FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 182, 13 June 1916, Page 1

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Monthly Meeting-

l'he usaal monthly meeting of the above authority was held last Thursday, ihe members present being: Councillors J. Henry, J. A. Renall, T. J. Lcckwond, R. fligginson, R. Lyons, H. Wilcox, T. W. . Woods and W. C. Motion, together with tbe clerk and engineer, Messrs A. I'. Day ard J. F. McArthur respectively. In the absence of the chairman, Cr J. Flanagan, who was engaged on County business in Wellington, Cr Lockword was voted to the chai'. LABOURERS' WAGES. The secretary of the Auckland Provincial Employers' Association | forwarded particulars of the arrangements come to at a conference of delegates of local authorities in reference to steps to be taken at the forthcoming enquiry of the Conciliation Commissioner as to the award asked for by the Provincial Labourers' Union. ' The Council was also invited to become a member of the Association.

Cr Henry considered that the Council should join the Association so tbat its interests in regard to labour troubles should be safeguarded. He proposed accordingly. Cr Renall seconded. Tbe motion was carried. pa pari mu - maungatawhiri ROAD. In regard to additional funds required to continue the construction work in band on tbe Paparimu

to Maungatawhiri road the District Engineer wrote stating that the proposals made by the Council were unsatisfactory to the Public Works Department. £l7O, of the "thirds'' referred to by the Council, came trom the Lands Department and therefore the Government could not be asked to subsidise its own money. He (the District Engineer) was also unable to agree to the suggestion that the Government portion of any subsidy granted for another road should be diverted towards the one under discussion. 1 He understood that the County was 2 prepared to lind £260 towards the lormation of the road; otherwise as funds were about exhausted the workmen employed on the read would have to be dispensed with. Cr Lockwood said he had waited on the Public Works Department in connection with the matter and

it was iti a hopeless tangle. He proposed that the £SO passed at the previous meeting should be forwarced and the question of the balance should stand over until it was ascertained what the Government intended to do. Cr Heniy seconded the proposal, which was agreed to. GOVERNMENT GRANTS. In reply to an enquiry forwarded by the Council, the Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department wrote siating that unexpended balances on grants already authorised would be re-provided in the current vear's appropriations and authorities would be issued for them as funds were available.

RAILWAY TRACK ROAD PROJECT

In regard to the application made to the Railway Department for the old railway track between Rucciman and Pokeno to be vested in the Council for road purposes, a reply was received from the Minister ot Railways, the Hon. ! W. H. Hemes, pointing out that the whole of the old line was not to be discarded, and at present he was unable to say what, if any, purtiona of line would be available for disposal for road purposes, with the exception of that portion between Buckland and Tuakau, which was already under offer to

tbe Council. He added that portions of the old line had already j been disposed of to adjoining owners in connection with the settlement of compensation claims (or land taken lor the new works and therefore the question could not be 1 dealt with in general terms, if tbe ' Council would, however, advise what particular portions of the old line it desired to acquire the Department would be prepared to say whether the land coukl ba spared and on what terms and at what price. In conclusion, he suggested that in order to enable a clear uaclerstanding of the matter to be arrived at the (.'our ci 1 ehould consult the District Engineer in Auckland, who would supply all the available information to enable the Council to specify the locations it desired to acquire. When that information was available the matter would be further considered and submitted to the Council for consideration. Cr Lyons moved that the letter be ref.rred to the Committee appointed to deal with the matter. Cr Henry seconded, but said that the contents of the communication practically settled the matter for goud

The motion was agreed to. HOSPITAL BOARD'S LEVY, The Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board advised the Council ;that, as requested, they bad revised tbe amount of levy due from the Council so as to exclude therefrom the Waiuku Town District contribution and the amount of the levy cn the Council was now £1767 12s Id on £2,545,348 rateable value, apart from Waiuku's contribution of £79 3s 3d on £113,1393 rateable value. WAiPIPI WHARF.

A letter was received from Mr H. Furniss, of Waipipi, complaining of the condition of the tramway and shed 011 the Waipipi wharf. It was decided to notify Mr Farmsa that both matters would be attended to as early as^possible. WAIFIPf CEMETEKY. Messrs H. Furniss and A. Jones, as trustees of the Waipipi Cemetery, wrote asking the Council to make a grant of £5 or £lO towards general improvements of the cemetery.

Cr Kenall expressed the wish that £lO should be handed over. Cr Lyons said he would like to know whether the trustees had been legally appointed. Cr Henry replied that they had been appointed by the Minister of Internal Affairs.

