MANUREWA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 221, 27 October 1916, Page 3

MANUREWA.

MANURBWA TOWN BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The regular monthly meeting of the above authority was held yesterday, wheu there were present: Messrs T. J. Corin (chairman), G. Coxhead. 0. Coxhead, E 8 Pegler, C. H. Lupton and H. V. Burtoe, with the clerk, Mr A G Mabee.

RAILWAY BHIDGK PROJECT. The following letter was received from the District Engineer of Railways, viz.:—Referring to the lecent deputation of members of your Board and residents of Manurewa to the Chief Engineer at Auckland with rpgard to the provision of a cart road ov< rbridge at the north end of Manurewa station, ihe Chief Engineer instructs me to inform you that the General Manager approves of the Department assisting in this work on the following conditions: (1) The whole of the cost of forming and metalling the approach roads to the bridge, estimatod at £I2OO, to be carried out by your Board. (2) The bridge structure to be done at the expense of this Department. (3) This Department is prepared to give a half-chain stiip of land from about opposite the to the Bite of the proposed bridge for road purposes, it being understood that the adjoining owners will give up the other half chain strip. (4) The cost of fording and metalling such to be borne by your Board. (5) The owners of sections No. 8 and 9 to give up a strip of land one chain in width for an approach road from the main road south of the railway to the railway line. The cost of forming and metalling this road is a matter for your Board and the owners of the property to arrange. It must be clearly understood that a level crossing cannot be granted on the site of the proposed bridge as a temporary measure. The chairman considered the reply was very satisfactory as the Department had agreed to do all the Board had requested them to. He mentioned that the ratepayers concerned had signed an agreement giving the Board power to rate their properties so that their share of the proposal could be carried through. county's co-operation.

The Manukau County Council advised that the clerk of the Board (Mr A. G. Mabeff) had been authorised to enforce the Council's by-laws and to collect all fees in connection with building permits, licenses, etc , and, further, that the Council had agreed to form and kerb the footpath on the northern corner of the Great Sou'h road, station,and Manurewa roads in terms of the offer made by the Board. The chairman reported that on being advised by Cr A. Muir that the Council intended forming and kerbing both the corners he had committed the Board to half the expenditure thereof.—The chairman's action was confirmed. RATING EXEMPTION CLAIMED. Messrs B. Johnson and H. Bond, as trustees for the "Brethren of Manurewa," wrote claiming exemption from rates and taxes on property owned by Mr John Rich, in Massey road, with hail erected thereon, as it was leased to them strictly for religious purposes. The clerk stated tbat when a similar claim from the same parties came before the Road Board on a previous occasion the Government auditor refused to recognise it. It was decided to refer the matter to the Government Auditor. KOADING CONDITIONS MODIFIED. In accordance with notice of motion given at the previous meeting of the Board, Mr C. H. Lupton proposed that the Board should consider the roading conditions with a view to modifying them. He claimed tbat sufficient consideration had not been previously given to the matter and he advocated uniformity of action in preference to concessions being given. He contended that it was the general opinion amongst ratepayers that the conditions as framed were too drastic and he thought they could be modified so that the interests of the ratepayers could still be safeguarded. Mr Pegler seconded the motion. Mr Burton, speaking in support, expressed the opinion that the matter was hurriedly dealt with by the Board when under discussion on a former occasion and he suggested that the roading conditions of their predecessors, the Road Board, should be enforced. They would then be in a position to serve all parties and would not be sacrificing the present conditions as a whole. After giving support to the motion the chairman declared the same carried nem con. Mr Lupton thereupon moved that the roads should be classified into two grades, first class and second class Mr H. V. Burton seconded, but Mr Pegler contended that no provision would in that way be made for roads on high and low country. For instance, he suggested that 'the conditions should bo more drastic in reference to roads on low swampy country. Mr C. Coxhend predicted trouble in the event of the roads boing classified. On the motion being put to the meeting it was carried on tlio casting voto of the chairman after Messrs Lupton, Burton and the chairman had voted " for " and Messrs Coxhead ;2) and Pegler " against." Tt was decided to hold a special meeting on Wednesday evening next, the Ist of November, at » p.m. to go further into the matter. ROADINII MATTERS.

The chairman reported that only Messrs G. Coxhead, U. Lupton and he made the inspection of tho roads :-i tho district -instead of a full Board as arranged. They rocom!Lit.i.d"d '.''it Oram's Road and the iviioi '.h-uinel thereon should be ~.,,,!,.,, to—lt was decided to .•■p. nd "p to £lb on Oram's Road. fete resolved that a culvert J ].,,' [laced on Russell's Road ,idi , . to Mr Hungerford's pro- .,. ,1 that tho portion of road i , Mr Fr<- buoy's property aud :.!•:■•! i or of I uptou's and Russell j,' ~r)s, tthoul'J be inspected with a vie draining the same. CLOSING A ROAD. PUBLIC PBOTEBT. Emanatingfrom a decision come.

