MANUREWA TOWN BOARD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 179, 2 June 1916, Page 3

MANUREWA TOWN BOARD.

Monthly Meeting.

The usual monthly meeting of the above authority was keld yesterday. Present: Messrs I. J. Oorin (ckairman), E. S. Pegler, C. H. Lupton, C. Coxhead, H. V. Burton, and G. Coxhead, together with the actingclerk, Mr A. J. Mabee. An apology for non-attendance was received from Mr White. APPOINT MI NT OF CLERK. A deputation consisting of Mesdames T. Elleman and 0 F. Hesketk and Messrs H. Bull and F. Woods waited on tke Board in connection with tke appointment of a Town Clerk and Mrs Ellerman submitted a petition signed by 126 ratepayers which was read by tbe ckairman, as follows, viz. : "To tke chairman and members of the Manurewa Town Board; Gentlemen, With reference to the appointment of a Town Clerk, We the electors of Manurewa petition the Board not to consider the application of any single person who is eligible for the front but to give preference' to a returned discharged wounded soldier should any apcly." Mr Bull stated that when the petition was taken round tke district tke signatories very strongly expressed their feelings in favour of a returned soldier being selected for the position. Mr Lupton suggestod that the consideration of the applications should be deferred until there was a full meeting of the Board, but the Ckairman said tkat Mr White kad strongly protested against tke petition.

Mr Lupton considered that if there was the slightest possibility of Mr White being present at the following meeting of the Board the subject should be deferred. The Chairman remarked that Mr White would not be present at the next meeting.

Mr Lupton pointed out that the petition had been well supported and suggested the Board should do its best to assist le turned soldiers and should not be bound down in respect to the appointment. If a suitable returned soldier had applied he thought such a person should be given the position. He proposed that the petition bo received and acted on.

As no seconder was forthcoming, Mr Lupton's motion lapsed, and the chairman proposed that the Board should go into committee to consider the applications, five of which had been received. Mr Pegler seconded.

Mr Lupton was of the opinion that as the applications had been publicly called for in the newspapers, the applications should be considered publicly. He moved as an amendment that the Board should not go into committee. The chairman refused to accept the amendment, saying it was a direct negative. The motion was put to the meeting and carried, with Mr Lupton the only dissentient.

The chairman then read the following telegram concerning the present acting-clerk, Mr A. G-. Mabee, which he had received from Major Northcroft:—" Lieutenant Mabee has asked me to inform you of his offer of service with the Expeditionary Force, which through no fault of his own cannot be accepted until September next."

The Board then went into committee, and on resuming, Mr Pegler deprecated the feeling which had arisen and which he considered was quite unnecessary. Personally he had had no previous conversation withi anybody concerning the subject. In view of the fact that no applications had been received from leturned soldiers and as they were returning thick and fast he moved that no appointment should be made but that the acting clerk should continue in ollice for two or three months when the matter could be re-opened. He had no doubt but by then the Board would experience no dilliculty iu securing a returned soldier to act. —Mr Lupton seconded.

Mr Burton understood that if Mr Maboo had not been filling the position of acting-clerk no petition would have come forward. FTo proposed as an amendment thai Mr Malice should be appointed until " called up." The chairman in" seconding the

proposal expressed his disapproval of the suggestion to re-open the subject at a later date. If Mr Mabee had not offered bis services to the Defence Department be would not have supported biui but under the circumstances he could not see why a man should be " thrown on the streets " until he was called up

The amendment was put to the

meeting and voted for by Messrs Coxhead (2), Burton and the chairman, wbile Messrs Pegler and Lupton recorded their votes againßt it.

Mr Burton tben added a clause to the amendment, to the effect tbat " Mr Mabee, having offered his services to the Expeditionary Forces as from September last, should be appointed Town Clerk until be was called up." This was then treated as the motion, and put to the meeting and carried, the voting being as before.

STREET LIGHTING.

A reply to the clerk's request for information in regard to acetelyne street lamps Mr M. Keane, Papakura, lorwarded particulars of a one-light lamp, but stated that he would require particulars as to whether the Board would require wood or cast iron posts and the number required before a price could be given.—The matter was deferred until the next meeting of the Board.

ROAD REPAIRS.

Mr A. Taylor, Brown's Road, Manurewa, wrote drawing the Board's attention to the impassible and dangerous condition of Russell Road. The Chairman said the Board bad decided to repair the road as soon as funds were available.

On the proposal of Mr Lupton, seconded by Mr C Coxhead it was decided to order 10 trucks of metal, to be delivered two trucks at a time, for tke roads of the district.

Mr Peeler mentioned tbat tke Board had practically agreed that tke appointment of a pertkauent surfaceman skould be made.

Mr Luptou considered tkat such an appointment skould be deferred until later.

Mr G. Coxkead was of tke opinion tkat a permanent man skould be appointed.

It was decided to bave tke metal carted on tke roads aud spread as it arrived.

RAILWAY STATION BRIDGE. A deputation consisting of Messrs. J. Rich. H. Hungerford, J. H. Gilbert and G. Smith waited on the Board with a request for assistance towards getting the Railway Dept. to erect an overhead bridge at the northern end of the new Railway Station so as to give them and others access to tbe Russell Road. Two offers each of kalf a chain of property for a road to approach the bridge were submitted from Messrs. Gilbert and J. Phillips. Mr Smith said tkat tke DeputyEngineer of tke Railway Department kad skown kirn a plan which provided for a bridge and which had been forwarded to Wellington for approval. Tbe chairman considered that the portion of district affected should contribute the money for forming and metalling the proposed road. Mr Smith thought that they ought to get a little assistance from the rates.

It was eventually resolved tkat tke ckairman and Mr G. Coxkead, representing the Board, and Messrs G. Smith, J. H. Gilbert, J. Rich and J. Phillips should wait on the District Engineer in Aucklaud on Wednesday next to consult him in regard to the mutter.

A photo of Mr. T. J. Corin, Chairman of the Manurewa Town Board, appears on page 1. In the accompanying- sketch Mr. Conn's occupation should have been recorded as that oi: a building contractor instead of as an engineer as stated therein.