MANUREWA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 77, 1 September 1915, Page 4

MANUREWA.

Proposed Town Board.

Commission Takes Evidence.

Tlie Commisjion appointed by His Excellency the Governor to go into toe question of the proposed formation of a Town Board for Manurewa, was held in the Manurewa Public Hall on Monday last, the Commissioners being Mr ri. M. Skeet (Commissioner of Lands) and Mr E. Morgan (District Land Valuer). The petition in favour of tbe proposal was signed by 60 ratepayers, while a counter-petition bad the signatures of 19 objectors attached thereto.

Thi ti.tiog took three hour?, both parties calling a h.ngthy array of witnesses.

IN SUPPORT

Mr C. H. Lupton was the first witness for the petitioners, and he stated that action was first taken at a meeting of the Manurewa Progrersive League, it was. unanimously decided that a Town BoarJ *as necessary, and a petition taking for the same was signed by 60 shareholders and forwaned to Wellington, hut unfortunately did not me.t with the requirements of ihe Department concerned. A liter petition with 60 rut of thi 65 ratepayers' signatures attached was forwarded to tbe same source, and advice was received that tbe biundaties hail lem gsz'-tud aid that a Commission fad bem appointed to deal with the matter. the petition was rot put through hurriedly. The dilliculty connected with the present administration was tha' the di?t ict was divided between three governing todi s, and there was 10 ruprcsei.ta:ive en the Manurewa Koad Board from tne township. He contended tlist a Town Btard, with five members, woulJ give tne proroc.d Town Board area more atenlion than it was at present receiving and c.ird work en a loser rate. Ths que - tion of bridges was not likely to loom big, as there was only one in exisunce, viz.. ii Bus-ell Btreet. The farmers required roads, while the ratepayers in the village waited footpaths and accrrdiDgly it was not fir fir the villagers to expect the farmers to rate them selves to make village footpaths. The propostd authority could st it with a clean sheet. There were no loinß over' the area that it was proposed shculd be adjudicated by the Town Boan\ All tne property in the suggested area was valuable, and the rates could be spent on

liy Mr Skeet: The totil rates collec'ed over the distri t by the Manukau County Council and the Real Board were not high. As a result of the permanent levels not having been taken the buildkgs were not erected to the proper levels. It wes his opinion that the Town Board woul I have mure iiHuerca than the preeent Koad Board. 11 tpite of the war aid other drawbacks he lr ped that that day would be a red letter day for Manurewa—namely, that it would be the preliminary to acquiring a lown Board for Manurewa. Mr James Edward considered that the present condition if the roads made Manurewa an absolute disgrace. He compared Papakura, with its Town Board, with Manurewa, and stated that in Papskura the streets were lighted at i ight with lamps, whereas Manurewa was devoid of ligtting. He had heen 'bogjjed" on Wiri read rear the residence of a Road Board member. The roads bad been put down without an engineer. He was certain a town Board could improve them. The trend of settlement would be in the vicinity of tbe railway statin", and the most popular sites would have a tendency to go north fiom the station to Brown's road. Sigr.atures were obtained from the big property owneis for the first petition, hut they had Bince signed the petition. He suggested that sll property valued up to £l5O should be included in proposed area. It was the result of a rumour that had gained currency re a high rate that some of the ratepayers went back on their signatures. Mr F. E. White, a ratepayer of long Btending in Manurewa, expressed his dissatisfaction with tne state of the roads. He said he had waited en the Manukau County Council in connection with the condition of the Mum South road. The district was improving rapidly, and wculd be closer settled with the railway station in the centre. By Mr Morgan: He was a land agent aid considered the most valuable land in the district to be on the Great South road. It was on a hiliside and wealthy pe:ple were purchasing it for residential purposes. To have the station h the centre of the proposed Town Board area it might be necessary to alter the areas as set out. Mr Watham and Mr Bull both expresied themselves in favour of a Town Board.

Mr P. Wood stated that be had s!en a man raiting timber on the Main South road. Dr Bodle deposed that he had been a resident tor 40 years in Manurewa, and bad seen very little benefit done to the South road duiing that period. Nothing had been dune permanently, and the metal was gettrg thin. The Manukau County Council worked on it last summer, but left two ditches, and a hone and dray upset into one. One advantage of a Town Board would be the vesting of rates in tbe area as proposed, At present the Council were "grabbing" a great pjition ot the ratop. The benefits of a Town Board would be incalculable.

Mr E. Ualtcn Wanted a change from the present state of things. No improvement 9, he said, would be made while three bodies continued to operate. MrT. Hill: Surely the peuple who spend the money have right to choose as to the manner in which it should be spent. The three local bodies are pleased enough to collect the money, but when they are asked for improvements the cry is "There is no money." He strongly objected to pay when the money was being expended elsewhere. Mr NeilJ suggested that au area of live miles shiuld be taken in the proposed Town Board area, in order to allow for the employment of an assistant cngii.eer. If the necessjry improvement* were attended to Or." wnuM Mr no neressily lor a Town li'iard.

