FRANKLIN COUNTYCOUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 258, 22 December 1914, Page 4

FRANKLIN COUNTYCOUNCIL.

The following matters were dealt with at the meeting of the Franklin County Council last Thursday in addition to the proceedings that were reported in out last issue:— COUNTY VALUATIONS.

Cr Renall brought up the matter of the alteration of the riding boundaries with a view of making the valuations of the ings more equEl. Cr Lyons thought the Council should apply to the Valuation Department to have the whole of the county re-valued, in order to remove the anomalies in the piesent valuations. NEW WATER-TABLE.

Cr Henry asked that the engineer be instructed to have a water-table formed from Nicholl's gate to join the water-table on Piggott's Hill along Rowe's frontage.—Engineer instructed accordingly. CEMETERY CONTROL. Thw Council's contiol of cemeteries throughout the county came up for discussion on Cr Henry suggesting the aDpoinment-of a gravedigger for the Mauku cemetery under the Council's by-laws dealing with cemeteries.—The discussion disclosed that the Council bad not yet taken over the control of cemeteries, and therefore the by-laws did not apply. 10 PER CENT PENALTY.

Mr Rhodes, of Hunua, waited on the Couccil and asked that the 10 per cent, penalty inflicted on him in respect of arrears of rates might be remitted. He explained in accordance with his custom during the existence of the Road Board he paid the amount of-the rates into the Bank of New Zealand in Auckland, not knowing that the Council did not bank with that institution. As a result delay occurred before the money reached the Council's bank, the National Bank. The Council considered that it could not create a precedent by remitting penalties, but Cr Lockwood, the member for the riding, having left the meeting before Mr Rhodes' arrival it was decided to leave the matter over tor his consideration. BACK-BLOCK HARDSHIPS. Mr Rhodes went in to complain of the want tf roads in his district, sajing that the settlers w«.rt suffering an injustice and were handicapped hi their means of livelihood. The chairman sympathised with the views expressed by Mr Rhodes, who, he said, was a resident of 40 years standing, and whose rates amounted to £3O per annum. He thought the Council should du something for him,

The. engineer reported that he was already planning a road adjacent to Mr Rhodes' property, and he wps instructed to have the work carried out as soon as possible. PATUMAHOE-PUKEKOHE ROAD. Cr Henry moved that the engineer should be instructed to have the roadway along Sheridan's Flat, on the Patumaroe-Pukekohe road, raised by a filling t> the centre of the road, the present metal scarified and removed and placed on the filling. The work, he considered, was necessary to strengthen the road and to improve what is a very bad part of the highway during the winter months.

It was decided that the work be deferred pending inspection by the chairman and Crs Woods and Henry.