PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 227, 17 November 1916, Page 1

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. R. Mason), Crs. A. B. Barter, I. A. Motion, J. Patterson, C. Clark, C Roadley, R. Bilkev, and J. Beatty with the Town Clerk (Mr J. F. Deane.) Apology for non- attendance was received from Cr. Hubbard, who expressed the hope that his health would permit him to resume attendance at the Council at the next meeting. AI) J U STING ACCOUNTS. A letter was read from the clerk to the Franklin County Council claiming the sum of £l6l 17s in respect to adjustment of loans, assets and liabilities in connection with the portion of the borough recently taken into the county. The letter further stated that the Borough Council would be entitled to a share of the County Council's assets for property taken from the County into the borough, for which particulars would be supplied to the Town Clerk for an adjustment to be made. The figures as given by the County Clerk were accepted but the adjustment of finances was deferred pending knowledge as to the amount due from the County to the Borough.

A PLEA FROM " BACK-BLOCKERS."

A letter signed by 15 residents of Prospect Terrace was received calling the Council's attention to " the disgraceful state of the road and footpath " in that thoroughfare. The complaint was referred to the Works Committee, Cr Roadley urging that as the work was necessary it should be put in hand, the footpaths to be each 20ft in width and a scoria road to be constructed 20ft wide.

WHO WAS TO BLAME i

The matter of the criticisms passed on the work of the Military Farewell Committee, which was responsible for a heated debate at the last mooting, again cropped up as a sequel to the reading of a letter from Mr C. K. Lawrie withdrawing, in accordance with the Council's request, his resignation as chairman of the Military Farewell Committee.

Cr Barter stated that since the Council's last meeting the Military Farewell Committee had decided that the incident was not worthy of the consideration they had previously given it. If the remarks ho had made at the Council meeting had given offence to Cr Roadley or anyone else he destred to withdraw them but he would a9k Cr Roadley to be a little kinder in his statements and to recognise that the Committee were trying to do their best. Instead of criticising them, he would also ask Cr Roadley to come forward with suggestions, which would be given due consideration. Cr Roadley took exception to Cr Barter's statements as, in effect, he repeated the accusations he had previously levelled against him that he (Cr Roadley) had made the remarks complained of, whereas he had previously denied that he did so and Cr Barter must have known that it was both untrue and incorrect to say that he had. Since the Council meeting the person who had actually made the statements, and who was now on his way to the front, had reminded of the circumstance, and that was that he (Cr Roadley) was present at the time of the conversation in question but took no part in it other than interjecting once or twice. It was an insult to him and his intelligence for it to be supposed that he had acted in the way suggested, and yet that night Cr Barter had reiterated the accusation that he made the statements.

Cr Barter complained that Cr Roadley had suggested that he had spoken things he knew were untrue, but he denied that he had ever acted in such a way. He had simply said that he was told that Cr Roadley had made the remarks he had mentioned. He had spoken that night in order to smooth matters over, and he did not consider Cr Roadley's subsequent remarks were justified. The matter then dropped. ROAD CONSTRUCTION. In regard to the proposed laying down of King street in tarred macadam, a letter was received from Wilson's Portland Cement Co. suggesting that the road should be laid in concrete, and they offered to do

the work, the Council to provide metal and preparation, and payment to be made at the end of two years if the work proved satisfactory. Cr Patterson suggested that if finances would permit a concrete road would be preferable to tarred macadam.

Cr Clarke urged that the cost of concrete would be more than they could manage. The Mayor, in reply to a question, stated that he believed the comparative costs were Gs 6d per square yard for concrete and 3s for tarred macadam.

On the motion of Cr Roadley the letter was " rece'ved."

Similarly no action was taken in respect to an application from the Bituco Road Binding Co. that the road should be laid down in Bituco, the Company stating that tarred roads had generally proved unsuccessful. TEAM HIKE RATES. A lengthy discussion ensued in connection with the request made at the last meeting by the local contractors for an increase in the rates of payment made them for team hire, the Works Committee recommending as follows:—" That owners of teams be paid the rates asked for, viz.: Single horse team with driver 20s per day, two horse team and driver 25s per day, three horse team and driver 30s per day. The increase to take effect as from the date of application." Cr Barter moved and Cr Clark6 seconded the adoption of the recommendation.