Mr Gray intimated that there would be people leaving the district next winter if a good road pulicy was

not put in actioi). If his suggestion was acted on population woulJ be increased, but if ihwgs continued to remain as they were p o > \<_ would not come to the ciistti t ?-r J. T. Freaney was the last wit. esi cslicd to support the proposal, and expressed himself in favour of a Town Board. THE OBJECTORS. Mr James Martin led off for the objectors, by stating that the time was not yet ripe for the formation of a Town Board, and he claimed„that the Manukau Gounty Council would continue t» remain in power even it a fown Board was formed. Commissioner Skett pointed out that tbe Manukau County Council had the poser to delegate their powers (o a Town Board, By Mr Skeeet: Be did not know what the population o? the district

was. -^ Continuing, the witness said that

hj.? cojlil not see the wisdom of a Town Board taking over Massey, Kus?ell and Brown's roads when the Papakura Town Board and the Manurewa Road Board caited metal over ttasm. That, road would ne;es3itate a hcjvier expenditure than the balance of the roid? combined. Monies paid out last year by toe Koad Board for impiovemeits to Russell, Massey ar.d Station roach alone amounted to £475. By using the Council's plant the Road Boaid had been able to carry out a work's plan cheaply and with good results. Signatures for tha petition bad been obtained by misapprehension. It was stated that only a half-penny late would be struck ty the Town Board, if tormed, but that was not correct. Mr Skeet said that only four of the oiiginal signatures on trie petition appeared on the counter-petition. Mr Martin stited that other sigoaturea could have been obtained, tut they were Lot asked to eign the cou ,ter-petitiuti.

By Mr Skeet: He rial f-igncd the counter-pdi ion on behalf of lis brother.

Mr Skeet: You had no right to sign on Lis behalf. Mr Mai tin explained that his brother authorised him to append his signature to the ciuriter petition.

Mr Martin went on to lay that there were a number of employees working on Public Works et Manurewa who were boarbi g in the district, and if the Town Board wad formed tho.e m : n would be entitled to vote, a thing which would place tbe district in a quandry. Mr Skeet: They could only vote for tepres ntatives and not for loans.

By Mr Ske»t: The time waa not oppoitunc to form a Town Board and the expenditure would be too heavy. He suggested taat it would be time to co sider forming a Town Board when the population vias at 500. A piece of the Papakura ditt'ict should be taken into the Manurewa district.

By Mi Morgan: His property would be included in the piopuscd Town Board area. He had s Id properties doring the war, and was certain the values had not teen affected. Property rear tee railway station would command the highest price residential purposes. A property of three and ahalf acres oi his, situated on tbe hillfiae, sold recently tot £2OO per acre.

Mr H. Burton said that un'il be became aware that the County Council would not be doii3 away with by the formation of a Town Beard, be was in favour of the formation of a Town Board, but be now understood that the County Council and not tbe Town Board would have jurisdiction over the Main South road in the event of a Town Board being formed, so he could net see what benefit there would be in a Town Board.

By Mr Slseet: The County would not do anything tor the district. Mr Skeet: A Town Board'could compel them by enforcing their bylaws

By Mr Skeet: He suggested that the Council should be got rid of and thru a Town Board formed, but he would be prepared to wait until the population had reached to 500. The Koad Board had done all in iis power for the district. The proposed Town lioard area of 2180 acres was too restricted; the boundaries shuuld go further out on the west.

Mr Smith was of the opinion Ibat a satisfactory readjustment of existing conditions could be arrive! at which would do away with the necessity of forming a Town Board. I here was no reason to waste more rates on administration. The time had not arrived for a To*n Board to be formed. 'ihe Commissioners both expressed tbe opinion that it would be more di Hi cult to readjust matters than to form a Town Board.

By Mr Morgan: Manurewa would continue to progress and ultimately a Town Board would be required By Mr Skeet: He was not tgainst the formation of a Town Hoard if they would get better value for their niuiiey. Papatoetoe had progressed without a Town Board. Mr Morgan: Yes; but the Papatoetoe Koad Board has sole jurisdiction over the district.

Mr Kicb deposed tb3f he had signed both the petition and the counter-petition, the latter after he had reconsidered the matter. He admitted that he had not gone into t!?e matter.

Mr Pegler intimated that the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, had advised the ratepayers of Papatotoe not to amalgamate with the'berough of Otahubu on account or the restricted area, and he looked on tbe present situation as very similar.

Mr Skeet: Papatoetoe has a very good train service. Continuing his evidence, Mr Pegler sud that the public were gradually realising that the average Koad Board was not a success, and a general belief was gaining ground that Road Board's as at present constituted would soon be a thing of the past. Papatoetoe, with its clerk, ranger, dogcatcher and engineer, collected about £3OO a year, and its management expenses were probably onefourth to one-sixth of the total amount. The 'lown Board area was too restricted. It was harking back to the day of sma.l things. They should look en Manurewa with faith large enough for a borough, and whin that time came everyone would pay their due proportion. It might bo arpueel lri»t they should commence in a small way and grow to Hie larger borough, That was unfair tn the builders or taxpayer*, tn nay nothing of Imp narrow mi! lonic. They should look on thr ptuiciplc ol a greater Auckland and build and plan accordingly, With the incorporation of the boroughs