Cr Renall proposed that in the event ol it being ascertained that the trustees had been legally appointed the sum of £io be contributed, but if not .the Council expend the money itself on the cemetery.

Cr Lyons seconded, and the motion was carried.

FOOTBKIDGfc] WANTED. Application for a footbridge to he erected acrcss a creek was received from the Awhitu School Committee tor the benefit of children having to proceed from Graham's beach and its vicinity to th2 Awhitu Wharf school in consequence of the Orua Bay school having been closed, Cr Kenall was in sympathy with the children being given access to the school, but considered the proper procedure would be to reler the matter to the engineer, for him to inspect and report.

The engineer was instructed to report. MANUKAU COUNTY PKAISED.

Mr Thomas Clements, of I'apakura, wrote asking that repairs should be effected on the Great South road near Mr A. Willis' property. He mentioned that last week in travelling by road to Otahuhu he noticed the splendid work carried out by the Manukau County Council on the same road, and suggested that if the tranklin

- Council utilised rates to trie same i I advantage ratepayers would teel a i | pleasure in paying them. Ihe acting-chairman said he believed the portion oi' the ro&d in question was under the Papakura Town Board's control. On his suggestion the letter was deferred for the chairman's (Cr J. Flanagan) consideration. COMMANDEERING A ROAD. A letter was received from Mr E. Cholerton, oi Papakura, relative to the surveyed but unformed road between his property and Mr Shepherd's. He stated that Mr Shepherd had pulled down the fence on his side of the road and had fenc.-d across the road at its junction with the main road. He (Mr Cholerton) suggested that the Council should take steps to preserve the road as a public thoroughfare,

The acting-chairman proposed that the matter be deferred for consideration until the fallowing meeting as the road was in Cr Flanagan's riding.- Motion adopted. A COMPLAINT. Complaint of water flowing from the road on to his property was received from Mr R. tf. Mav, of Karaka. On Cr Henry s proposal it was decided that the matter should be attended to in due couisc. "JUSTICE FOR WOMEN."

Protests were received from Mr F. E. Uruubart and Mrs L. Kunciman against the Council's demand for the removal of trees overshadowing the road on their properties at fatumahue. Both writers offered to cut down overhanging branches, but claimed that the trees were necessary for shelter purposes for stock. —ln her letter Mrs Knncimaii concluded by saying, "1 have no one but my girls and have Best my only son to the Front to do Ins duty to his country. All I ask you as fair-minded gentlemen is fair treatment or otherwise lor British justice or Home Rule for defenceless women." The letters were formally received. ItAiUS ON ISLANDS Messrs Lapwood Bros., of Xuakau, in a letter referred the Council to the fact that never previously had they been requested to pay rates on island properties, and requested that the matter should be gone into. Meanwhile, however, they enclosed, under protest, a cheque lor the amount.

Cr Lyons considered the whole point hinged on whether tne islands were within the County boundary. The clerk said that they were on the Valuation Koll, and Cr Motion stated that they were within the County. The letter was received. GATE OBJECTED TO. A orotest ajjaiost any proposal to erect a gate on the road was received trom the former gentleman. The acting-chairman said that the matter had been before the Council previously, when it was decided that it should be held over until the Kohe Kohe-Beach road gate case was settled. KOAD TO BE CLOSED. Messrs Hesketh and Kichmond, Auckland, acting on behalf of Mr T. L>. Reid, forwarded a plan of the roads ajdoicing allotments 178 and 279 and of Hamlin's grant, parish of Waiuku East, to be taken and closed under section 11 of the Land Act, 1908, and asked that the plan be executed and then forwarded tuj them for completion.

It was resolved to attach the common seal of the Council to the plan. A FAULTY DKAIN. Mr W. T. Baker, secretary of the Kama Kama School Committee, wrote stating that he was instructed at the last meeting of his Com mittee to notify the Council that the new drain recently laid across the

roml nbov? Hip fntrarcc fo the school was insufficient, to cany the ";ats.T from off both fides of the ro;•(!. The engineer reported that the matter was being atterded tc>. BRIDGE OVfc;R CHEEK. Application was made by Mrs r^olbeck, ot Awhitu, in conjunction with Mr A. Campbell, f-r a bridge to bs erected across ttie tidal c etk leading to their sections as at present they were hampered 111 difficulties ot approach. Mrs Colheck, on her own behalf, offered to contribute £5 towards the cost.Keferred to Cr Renall and the Engineer. PAPAKURA FOOTPATH FORMA'I lON.

