PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 156, 17 March 1916, Page 2

PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Pukekohe Horough Council was held on WednesJay evening, 'he membats p-es. ; nt being the Mayor (Mr H G K Mason) and Crs A H Barter, I A Motion, (J Roadley, J Patterson, 0 Clarke and J tieatty. with the Town Clerk, Mr J F Deane a corxni.Lon's ili.xess. Leavj of absence wai granted Cr Hubbard, who was unable to attend the meeting owing to his c ntinued ilines:-, IiOL'XD.VRY ALTEI! \TIOX rUOTKST. Messrs L) R Hamilton arid J Roulston waited on the Council and drew attention to the alterations ct the boundaries on the eastern aide of the railway as made by the Commissioners subsequent to the rocont enquiry. Tho Commissioners. Mr Hamilton said, had extended the bouudary, as proposed in the petition and accepted by tho Council, for a considerable distance down tho road leading to Buoklaud. with the resu't that instead of about .50 acres of Mr Roulston's property beiug included iu tho borough souie 130 acres woro brought in, and iu his (Mr Hamilton's) ou-n case his whole property of 07 acras was included instead of 31 acres as originally intended. Tho effect of tho alterations made by tho Commissioners had, Mr Hamilton explained, only just boou noticed and tlioy felt tlut without beiug givon au opportunity to object thoy had boon unfairly and unjustly treated. Persoually, he adlod, In used the County roads much rnoro than the borough roads, as his milk was carted to tho Buckland creamery. From the Council's point of view also ho suggested that the alteration was undesirable as it jaddled tho Council with the responsibility of a large extent of unformed road. Mi- Roulston supported Mr H irnilton's arguments, and pointed out that he had signed tho petition for an alteration of the borough boundary on the understanding that only the portion of his property as sot out in the plan was to bo taken into the borough. The Mayor remarked that the alteration was purely the Commissioner's own action and was not dono oa the Council's suggestion. His Worship added that as tho alterations had already been gazetted ho doubted if anything could now be done beforo another year. Tho Commissioners, he believed, had absolute power in tho inattor, but ho thought before the change was made the owners concerned should havo been notified. Cr Motion said it appeare 1 to him that the Council had got out of the frying pan into the fire, as the boundary was placed near Yates' Bush, close to Buckland, and the Council had to take over a swamp road that was not even formed. Mr Hainiltm suggested that as Mr Massey (the Prime Minister) would be in the district next week a deputation should wait on him to solicit his assistance in getting the boundary rectifiod both iu the Council's aud in his and Mr Roulston's interests. Ho also mentioned that the extension of the boundary only brought iu ono more house than was contained in the area submitted to tho Commissioners, as Mr Roulston's and his residoacos would anyhow have been in the borough. On the motion of Cr Roadley, seconded by Cr Clarke, the Mayor and Cr Barter wero appointed as a deputation to wait on Mr Massey, in conjunction with Messrs Hamilton and Roulston, to iisk for his advice as to what steps could bo taken to readjust the boundary. At a later stage in tho mooting Cr Patterson brought up the question of the Council's responsibility for tho road referred to by Mr Hamilton. It safe for traffic, ho said, and the Couucil would incur risk of liability if it was used as the culverts wero dangerous. If tho Counciljhad to tako it ovor he believed that their best course would bo to tako steps to close it so that anyone using it would do so at their own risk. He also suggested that the County Council should bo asked for a contribution towards metalling it as they were handing it over in au unformed state.—Tho matter was left ovor pending tho interview with Mr Massey. SU'IW f! ROUND KATES In his capacity as Presidont of the Franklin A. and P. Society Mr Hamilton, who was attended by Mr F. E. Simpson (vice-president), then made application for the rates on the new show-ground to be remitted, tho Council having the option of so doing. The Society, ho said, was a public body aud did not exist for profit making and the show-ground was always available for pi|t|lic gatherings of Pukokohe people. Cr Barter thought that as the Society had paid tho rates (about ■ £!>' for tho current year the Council should forego their claim of some £0 or £lO against the Society for tho hire of the ongino in removing buildings etc. Ho proposed a motion to that effect. Cr Roadley seconded. Cr Patterson opposed saying finances wore short aud although he was in sympathy with tho work of the Society thoy had to look after tho town's interests. Tho Society, he claimed, did not belong to Pukekolie but to the whole of the Franklin electorate aud seeing that the Society had been able to pay £l5O per acre for the ground it coald not bo Ba : d to be a poor institution, short of inouey. Tho motion was carried, Cr Patterson dissenting, and tho Mavor explained to Mr Hamilton that tho matter of dealing with a Bimilar application next yoar would como before tho Council that would thon bo in otlico.

