DISTRICT NEWS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 122, 17 December 1915, Page 1

DISTRICT NEWS

CLEVEDON.

WAIAU PA.

MERCER.

PUNI.

WAIKOA ROAD BOARD. MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Wairoa Road Board was held on Monday, at Clevedon, the members present bei:g Messrs A 1) Bell, chairman, J Luke, J McCouaughey, fi Walsh, W Duder and the clerk, Mr A E Bailey. MARAETAI COAST KOAD The Premier, the Kight Hon. W. F. Masiey, wrote stating that be had given instructions that the ('.oast road was to be kept open, and he added that he was not made aware of the fact that negotiations for the closing of the road were going on between the Public Works Department and the Manukau County Council.—Received. NESS VALLEY-OTAU ROAD Mr Chambers, successor to Mi Lindsay on a property on the Nesa Vailey-Otau road, waited uton the Board and asked that formation work should be done on that road through the bush. Miss Taylor also attended the meeting with regard to the same matter. The chairman said that to do anything on the road a considerable amount of money would have to be expended and that was a serious consideration just now. A grant should be obtained for the road and th 3 assistance of the Manukau County Council should also be sought Very little of tha land was in the Wairoa Road Board's district, aB it was right on the boundary. It was decided to vote £7 10s fur the work, the County to be asked to supplement the amount to the extent of £7 10s, and to leave the matter of apportioning woik on the road to Mr J Luke. JOINT RANGER Mr Walsh reported that he hEd waited on the Papakura Town Board with reference to the proposed j int ranger.—lt was resolved to wfit® to the Papakura Town Board and Valley Road Board stating that in view ot thi holidays the Wairoa Road Board would suggest that a> conference be held on January sth, at the Ardmore quarry. OTAU KOAD CULVERT The chairman stated that his attention had been drawn to the necessity for a new culvert on the Otau read near the top of (he range. He, however, stated that the matter was not urgent, so it was deferred meauwhile. RIVERSIDE ROAD "Four years ago," said Mr James Wright, "1 had a sort of a road to my place, but now if 1 want to get goods in and out 1 have to carry them in a sugar bag. I do not blame the Road Board for this, but those people who constitute the Public Works Department. If some work is not done in the locality there will surely be an accident." The Board was sympathetic in the matter, recognising that there was need ior repairs, but the state ot the finances prevented the Board from promising more than a week's work on the road. A DIVERSION At this period ot the meeting an excited "Whoa!" by a member who was looking through the door caused all the members to jump to their feet and rush out. Ihe diversion was caused through one member's horae having kicked at another, with the result that it had landed one ot its legs over the chatt of tne vehicle. Luckily the animal kept its feet and no serious damage resulted. MATAIIAI-NESS VALLEY KOAD Mr Luke reported that Mr Quin would give the land for the proposed deviation on the above road, provided that the Board did the fencing and also exchanged him the old road. It was explained that the Board would be called upon to pay for the survey, but the deviation would cut off a very bad corner. It was decided to acccept the terms of the exchange, and also to write asking the Public Works Department to assist with the survey and to supply a plan of the old road. THE POUND The ranger reported that the following beasts had been impounded during the period from October 25th to December 12th: — Three heiferß, ten horses, one goat, one pig, one bull, live calves and two cows. METALLING It was decided to order metal tor the following roads:—Ness Valley road, 150 yards; Mataitai road, 140 yards; McDonald's road 100 yards; Settlement road, 50 yards; Kauri Clump road, 50 yards; Sky high road, 40 yards. SALE OF PROPERTIES

Mr W J Smith advised the Board that he had sold his property on the north road to Mrs and the Misses Torr. He asked that the valuation roll he amended accordingly. Mr Wenzel Scholium advised the Hoard that he had purchased tbe property of 250 acres from Mr Francis, adjoining Craig's, at Aidmore, and asked that tbe Beard should do something towards lil ling up the large water channels caused by the winter rains. —lt was decided that the matter received the necessary attention later in the season,

DOG COLLARS Tte clerk was instructed to invite prices for the supply of dog collars for the ensuing year. GILCHRIST'S ROAD Mr S J Cosgrove informed the Board that he had ploughed his half of Gilchrist's road and also that of Mr Boyd. TAUFO-ORERE ROAD Mr W Cashmore asked that landelips on the Taupc-Urere road should be cleared, and stated that he was keeping the road at the other eide of the racge clear* at his own expense.—lt was explained that the mattet bad been attended to. TAKANINI-CLEVEDON ROAD The Papakura Road Board foiwarded copies of replies received from the owners of property through which it was possible the pioposed Takanini-Clevedun road would go, and asked that the Wairoa board should co-operate in the matter of taking tbe land under toe Public Works Act. It was suggested (hat the time was very inopportune to proceed with the project and members thought the prices at which the land was offered were excessive. The Board, however, decided that it would cc-operate in any action taken towards inducing the Government ta assist in the matter.

