DISTRICT NEWS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 200, 15 August 1916, Page 1

DISTRICT NEWS

PAPAKURA. PAPAKURA AS A feiOUGH A SCHEME DRAFTED.

Messrs A. Willis and D. W. Jones, who were requested by the Town Board to report on the proposal to make Papakura a borough, have concluded their deliberations and their report will come before the Board for consideration as follows :

"In compliance with the desire of your Board the following report is submitted as a suggestive basis for the consideration of the proposal made to form this township into a borough. Whether the time has arrived for making the proposed change is a matter to be decided by the residents themselves, but in the meantime it is well to obtain as much information as possible in order that the Board may be in a position to place definite proposals before the residents, should it be decided to proneed further in the matter.

The Municipal Corporations Act provided that the Governor might, on the petition of not less than onefourth of the residents qualified to vote, proclaim as a borough any part of the Dominion comprising in a continuous area not more than nine square miles, having no points distant more than six miles from each other, and having a population of not less than one thousand.

By the Municipal Corporations Amendment Act, 1910, section 19, an alternative mode of creating a borough was provided, 'under which the Governor might, on the petition of 10 per cent of the ratepayers within an area, cause inquiry to be made as to the suitableness for municipal control of such area, and might direct a poll to be taken on the proposal to constitute such an area as a borough. Section 13 of the Municipal Corporations Amendment Act, 1913, provides that in future in every case the petition to the Governor must be signed by at least one-fifth of the residents qualified to vote and must be referred to a Commission consisting of a Magistrate, the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district and the District Officer in charge of the Valuation Department. On a favourable report being secured a poll is taken, and if carried the district is then formed into a borough. In arranging and fixing suitable boundaries for the proposed borough the present condition and the probable expansion of the district m the near future will require a great deal of consideration.

It would be an unwise policy and contrary to the experience of other districts to make the area of the borough large, owing to the great cost of forming and maintaining the streets. A wise provision is made in the by-laws stipulating that no dwelling house be erected on a less area than a quarter of an acre. Overcrowding will thus be avoided, but the area to be enclosed must necessarily be larger. This has been provided for by including only those properties which must of necessity be sub-divided in a very short time. The principal of community of interests will also guide us in fixing the boundaries.

Immediately outside our present boundaries we have a number of people whose interests are entirely centred in the township. They make use of the town roads much more than they do the county thoroughfares and the rates they pay would be substantial increase to our revenue, in return for which they would have better roads, together with the prospective advantages of lighting, water supply, and sanitary arrangements.

This is but a brief and rough outline of the maimer in which tlin

boundaries may be extended and may serve as a basis for the further consideration of the scheme. Generally speaking the district is admirably suited to the system of borough control and the extensions proposed make it into a compact, convenient, and easily governed locality. The main street, throughout its length, is in fairly good order and though several of the streets will require grading, few new formations will be required until fresh properties are subdivided and disposed of. The proposed boundaries to be included are as follows : On the western side it is suggested that the whole of Section 0 on which are ihe properties of Messrs Young, Wood, Gerrard, McKain, Brodie and others, be included, with the harbour as the western boundary. From the harbour the boundary shall be the line between Messrs Brodie and Willis' property. It shall then cross the Great South Road and contine along Jocelyn's property and along the northwestern boundary of Lot 41. Mr McLennan's property, prccoed along the north-eastern boundary of the same, until it meets the old Wairoa Road, along which it shall run until it meets in a straight line the continuation of Dominion Road, including Lot 27 owned by Mr A. Evans. § It will then follow the present boundary line to the south-eastern corner, but with a deviation to include Lot 106, the quarry reserve. Thence the boundary would follow the present line as far as the railway and be continued in a straight line to the South Boad, a little to the south of Mr Butterworth's dwelling. Thence along the South Boad, Kirk and Bennett's southern boundary, then in a straight line across Beach Boad through Mr Lloyd's property to the harbour again. The following properties would be included:—Neil's, Vicarage, Gerrard's, Mrs Dennes', McKain'?, Brodie's, Jocelyn's, Walters', Epps', McLennan's (E. D.), McLennan's (A.), McLennan's (D.), Nikolovich's, Cosgrave's, Pruden's, Harvey's, Halliday's, Keal's, Evan's, J. E. Wilson's, Tatton's, Lyon's, Bickerton's, Boseman's, Robinson's, Grandheld's, Grant's, Hill's, Dickson's, Manse, Morgan's, Dunn's, Bates', Parry's, Brookfield's, McColl'B, Murray's*, Glassous, D. Wilson's, A. Willis', Mrs Sbannaghan's, Miss Walters', Bartulovich's, Whittaker's, Jones' and Walsh's. Ihe present area of the Town Boatd district is 1270 acres and the properties it is proposed to include cover 871 acres, making a total area of 21-11 acres equivalent to 3] square miles. The present population of the Board's district is 700 and that of the proposed additional area is 250, making a total population of 950."

