PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 219, 20 October 1916, Page 3

PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council was held on Wednesday evening, the members present being the Mayor (Mr H. G. E. Mason), Crs C. Koadley, E. Bilkey, C. Clarke, I. A. Motion, J. Beatty, J. Patterson and A. B. Barter, with the Town Clerk (Mr J. F. Deane). Leave of absence was granted to Cr Hubbard, who is still indisposed. THE RECRUITING QUESTION. A circular letter was received from the Waitomo County Council soliciting endorsement of a resolution passed by that authority urging the Government to discontinue voluntary recruiting and to institute the ballot system, as older and matured men held back and allowed too many youths to go and fight for them. Cn the motion of Cr Koadley, seconded by Cr Bilkey, it was agreed to endorse the resolution as requested, the Mayor, however, expressing objection thereto on the grounds that in any case the ballot system would shortly be enforced and that he was reluctant to change the voluntary system until it was actually necessary to do so. ICE CREAMS. Mr E. H. Aspden, of the Premier Hall Tea Booms, applied for a permit to sell refreshments, including ice cream®, in the borough—Agreed to. PICTURE lIL.MS CENSORSHIP. A communication was received from the Minister of Internal Affairs enclosing a copy of regulations made in accordance with the Cinematograph Film Censorship Act.

his application for the water main to be extended to his property at Rowe's corner on the Puni road, part of the same being within the borough—The matter was referred to the Waterworks Committee with power to act. PLEA FOR A BETTER ROAD. A petition signed by six residents was read asking for improvements to be effected to the road leading to their homes from the Bombay road adjacent to Mr H. J. Ridgway's property. —The Mayor said that repairs to the whole of the road would necessitate an expenditure of some hundreds of pounds.—On the proposal of Cr Clarke the Works Committee were deputed to submit a report on the matter. I'IHE MATTERS. The Fire Brigade Committee recommended that the firebell and tower in Hall street should be removed and erected at the fire brigade station, and that a distinguishing badge for the fire inspector, in the form of the word "inspector" in metal lettars on a cap should be secured, and, further, that the Council should notify storekeepers and others who stored petrol and explosives to have them stored in separate buildings as a safeguard to firemen.—The report was adopted, and a suggestion made by Cr Motion to the effect that the owners of the Lyceum Picture Theatre should be requested to either replace or pay for 100 feet of hosing, with attachments, which had been lent by the Fire Brigade and had been in the theatre for six months past, was agreed to. PAERATA CREEK. Consideration was again given to the matter of the owners' responsibilities in connection with clearing the Paerata creek, and on Or Patterson's recommendation it was decided that the property owners concerned should be notified to remove obstructions in the stream. FENCING A ROAD. Mr H. Simpson waited on the Council with a request for payment of £l6, which he said was the cost of a fence he erected a few years ago across a bye-road leading off Franklin road, which road was subsequently sold by the Council to Mr D. Goodwin after legal steps had been taken to close it. He added that the fence was sold with the land to Mr Goodwin. He said that he was verbally given permission to occupy the property by the ex-Mayor but he admitted that he paid no rent or rates for it.—The Mayor said that the Council could not pay the claim as Mr Simpson had no legal right to have erected the fence.— The applicant was informed inglyADVISORY ENGINEERS. Mr E. J. Fenn, electrical engineer, of Auckland, wrote accepting the Council's offer to superintend the installation of the electric lighting scheme in Pukekohe at a remuneration of 5 per cent on the outlay, and MrD. W. McArthur also notified the Council of his acceptance of his appointment as consulting engineer for the new waterworks scheme.

TEAM HIBE CHARGES. An application for an increase in the rates paid them by the Council for cartage was the subject of a plea put forward by Messrs T. B. Hurley, J. Bowden and H George, local carters. Mr Hurley pointed out that whereas they had to meet increased cost of shoeing, repairs and horse feed, and the Franklin County Council's rates of pay were for one horse team per day £l, two horse team per day £1 ss, three horse team per day £1 10s, the Borough Council only paid £1 for a two horse team and £1 4s for a three horse team. He thought it only reasonable that the scale of pay should be similar to that made by the County Council. Mr Bowden asked that the increased amounts should be retrospective so as to include the carting of material to the top of Boose's Bush Hill in connection with the Waterworks scheme as it was very heavy pulling for the horses The Mayor suggested that the matter should be referred to the Works Committee with power to act, but Cr Roadley contended that it would be futile to do so as the Works Committee never met. He suggested that it was a matter for the whole Council to deal with.— On Cr Patterson's proposal, however, the Works Committee were deputed to report on the matter. FINANCES.

Debit balances of £1638 and £1655 were reported on the General and District Fund Accounts respectively and accounts totalling £948 were passed for payment. MEETING DAYS. In accordance with notice given, Cr Eoadley moved that the Council should meet every foitnight instead of monthly as now. In support thereof he said it was ridiculous for the council to attempt to transact the whole of the business at one meeting held monthly.

Cr Clarke seconded the motion but withdrew his support later, explaining that he had been under the impression that the matter under consideration was the meetings of the Work's Committee and not those of the Council. Cr Bilkey thereupon seconded but suggested that the meetings commence at 8 p.m. instead of 7.30 p m. as at present. The Mayor was opposed to an extra meeting as they would only lead to talk and special meetings could be held as now when necessary. Cr Roadley reiterated his previous statements and added that it was most necessary that they should meet as personally he was not kept conversant with the business of the Council and objected to the transacting thereof being left in the hands of the Mayor, the Town Clerk and the employees. The Mayor : In other words I am always doing such a lot of irresponsible things that the council must keep a close watch on me. On the motion being put to the meeting it was lost, Crs Roadley and Bilkey alone voting for. Cr Bilkey then proposed and it was agreed that tho monthly meetings should during the summer months start at 8 p.m.