Testimony that the transport ot goods to Hamilton via tbe Waikato river is of direct benefit to tha farmers is clearly furnished when a comparison is made between the frieghtage charged by the railway authorities on a ton of benzine from Mercer to Hamilton and the shipping company's charges for conveying a similar quantity to the same destination. The amount levied by the Railway Department is £2 2s, whereas the shipping company's charge is only l'Js. It was consequently no surprise for tbe inhabitants of this township to witness 1000 cases of this valuable liquid, which had arrived from Auckland by rail, being shipped at Mercer last week for Hamilton, per one of the numerous launches that now plv on tbe ri7er.

The question of raising the submerged "ferry" punt from the river bed and a proposal to instal an acetylene lighting plant in the King Edward Memorial Hall were made the Eubject? of lengthy discussions at the Town Board meeting on Tuesday last. Mr Watkinson was of the opinion that the punt was btt!er where it was, and favoured keeping alouf from any such proposal. lie stated that all the rates collected in Mercer had been "sunk" in the punt without any direct benefit arisirg therefrom. Mr Valentine, who was actingchairman, supported Mr Watkinson's contention, and corroborated his statement*. Ihe matter then dropped, with the only other number present, Mr Gallery, still claiming the necessity of the punt being retained on the river, if only as a right-01-way. Tha members were of the unanimous opinion that a lighting plant for the dual purpose of lighting the hall and the Btreets would be a step in the right direction, but they were in the unfortunate position of having t3 combat the difficulties of (he financial sjde of the question, a price for the installation of the proposed system being under consideration. After the clerk had submitted a statement, showing the state of the Board's finances and the necessary undertakings which the Board have to consider shortly, the matter was deferred to again come up fur consileration when the Board's linancis had improved. A deadlock has arisen b2tween the Defence Department, who hold* a lease of thb King Edward Memorial Hall for drill mstructonal purposes, and the Town Board, which has control of the building. While the Board claim that arrangements were made by a representative of the Defence Department to lease the hall on behalf of the Department at a rental of £ls per annum, the other party to the deal maintain that the amount arranged tor was only half that sum. The Town Clerk, Mr F N King has the matter in hand and is trying to arrive at an amicable settlement. The ratepayer in the Town Board area, although anxknis for the Town Board to undertake works, for the improvement of Mercer, are exhibiting qiite a reluctance to assist the Board. Of 57 rate demands issued by the clerk only 15 have bo far been complied with. The steps approaching the Memorial Hall, which are cot easiU negotiated in the dark, are to be improved with the addition of a layer of clinker held together on the outside with sleeppers, and sloping away from the lowest step to the level of the road.

His Excellency the Governor has inveated the Town Board with power to seII or contract to sell and remove any stone upon or under the land known as the Mercer quarry. The official consent has come to hand from the Public Works De&artment.

There will fce no regatta held at Mer:er this year. This decision was arrived at at the annual meeting of the Mercer Kowing Club, held on Tuesday evening last. Mr A C Tribe presided. There was a fair attendance of young members, but the older members were very sparsely represented. It was resolved that a l?oll of Honour with the names of the ten out ol last year's twenty active members enrolled thereon, should be erected in the club's shed. The club is to open its season as early as posnbie.

The commodious new dining acd meeting ball which is being erected for thi Mtoris cn a conspicious are near the ratives' habnstions cn the river bank is 70 feet by 80 fe.t. The work was delayed owing to the recent ficod waters preventing the carpenters from proceeding with the job, but since operations recommenced the work has been pushed ahead with all haste in view of the conference to be held therein between the Defence Minister, the Hon. James Allen, and the Maori', respecting the departure of future Maori Reinforcements for the Front, which was delayed consequent upon the recent flood and is now to take place about the 25th inst. There ib a possibility of the Maori members, Mr Ngata and Dr Pomare, attending the Conference. Alieady Maoris are arriving in large numbers to be present at the gathering. Several waggon loads of natives with their baggage, followed by others on horseback, have arrived from Mangatangi this week.

A VETERAN'S DEATH The death tock place in Auckland on Monday of Mr Peter Kiley, who up to a few weeks ago bad resided in the Waiau Pa district for many years past. Living alone and having become frail and feebla he was recently taken charge of by the authorities and was conveyed to an institution in Auckland. Hs had no known relatives. A native ot Ireland, he was born 78 years ago, anti< arrived in New Zealand when 17 yeprs old. He fought throughout the Maori war and took part in several engagements in the Poverty Bay district. The funeral took place at the PoKekohe Catholic Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon, the Kev. Father Molloy* officiating.

On Tuesday ot last week a number of resideLti ot Futi assembled in Mr J Landon's bajn and held a smokiog concert in honour of Mr Norman Lucas, who has joined the Eleventh Reinforcements. During tha evening the presentation of a silver wristlet watch waa made ti the departing soldier.