FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 228, 8 September 1914, Page 1

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

The September Meeting. Those present at the monthly meeting of the Franklin County Council, held in the county offices, Pukekohe, on Thursday, were:—Cr W. C. Motion, Waipipi, in the chair; Crs Wilcox and Dynes Fulton, Pukekohe; K. Lyons, Mercer; J. Flanagan, Drury; J. A. Renall, Awhitu; R. Higginson, Waiuku; Grant Campbell, hunua; J. Henry, Mauku. THE MANUKAU WHARVES. The Auckland Harbour Board replied eayir.g that they were considering the question of the control of the wharves in Manukau harbour.—The Council had asked the Board as to the terms upon which the Board would take the wharves over. They also asked if the Board would provide the necessary shed accommodation for the trade of the various wharves. Most of the wharves served scattered communities and the goods could not be removed immediately on the arrival of the brat, hence the necessity for shed accommodation. NOXIOUS WEEDS. The Fields Inspector of the Department of Agriculture intimated that lie would give his early attention to the noxious weeds in the Mauku district, as requested by the j Council. | XIIE KAItAKA BRIDGES. Some time ago the Council asked ; that the bridges over the Hingaia j and Whangamire creeks should be I kept at a sufficient height to allow J of craft passing under them. A reply was received stating that it had been provided that the Iliogaia bridge was to be 12 feet above spring tide high water, and the Whangamaire bridge 18 feet. JERICHO ROAD GRANT. The district engineer asked what steps had been taken to register ths Jericho road, for which there was a grant of £IOO. Cr Wilcox said so far as he knew this was already a legalised road. It had been in existence for 40 years aijd was, he believed, a dedicated road. Any amount of public money had been spent. It was decided to reply to the foregoing effect. SPIDER WORT.

The Department of Agriculture wrote saying that spiderwort had been added to the third schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act, so that any local authority could now delare this plant to be a noxious weed. In some districts spiderwort was spreading and was likely to prove troublesome.

None of the councillors appeared to know the weed. WAIUKU-AWHITU ROAD.

"The district engineer intimated that if the Council rendered a claim for £44 2s—Waiuku to Awhitu £39 5b 9d and Saltwater Creek bridge £4 16s 3d—he would pass the payment voucher.

"Welcome," said the chairman. The claim is to be made forthwith. PRICE AND ARARIMU DEVIA-

TION

JThe district engineer aeked the Council to have the requisite proposals submitted for the expenditure of the grant of £2OO for this work. *[Cr Flanagan said he believed when the deviation was first surveyed Mr Price, the then owner, was willing to give the lar.d, but there was no certainty that the present owner would do so. If not, then £2OO would not be enough. He did not think there was any hope of taking up the grant this year as the work would be too costly.

Cr Campbell added a further explanation, and suggested that every possible etFort should be made to keep the grant alive. The engineer is to inspect and report.

A HUNUA ROAD

I The chief surveyor enclosed a I claim from Mr Shanaghan of £lB7 10s for roads surveyed through lot j 12. Seeing that lot 12 has no legal- | ised road access Mr Shanaghan lbe induced to accept considerably i less. Would the settlers interested I be prepared to assist in fencing as I had been done in similar cases j elsewhere? The claim was made up of 150 chains of fencing at £1 per ' chain and acres of land at £5 ! per acre. I Mr Shanaghan protested against tho line of suivey saying that a more suitable road could bo taken along the western boundary connecting with Church's and Pollock s and nearer tho position of former surveys of proposed roads. William Pollock wrote saying that he had been in possession and occupation of his farm in Hunua for forty years and still had no road to his property. The >um of £IOO had beeu granted and regrauted for opening up a road lot some years. There were two Government allotments which had paid " thirds for 1") years and " Goodness knows where that money had gone." Cr Campbell said that everything that could bo done to facilitate the construction of the road was being done.—lt was agreed to reply accordingly.—Cr Campbell added that if the Department's advice not to allow the roads to bo fenced across had been followed by the Road Board tho compensation now required would probably have been very much less. Ho further explained that the £IOO on the Estimates was for the construction of tho road and could not be used for compensation. AWIUTU -UEROIXG. Cr Renall said that the papers in connection with tho merging of Awhitu were now in order. \Vith the assistance of Mr Robt. Morrison he had succeeded in getting the necessary signatures. The ratepayers in favour of merging numbered (16 and thoso against were 23, leaving a majority in favour of 43. The acreage owned by those who did not sign totalled 57")8 acres, while the acreage of those who signed totalled 12,0'J1. Cr Renall added that there were 33 nonresident ratepayers which was a matter of great concern to this Council. The Council had previously decided to sell the properties and collect the rates on such sections as these and that should be done. The Awhitu branch of the Farmers' Union wired : Petition to merge, some wrong names on. Can wo have copy." Cr Renall : Ceitaiuly. I move that they bo supplied with a copy. This was >econded by the (.hairman and carried.