rnorosui iuilwav si'isw.vv. A request lor tlio Couucil to act iu toujuucliou with tho A. uud P. Society iu securing ;■ subway uuder the railway liuo to conuect tho roads on the eastern and western sides of the hue was next made by Mr i Hamilton. A subway as a stocky route, ho contended, would uot oulj' bo advantageous to the Society Wit would be of immense advantage to tho towu by avoiding tlio necessity of driving tattle over the public railway bridge.

'J he Mayor strongly favoured a subway if it was feasible as the passing of cattle over the bridge could fit continue indefinitely. He that the deputation that was to-, confer with Mr Massey on the borough boundary matter might at the same time solicit his aid with the Railway Department in regard to the subway. A motion by Cr Roadley empowering the deputation to approach Mr Massey was agreed to. It was also arranged that the Council should meet and inspect the locality to-morrow (Saturday) morning with a view of arriving at a decision as t> the best means of connecting up the proposed subway with the roads on either side of the line. WATER EXTENSION. Application was received from Mr Jas. K mlston for water to be laid on to a couple of his sections adjoining the new showground.—Referred to the "Waterworks Engineer for particulars as to the cost of the necessary extension of water-pipe. MINIATURE RIFLE RANGE. Mr A. 0. Woollett wrote on behalf of the Pukekohe branch of the National Reserve asking for permission to erect a miniature rifle range in the Domain. —Referred to the Domain Committee with power to act. A ROAD DEVIATION. To permit of a portion of the borough road in the vicinity cf the railway station being altered in its course so as to grant space for the forthcoming duplication of the railway line, an offer was received from the Railway Department to pay £ll7 for the cost of the same on condition | that the Council would take over and ; maintain the road. The Mayor mentioned that the i Council still awaited a reply from i the Railway Department in regard 1 to the alterations to be effected to the station approach road. 1 On the motion of Cr Patterson a ' decision as to the offer was deferred ' to next meeting in order to allow 1 Councillors in the meantime to view ' the road. MISCELLANEOUS. 1 A letter was received from the ' Provincial Aeroplane Fund Committee asking for financial assistance ( towards presenting the Imperial , Goverment with one or more aeroplanes.—No action was taken. ( The sum of £3 was voted, on the ; proposition of the Mayor, seconded ( by Cr Motion, to the Fire Brigade i towards the cost of sending a team to compete at the Auckland District Fire Brigade demonstration at Waihi on April 22nd. A MOTION NEGATIVED. The Mayor proposed that a previous resolution of the Council should be rescinded so that owners should be called on to pay half the cost of kerbing and channelling on the roads fronting their properties. The Council's finances, he said, would be considerably assisted theieby, and it would also mean that work would be facilitated instead of being postponed. Further, the charges could be made retrospective for two years. Cr Roadley seconded and considered that by making the charges date back little injustice would be done. The resolution was lost, the Mayor, Crs Barter and Roadley voting for and Crs Beatty, Clarke, Patterson and Motion against. FINANCE. A credit balance of £llO7 Us lltd was reported on the District Fund Account and of £l3O 5s 7d on the General Account. Accounts totalling £593 16s 4d were passed for paymeii^. OTHER liUSIMGSS. Reports on the water supply and on finances, as also in connection with road repairs, were taken in committee.