PATUMAHOE WAR ANNIVERSARY MEETING A public meeting of the Mauku district was held in the Patumahoe Hall on Friday evening, August 4th, to celebrate the second anniversary of the declaration of war with Germany and a resolution was passed and carried by acclamation to continue this war to a victorious conclusion. Mr J. Henry occupied the chair and the meeting was opened by the singing of the National Anthem to tbe accompaniment of Miss V. Bailey. The chairman then gave a lengthy and interesting address, dealing with the great activities of the Allies and the abilities of Our Navy in holding supreme command of the bight seas. Mr Climie was the next speaker and he referred to the good we all might do in helping to carry this

£rnat war to n successful conclusion All could not {jo to the Front and it was a duty on those remaining to help those who had gone and their dependents by subscribing liberally to all funds for patriotic purposes

Mr Graham, headmaster of ibe Patumahoe school, also made a few remarks and gave some very interesting information in connection with the fighting on the Western front. The motion as to the continuance of the war having been carried by acclamation, the following resolution was adopted on the proposition of MrH. E. R. L. Wily, viz, "That no peace will be acceptable to the people of the Empire that does not provide for the. adequate punishment of all those responsible for the murders and atrocities committed during the war, and that the suggestion that the German colonies may be given back should not for a moment be entertained."

Several patriotic songs sung by the gathering brought the meeting to a close.

WHANGARATA. FARMERS' UNION MEETING. The usual monthly meeting o( tho Whangarata Branch of the Farmers' Union was held on Friday, the Ith inst., the President, Mr J. Fulton, being in the chair. There was a good attendance of members and some interesting discussions on various items of business took place. The resolution to pursue the war to a successful conclusion was moved by the President and was seconded by the vice-President, Mr W. Coad. It was carried enthusiastically, the members rising and singing the National Anthem. A letter from the assistant Traffic Manager of Railways re goods shed and. other improvements was discussed and hopes were expressed that these necessary improvements would be granted. The members are looking forward anxiously to the new Co-operative Trading Association commencing business operations in order that they will be able to procure their manures and other necessaries at first cost and ' thereby dominate some of the farmers' burdens.

A lecture, "The Greatest War in History," was given in the Whangarata hchool on Tuesday, Bth inst., by Mr H. Foston to a very appreciative audience. The lecturer dealt with the subject from an Imperial standpoint showing the distinguished men of the past and of the present day who helped to evovle what is now the Great British Empire, By means of lantern slides the different theatres of war were illustrated including the now famous Gallipoli Peninsula. The lecture was most interesting and instructive.

TUAKAU Trooper Scanlen who was welcomed back to the district on Wednesday evening last was prior to bis enlistment acting as contractor in tbe Franklin County. He landed on Gallipoli with tbe Mounted Brigade on tbe 13th May, 11)15—l'J days atter tbe Infantry—and bad been in tbe trendies three months when he was wounded with a bomb. Both of his legs were injured, and he was removed from the held on a stretcher and was taken to the base hospital. He was subsequently removed to England and became a patient at St. George's Hospital, London, where he remained for three months before being transferred for two months to Epsom Convalescent Camp and then to Hornchurch (Hampshire) Depot for another two months. He underwent one operation for skin grafting, but it' was unsuccessful. Before

leaving Pltnvnifh f r New Z-Mland on the Kith April last he visited during furlough relations in Ireland, Ga*gowaid >dinburgh In Glasgow he called on Mr J. Pirret's father. Trooper Scanlon has been discharged as medically unfit, and is now going to follow the occupation of a farmer.

POKENO. POKENO KIFLE CLUB. The annual meeting of the Pokerfo Rifle Club, held recently at Pokbtio, «as well attended, representatives being present fiom Fokeno, Maungatuwhiri and Maramarua. Mr J. Dean presided. Tbe year's workings were reviewed, tbe balance sreet allowing tbat tbe Club was in a sound financial position. Tbe president reported tbat iorty rifles for tbe use ot tbe Club and six thousand rounds of ammunition bad been received from Ibe Officer in Charge" of No. 4 Area. It was unanimously agreed to adopt a uniform. Arrangements were made lor a series of shooting matches between tbe different branches. The following officers were all re-elected, viz.:—President, Mr J. Dean; vice • presidents, Messrs (J. Lippiatt, T. Gordon and A. Mclnnes; secretary, Mr id. McCaw. Tbe question of control of the Clan was discussed, and the president expressed the opinion tbat tbe Club was under the control of the Otiicer-in-Charge of No. 4 area. This Captain Cofbeck ot tbe Farmers' Union Executive, has since endorsed. The registered strength of tbe Club is 81. The Club is open to compete in a Bhooting match with any other Club in tbe district.