FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 38, 18 May 1915, Page 1

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

(Continued). The following business was transacted at the meeting of the tranklin County Council on Thursday last, in addition to that reported in our issue of Fiiday, viz.:— ROAD AT WAIPIPI. The Public Works Department notified the Council that their (the Council's) request for a straight-out grant for £SO instead of a subsidised £ for £ grant for the Waipipi Creamery to Waiuku-Awbitu road could not be acceded to.—Letter received. WAIROA FALLS ROAD. The District Engineer wrote suggesting the cancellation of the vote fcr the Wairoa Falls road, which had appeared on the appropriations for a couple of years without any proposal for expenditure being forthcoming.— No action was taken.

AKA AKA TO PUKEKOHE. In regard to the Council's request for authority to bs issued for the road Aka to Pokekohe through Shipherd's, the District Engineerr wrote emphasising the necessity of the road being legalised, and the engineer reported that he was attending to the matter. SURVEY LINE ALTERED. A letter was received from Mr P. C. Cheal stating that while surveying a portion of Mr John Hill's land, near Maungatawf.iii bridge, he found the present road fences and road formation considerably out of position, according to the old survey when the road deviation was carried through. He desired to know if the Council intended to keep to the old survey. —Cr Lyons said the road had been formed and it was news to him if it-was not on the line, i It had been used for 30 years.—lt was decided to adhere to the present road. RED HILL. Dr E. Cholerton, of Papakura, wrote complaining of the condition of the road passing his property, Red Hill. He stated that he had several tonß of first grade blaestone metal on his property, which he offered to the Council free of cost, provided that a quantity ot it was placed on the road in front of his property and the balance on the bad parts of the hill road.—The chairman mentioned that the road had only come under the jurisdiction of the Council since the 31st March last. He would inspect the road and ascertain what was required in the way of repairing. A NOVEL REQUEST.

Mr H. G. R. Mason, clerk to the late Pukekohe East Road Board, wrote etating that his Board was in possession of six chairß and a Midland safe. The Board suggested that if the Council had no use for the articles they should agree to make each member and the clerk of the Board a present of one chair each and the chairman a gift of tiie safe.—it was decided that members of the Road Board be aßked to make an offer for the furniture they wished to retiin as under the Act the Council had no power to give away property. A SANDSPIT ROAD.

In the matter of a complaint from Mr H. Beckett, of Sandspit, as to a road adjacent to bis property being in need of repair, it was decided to inform Mr Beckett tbat the road was now under the jurisdiction of tte Manukau County Council. AN ENCROACHMENT.

As the outcome of a complaint from Mr L. N. White, of Hunua, it was agreed to call on Mr J. Aitchison to remove a fence, encroaching on the road, to the bounday of bis property. CONTRACT OK DAY LABOUR. The engineer was instructed to set forth reasons, as asked for by the Public Works Department, why work on the subsidised road Hunua to the Railway Station had been carried out by day labour instead of by contract. RATE RESPONSIBILITY. A letter was received from Mr A. Sutherland, of Drury, complaining of rates levied on property purchased by him. He also stated that hj« had paid rates to the Karaka~Koad Board in respect of part of his property in the Beard's district. —Cr Lyons expressed the opinion tbat the Karaka Road Board was responsible to the Council for the rates.--Cr Lockwood considered that when the Supreme Court sold the sections they were sold free of rates.—The matter was left to the chairman and the clerk to obtain particulars and to submit the same to the Council's solicitor. SETTLEMENT DEMANDED.

In respect of his account of £45 19b for surveying fees for work executed for tie defunct Paparata and Mercer Road Boards, submitted at the last meeting of the Council, Mr P. Cheal wrote refueing to accept the Council's offer of £2O in settlement and intimated his intention of taking action iu the Court unless payment was forthcoming.— It waa decided to pay the amount as claimed. ROAD BOARD LIABILITIES. A letter was received from Mr A. Morrison, a member of the defunct Awhitu Road Board, complaining of the Council's delay in settling up the liabiiltiea on finished contracts of bis Board. Cr Renall stated that the fault rested with the Road Board and not with the Council. The Board's documents and bookß should have been handed to the Council and also the balance of money in band sbould have been paid over as the outcome of the Board's merging, but such had not been done, and until that duty was fulfilled the Council were powerless to act as requested, lie proposed tbat tbc

Awhit'j Road Board should he called on to hard over all possessions —Cr Renall's motion was unanimously agreed to. THE BLACKBERRY PEST.

A petition, signed by 32 residents of Awhitu, was received atkiog the Council, to enforce the Noxious Weeds Act in their district so as to compel owners to clear blackberry.- On the motion of Cr Kenall, it was decided to forward the petition to the Fields Inspector with a rfquest that he should t ke action aa suggested. "A WHANGARATA REQUEST. Mr (J. E. Hayward, a new anival in Whangarata, wrote stating that the road leading from Mrs Coad'o property past his place to the Whangarata School, was in urgent need of repairs.—cr Wilcox and the engineer were requested to inspect and report. / WANT OF ACCESS.

Mr J. R. Lilburne, Moumoukai, Clevedon, again wrote asking for information in regard to the matter of access to bii section, Otau parish. He stated that although he paid the sum cf £45 to the Government, with the understanding that a road was to be put through, no action had been taken. —The clerk was instructed to reply that investigations were in hand. WAIUKU QUARRY KOAD.

The State Advances Board notified the Council that the solicited loan of £7O for the road to the quarry from Barnaby road, Waiuku. would be available on completion cf legal formalities. RE-VALUATIONS .DELAYED. In reply to the Council's request for a re-valuation of lidingß not recently re-valued, a letter was received from the Valuation Department stating that owing to the war the revision of valuations had not been proceeded with. PAYING TWO AUTHORITIES. The Department of Internal Affairs wrote enclosing a letter from Mr Blackwell, of Awhitu, and asked for observations thereon. Mr Blackwell had complained to the Department that rates had been collected both by the Council and the Awbitu Road Board and under such ciicumatances he asked the Department whether a refund could not be claimed as the ratepayers had been told that when the distrcit was taken over by the County Council the Road Board's rates would be abolished.—The clerk was i-stiucted to reply that the merging took effect as ftom Marcfi 31st last, prior to which date both bodies v?,ere entitled to collect rates. COMFORTS FOR THE TROOPS. A request from the Countesß of Liverpool that the Council should assist in the provision of 6000 pairs of socks for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was received, and it was humorously suggested that the chsirmpn, being a bachelor, should be responsible for the Council supplying a fair share of help in the matter. TRAMWAY ROAD. In reply to Cr Henry, the chairman stated that the survey of the Tramway road was being arranged for and adjoining owners would be notified of opportunity to purchase sections. COUNCIL'S NEXT MEETING. Owing to the date of the Council's next ordinary meeting falling on June 3rd (King's Birthday), it was decided that the Council should meet on Thursday, June 10 th, instead of a week earlier. GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

Un Cr Lyons proposition it was decided to apply for the following grants: Pope's Coroner to Caret's farm, £126 acd Koheroa road, £IOO. MISCELLANEOUS. Cr Lyons moved that the Finance Committee be aßked at its next meeting tj go into the matter of dealing with the CDrresponf 5 .: r r so as to effect more expeditious mode for the conduct of business.—Agreed to. The chairman ar.d Cr Wilcox were appointed to deal with the proposed alteration of the boundaries between the County and the Borough of Pukekohe.