A petition, signed by Mr D. I Wilson and 19 other residents, was received, asking for a footpath to be constructed at fapakura from Mr A. Willis' gate on the Great youth load to the corner of Beach load, and alsj to level the fcotpath on Clark road. The application was referred to the chairman, Cr Flanagan, to deal with.

A GKANT REQUESTED. Ihe Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey acknowledged the receipt of the Council's letter enclosing a petition from Mr J. M. Wiltham and other residents of Waiuku East urging that a grant be made available for the Mission Bush road (Needles Wharf road and approaches) which he would be glad to refer to the Minister of Public Works for his favourable consideration. AN OTAUA DRAIN. 'lhe application, received at the last meeting, from the Otaua Drainage Board for a subsidy from the Council towards the cost of deepening the 10ft drain from Hull's Hoodgate to Wright's gate, was not acceded to, Cr Motion explaining that the funds of his riding would not permit of further expenditure in that locality, which had already received its full share. HIDING BOUNDARY ROAD. The application of Mr J. A.

GovaD, ul Luckland, for improvements to be made ou the road leading from Razorbaek and Harrisville to Buckland station, deferred from la-t meeting, was again read, and Cr Wilcox, as member for the Pukekohe riding, again expressed his willingness to have the work carried out if Cr Lyons would financially assist from his (Mercer) riding, most of of the users of the road living in that riding.

Cr Lyons said his diiiiculty vvas that other ridings should similarly help him with boundary roads. The matter was left over for consideration. THE DEUEY CEEAMEEY. Permission, as requested by tiie NZ. Dairy Association, was given for the erection of a verandah at the Drury creamery. 4 JEEICHO EOAD.

Cr Wilcox reported that the ratepayers concerned in JerichoBuckland road were desirous of raising a small loan forroading purposes but before going on with the scheme they desired that the Engineer should prepare an estimate of cost. The Engineer was instructed to report accordingly. KAEAKA'S NEW BEIDGES.

-Ihc Karaka Eoad Board wrote asking for payment of the sum of i* 150, the amount allocated to the Council in respect to the erection of the Hingaia and Whangamaire bridges. As there appeared to be a doubt whether thd Council was ouly to pay the amount of interest anil sinking fund towards its share of the luan or a cash payment of £l<3U tie clerk was iastructed'to look into the matter and report.

INACTIVITY OF INSPECTOR Cr Wilcox complained that al' though the question of the rabbits and noxious weed pests continually cauie before the Council nothing deiinite way doue. An Inspector was never ceen in the district although in Waipa and other Counties such officials made regular visits at least twice a year. The clerk rfported that notices were in course of preparation and would be sent out at an early date. COUNTY BY-LAWS The amendments to the County by-laws, as approved of at the previous meeting was duly conlir med. APPORTIONING LXPENDITUIiE. A committee, consisting of the Chairman, Crs Woods, Lockwood, Motion, Renall, and Lyons was set up to submit recommendations as to allocating to the different ridings certain amounts now charged to the general account. FINANCE. The clerk reported as follows: County Fuhd Account.—The overdraft at the National tfaok on this account amounts to £4820 7s 9d. Unpreseuted cheques amount to £289 2s 4d, making the total dabit balance £5109 10s Id. Loan Accounts.—l he following are credit balances under Loan Accounts. —riill district Loan, £ls 3s lOd; Bill District No. 2 Loan, £l5B 7s JOd; tlunua Hiding Koads Loan, £3; 6s 9d; Hogwood Deviation Loan, £202 10s sd, lesj £132 2s accounts payable; Pratt's Hill Deviation Loan, £1348 9s sd, leae £22 5s accounts payable; Needles Wharf Loan, £74 6a 3d, hss £53 8s accounts payable. The report was adopted and accounts totalling £2227 3s 9d were passed for payment on the County Fund Account, made ud as follows:--General Account, £262 9s 6d; Awhitu riding, £l5O 0s 3d; Drury, £226 10s 2d; Hunua, £B2 2s 9d; Mauku £326 Is sd; Mercer, £lO5 7s lOd; Pukekobe, £379 19s Id; Waipipi, £39 12b 3d; Waiuku, £156 4s 7d; Contractors' deposits, £ls 15s 9d; Hospital and Charitable Aid Accmnt, 6s 7d; Interest account, £l3l 15s 9d; Land Fund Account, £2O 19s 6d; Government Grant Accounts, £299 18s 4d.