AITUCATIOX IOR ORAM. A. H. Giles, clerk to the Awhitu Road Board, applied for £lO to widen the bridge at Graham's beach. The present width was eight feet and it was intended to make it 10 feet. Cr Renall said this was an unmerged district, but it would be merged shortly. At piesent it was for the Road Board to take action. He moved, That as soon as the district is merged action would be taken as far as possible.—Carried.

VIMXti RR' is' ROAD. The district engineer wrote saying that the road through Mews Vining Bros.' propeity had been surveyed and legalised ; " and as the transaction with regard to Smith's property was only one in the way of improvement to the road and, further, as there existed a right-of-way through this ground which probably by right of usage was now a public highway, it would be a mistake to unduly push this matter with the landowner until he was in a more reasonable frame of mind as to the compensation to be paid him for the amount of land require! fur the road improvement." A reply from the County Clerk showed that Vining Bros, had been led to give their consent on the distinct understanding that the road would be legalised I>y the Department, and in face of this arrangement the Council had no hesitation in saying that the Government had failed to carry out their part of the agreement. The district engineer rejoined that there was no arrangement whatever with Mr T. R Smith, who, it was said, now claimed exorbitant compensation. To which the Council clerk replied, inter alia : The settlers were induced to give tho necessary land through their properties ou tho understanding that tho road was to bo completed and thoy are now very indignant and thiuk they have been had."

Cr Lyons said he agreed that tho arrangement with Vining Bros, had not' been carried out. Tho Department initiated tho work "ud should carry it through. He moved, That a further reply be sent saying that the evidence proved that the Government had initiated the work and should complete it. Cr Campbell said tho Government had started tho road and the Council should not take it over, uncompleted. He secondod the motion, which was carried.

OI'AU THIRDS. Writing from Clevedon, E. Wheeler, IS. H. Judd and R. Milbank wrote re thirds N'J, 00 and 01, parish of Otau. They did not think the question as to whoro the Mournoukai road would come out should be considered at all iu connection with the expenditure of these thirds. They held that the thirds were for the purpose of improving the access to the sections from which thoy were derived and not for improving the general reading of the district. They reiterated their desire to have the money spent in extending the formation work inwards.

Cr Campbell said the writers were trying to force the position. The Government would not do anything to the outlet end at all. They were spending £7O on an internal part oi the road and not at the outlet end. The Commissioner's opinion was that the thirds could be spent where the Council proposed, even if it wai 30 miles away from the sections.

Decision was adjourned until an understanding was arrived at with the Public Works Department as to which route would be used by Mounioukai.

HKIKY-WAIUKI' KOAL) UUIDGK. The clerk of tho Karaka Boad Board again urged that attention should bo given to the unsound and dangerous condition of tko bridge on the Drury-Waiuku road, over the Whangamaire croek, commonly known as the Four Mile bridge. It was decided to reply regretting that these repairs had been delayed but the work was now being attended to.

MERCER MAIN ROAD

11. S. Valentine, in forwarding his rates, ('row attention to the state of the main road between the railway station and the wharf which, it was said, had been in a disgraceful sta'.e all the winter.

Cr Lyons said the whole trouble had been that they could not get metal from the quarry. But the people were getting on with the quarry tramway now and the road would be attended to as soon as possible. ABOUT A FENCE, 'lhe Anglican Church Comnutte.?, Waipipi, asked permission to ferce certain land near the church, which was new a mass of furze and blackbeirie?.

Air John Crotty mad? a simlar application.

Left in the han :s < f Cr Rcnall io deal with.

KAURI CLUMP ROAD

A. H. Brown, Opaheke, vigorously complained that lhe Btate of their road was a disgrace. He understood that for two years running £SO had been voUd for repairing this read, but nothii.g had been done.

Cr Campbell said this was the Ksuri Clump road concerning which he soma time i-go claimed that £SO had been taken by Clevedon. He got the mmey revoted last year. It was decided to reply saying that plans were being prepared for the work. A BOUNDARY ROAD.

The Papakura Town Board intimated that they did not feel inclined to accept the Council's terms re the boundary roaJ. (The Council suggested that each body should pay hall the cost cf maintenance). "TAKE NOTICE."