Progressive League on Saturday last some 16 ratepayers of the Papakura Riding of the Manukau County met in the Public Hall on Wednesday evening last to protest against the permanent closing of the AlfristonWeyraouth Road at the level crossing by the Railway Department. Mr T. J. Corin was elected to the chair. Mr A Muir, the County Council representative of the Papakura riding, explained that some 19 or 20 months back the railway authorities approached the Manurewa Road Board regarding the closing of the road and after considerable negotiations had taken place the Department offered to provide a road to connect with a bridge—to be erected by the Department—close to the present railway station, which would mean closing the present straight road and diverting the through traffic about one mile and a half. This was re commended by the Road Board and referred to the County Council, both bodies consenting to the change. The Railway Department were now erecting a bridge, as agreed on, near the present station and to ask the Department to build another bridge at the cros-ing was, he thought, " coming it double " on the Department. He did not think the County Council would back up any agitation for such an expenditure.

Mr P. A. Neild pointed out that for the present at least the greatest inconvenience would accrue to the suppliers of the New Zealand Dairy Association's creamery, situated on the South Road side of the crossing. He would therefore propose that the creamery be shifted to some more convenient position.

Mr H. McLarnon questioned the legality of the Department's action. In reply to a question, Mr Muir said that he would not be a party to going back on the County Council's and the Road Board's action.

Mr Thompson proposed that a bridge should be erected at the cost of the ratepayers interested but several of those present thought the chances of carrying a poll on the subject wore remote.

Mr Pegler produced a copy of a Department's plan dated 14th April, 1915. and said that the whole arrangements wore made with the local bodies who did not consult the ratepayers. That, he thought, was a mistake. Continuing, he said that the road was one of the finest in the district inasmuch as it reached from coast to coast, i e., right across the island and he believed that having regard to future town-planning tho closing of the road was a grave error. It was a beautiful straight road and had probably been the King's highway for 50 years. Personally, Jie felt the Department had no more right to c!o9e that road than the South Road and he suggested that had the railways been privately owned some better arrangements could have been made. He further believed that every ratepayer directly interested had a legal claim against the Department for any loss sustained. After further discussion Mr Ralls proposed that a deputation should wait on the Manurewa Town Board with the object of getting it interested in the matter. The motion was agreed to and Mr Ralls and Mr Aspden wore appointed as the deputation. Mr Pegler remarked that the Town Board had done all they could in the matter in tbat they have obtained the Department's permission to erect a bridge at the crossing at any time; tho same to be at the peoplo'a expense. DEPUTATION WAITS ON TOWN BOARD. Messrs Ralls and Aspden duly waited on the Town Board at its meeting yesterday, and the former submitted a letter from Mr H. E Pacey, managing director of the N.Z Dairy Association, suggesting that as the Department could only act on the representations of the local authorities a petition soliciting the Town Board's sympathy should be placed before that authority. The chairman (Mr Corin) failed to see why the road should be closed, and advocated that the Board should support ihe movement. Mr Aspden: It's an injustice; we 'are being deprived of our rights. Mr C. Coxhead considered that the action was derogatory to the interests of the settlers, particularly as it meant tho closing of a main road stretching right across the island, which was oxtensively used and on which the ratepayers had paid rates ever since it was formed. In reply to several questions asked by Mr Pegler. Mr C. Coxhead emphatically declared that the Manurewa Road Board never at any time agreed to tho closing of the road conditionally on a bridge being elected.

Both Mr Pegler and the chairman made it clpar that at the meeting hold to dismiss the matter Mr A. Muir placed tho responsibility of the road being closed on the Road Board.

M.i Aspden suggested that there must have boon some agreement for the Department to have acted aR they had done. Mr Mabee (who is also clerk of tho Road Board: statod that there was no correspondence between tho Road Board and the Railway Department relative to the matter, and that as tho road was a county road the County Council alone had power to deal with it.

At this stage Mr Pegler drew the attention of members to a map hanging on the wall wlicroon a plan of the locality was shown, and in cloar lettering appeared the words ".road proposed to be closed." The clork intiuiatod that that was the only reference to the proposal the Board received, and when it was rocoived by the Board action had been decided on by the Department. Mr Aspdeu suggested that as the Council had committed an injustice pressure should bebroughttobear on them to have a bridge orected at the crossing. Mr James Martin, a ratepayer, was of the opinion that the Department was not empowered legally to close the road.

Mr Pegler supported that contention, and on his proposal it was finally decided that the whole Board should act as a deputation, together with those interested, to wait on the District Engineer of Railways so

TUAKAU. (See also Page 4). In reply to correspondence from residents of Tuakau regarding the new trunk telephone line between Auckland, Pukekohe and Tuakau, MrR. Baird, Telegraph Engineer, Auckland, advises that the line is primarily intended for Tuakau use and that the district will have the first call on it, but as it is not anticipated thafit will be fully occupiel in that way, Pukekohe has also been placed on it to use it when it is otherwise available.