the proper' hs of Messrs Moses Routley, P. A. Miller, Barter an) Phillipps, Jaguish'and Coughlin; thsr.ce north-weststly through the farms of J. Potter, Diuglas Bros, and H. Stuart, meeting the p.-esent borough boundary at Hart's corner. During the course of his remarks Mr Potter said th3t 35 a:rcs of his place, inclucirg the houip, would remain inside the bjrough Practically abou*. 50 chains would be taken otf ail along the routh.rn boundary of the borough. The "tail" would be cut otf, but all the land on the hill, facing the no'th, would remain in the borough. He reckoned the valua'iin proposed to be cut off wouM be about £33,000 In that area there were GJ or 7 milea of roads of which only 1 or 1 miles was metalled. All the rest had to be made. The town clerk remarked that the ulceration of boundary was a matter for the Governor-in-Council; the petition would need to tie in order, signed by a quarter of the ratepayers interested, and forwarded on.

Mr Potter said that nil the settlers except Mr Barter (who was away) and Mr Coughlin (who was ill) had signed. Cr Beatty. If you are going to alter the boundary you had better cut off another tail as well.

Cr Pollock said that live years' rates from the area referred to by Mr Pott=r would not pui the roads in that area in order. To let them out was a good proposition for the borough.

Cr Hamilton: How about th? west end? Cr Pollock: Hut it oil' as fur as you can. To Dell's corner, if possible.

Crs Beatty and Hamilton both said they would like to be cut out, 100. Cr McGough: There is no chance of my being left out? The Mayor said the boundaries should go further back from the railway line, to include such properties as Daysh's. He referred to the hi«h valuation of some lard close to the borough which ia excluded and other low-value land which is included.

Cr Baattv thought they should go into the whole question of boundary alterations, and deai with them all at once. Cr Bollock sail with all these loans pending they did not want to get in for them aud in for the ! county rates as well. The Mayor suggested that the people on the other side of Belmont corner should be seen to ascertain I if they also desired to h 3 excluded from the borough. [ Mr Potter said he did not mind I taking any trouble as the borough j could do nothing for them. They had had no money spent for three | years—fiot sixpence. Soon they would squeak about it if they 1 remained in. He thought to have j them cut off would be for their 1 mutual benetit —it would be a good j thing both for the borough and for 1 the settlers. 1 Cr i'ollock: What is the feeling I of the Council about the mutter? I The Mayor: I cannot take a voti now, but councillors may express an l opinion. Cr Bilkey: I think the borough is very much too large. Cr Beatty: I would like to go out and I know a lot of others who would also. Cr Hurley said he thought it would be best to take as much as possible of the outskirts off. Cr McGough Eaid the borojgh was too unwieldy altogether and should be cut down. The Mayor said the farms should be in the rountv; it was rather! ridiculous to have to get a permit to [ build away out on Potter's farm. j Mr Totter said he was sure the Council could not do the work rc- j quired in the territory they were j cutting oil - not for years. There had been metal lying there for over two years and it could not be got on the road». It was decided to hold a special meeting of the Council un Wednesday evening next to go more fully into the matter.