Mrs K, Bentley, of I'onga, formally notified the Council that she would hold them responsible for any damage which might be caused "while driving up and down the terribly disgraceful part of Drury road, entrance to our Porga road." This was said to be the worst part of the road between there and Auckland, and they were almost capsized "through some mad person fencing off the best part of the road with heaps cf metal which have no lights on but are left for people to break their necks over in the dark."

Cr Reuall said they had no right to obstruct the road with metal. It was stated that the road would be attended to in due course.

Cr Flanagan ssid lhe engineer and himself motored over this road the other day. Cr Campbell: It is not so lurid as the letter makes~out.

A WAIUKU ROAD. Sydney H. Biddle wrote that he had a denfiite agreement with the Waiuku Road Board re a road giving access to his farm. He was to stump and clear the road re dy for the plough and scoop and the Board was to put a side cutting in. The work had not been done by the Board or the Council.

Cr Higginson said that tenders had been invited but none was received. Then they got "too tar into the winter and had to leave it. He would try to get it done in the spring.

The engineer and Cr Higginson are to inspect and report to next meeting.

HOSPITAL ACCOUNTS,

Representations were made regarding an account for £94 15s charged against a Waiuku resident for treatment of the settler's son who lost a leg. Cr Campbell said the hospital charges in some cases were scandalously high, and he quoted the bill for a three-year-old child's treatment from his district. It was decided that if £BO were paid on this account the Council would recommend remission of the balance.

Another claim for £l2 18s against a Tuakau patient was considered, and on Cr Fulton's motion it was decided to recommend remission.

Cr Flanagan thought patients should pay something and if many of these recommendations went forward it would mean that the people would be called upon for a higher rate.

Cr Campbell said last year this district paid £1300; this year they would pay £ISOO. So far the . : ; sions recommended only totalled £l5O.

Cr Henry said the Waiuku case was better able to pay than the Tuakau case. They should not make tl.ese recommendations in a wholesale manner; people who were in a position to pay should do eo.

Cr Renall said he did not know of aDy instance where remission was asked for where the case was not deserving.

GREAT SOUTH ROAD. Cr Flaiagan said there was a promised giant of £750 for cutting clown a hill on noitti side of Rama Kama store, and the hill on the South side, tilling in two hollows and putting in big concrete culvert where a wooden bridge ia at present; also re-metallirg portions of road cut down and Mled up. Ol that sum £SOO was allocated towards cutting down the hill?, and £250 was to go towards the metalling. The woik was all ready tu be proceeded with; he was anxious to see it go on but asked the Council if, under present circumstances, they thought it was wise to invite tenders. The chairman thought trey might apply to the Pul.li: Wi.iki Jepa-t----ment to see whether they would make advances as the woik proceeded. It was decided to ask if the Department would make these advances and to call for tender?. HOGWOOD'S ROAD.

A special order to raise a loan of £450 for Hogwocd's road deviation work, Mauku, was carried. COUNTY BOUNDARIES.

A special order altering the boundary between Franklij and Manukau was approved.

PRATT'S HILL,

A special order authorising a loan of £2500 for Pratt's hill deviation work was carried. A BAD ROAD.

J. G. Gallagher drew attention to the road from his place to Edwards' which had bad holes in it and was dangerous. Cr Campbell said he had been trying to h-jld this work over until they could make a good job of it.

Ju9t now two cream carts were using the road and some settlers were chaffing, and to meet immediate requirements he movtd that a couple of men be put on to till in the worst hcleß. —Carried. A £lO LIMIT.

It wai decided that h future no work exceeding £lO be undertaken by individual councillors except with the approval of the whole Council.

CEMETERIES. It was decided to write oil" the rates owing upon cemetery properties.

MERCER MATTERS,

Cr Lyons reported upon several Mercer matters. lhe cemetery, he said, had no caretaker and no fees were collected; it just went on, like other cemeteries, in a happy-go-lucky manner. The street lamps, tha public hall, and roads were also dealt with. On his motion it wse decided to wri'e to the Sawmill Company asking them to keep at least hslf the road at the back of their place clear and to remind them that £1 per annum would be charged for the tramway. GENERAL.

The chairman said that Mr Pilkington's, at the top of Shipherd's hill, entrance was blocked Dy a cutting 6 or 7 feet deep. This was done when the deviation was made and Mr Pilkington's access there was cut off. The engineer was instructed to inspect the position and report. The engineer wa3 authorised to do certain work between the properties of Messrs Wilcox prd Hewitt, Buikland district, also to do the ruad between Sommerville's comer and Sheridan's hill, Mauku riding.