Cr Roadley contended that better and more economical results could be secured by the Council purchasing an additional dray and horse. Cr. Motion pointed out that the terms as recommended were only those paid by the County Council. Ultimately on the proposition of Cr Patterson the figures as recommended were adopted, subject to coming into force as from date and not being retrospective.

WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT

The Works Committee reported as follows: Formation of Daysh's road. —ln view of the fact that the late Town Board agreed to supply Mr Berriman with necessary scoria for this road at cost price the Committee has instructed the foreman to supply Mr Berriman with what scoria he requires for this road out of the next consignment coming to hand. McNally's road.—ln view of large amount of money required to put road into order, together with Council's lack of funds, the committees cannot recommend anything to be done to this road.

Factory Crossing.—The Committee recommends the sum of £l2 10s be spent in metal, the Dairy Association to contribute £5 towards the post of carting. Ridgway Roose road. The Committee is of opinion that the cost of metalling this road as requested is prohibitive, and that the only remedy is for Ratepayers on the road to consent to the raising of a special loan for the purpose. Referring to McNally's road, the Mayor expressed the opinion that unless a considerable sum of money was spent on the road its present condition in grass would be better than to simply plough it up and form it.

Cr Patterson expressed surprise that the Committee had put the work at the Dairy Factory in hand without waiting for the Council's approval. The Council, he said, had a rule that all owners should pay for crossings, and he saw no reason why the Dairy Association should receive special treatment. The Mayor explained that the Dairy Association had agreed to drain the water away from the road, water now lying on it. Cr Beatty considered that circumstances altered cases, and in that way the road was being improved and the crossing laid down for the benefit of a large number of borough ratepayers who went to the factory. Cr Roadley claimed that the expenditure had been illegally incurred since the Council were not consulted. On the motion of Cr Barter the recommendation was approved of. Referring to Ridgway-Roose road, Cr Roadley suggested that some improvements should be effected by the metalled portion of the road being levelled, and that course was agreed to. The report as a whole was then adopted.

VI NANCE. Debit balances of £2190 and £2959 were reported on the General and District Fund accounts respectively, and accounts totalling £789 were passed for payment, some a6OO or £7OO of which was for interest and sinking funds on li an. w vter surrLT. Cr Roadley commented on the absence of a report as to progress made with the new water scheme. The Mayor stated that excavation work for the new reservoir had been started but had been stopped owing to recent rains. Cr Roadley then referred to general complaints being made as to the quality of the water now being supplied. The Waterworks Engineer (Mr Wyattj said he hoped to overcome the trouble when the new reservoir was completed. The water became groen in colour through the present reservoir being uncovered. The reservoir was cleaned out some three weeks previously, and he hoped to have it again cleaned out before Christmas. ELECTRIC LIGHT. In reply to Cr Roadley, the Mayor stated that the Electrical Engineer (Mr Fenn) was duly attending to the preliminary work appertaining to the installation of the olectric light scheme. miscellaneous. Cr Roadley complained that the Council frequently passed resolutions but they were not acted on. For instance, ho said, it was decided to erect in the Council Chamber an Honours' Board bearing the names of local men, who had gone to the war, but such had not made its apr pearance. Then again it was re* solved that butchers should be called upon to instal fly - proof blinds at their premises and with the summer coming on he urged that same should be enforced. The Mayor remarked that the matter of fly-proof blinds would be dealt with by the By-Laws Committee, who were framing amendments to the by-laws. In regard to the " Honours' Board," the Town Clerk enquired whether the Council wished the Board to be erected now or to wait till the Qnd of the war for the full list of names to be put on it at one time. —It was decided that the Board should be erected now and names added from time to time.

Cr Roadley mentioned that he noticed some of the Councils workmen were engaged in certain streets in clearing footpaths of weeds whilst owners in other parts of the borough were left to do such work themselves. —The Mayor said that owners could only be called on to remove noxious weeds and not other vegetation. MATTERS. Information was next sought by Cr Roadley as to the identity of the person who had authorised the erection of certain appliances in Hall street intended to be used for tarred macadam mixing, as he believed such was not the most economical way of going to work.—The Mayor stated that the Foreman of Works (Mr Clews) mentioned the matter to him, and as he did not object he presumed Mr Clews took it that he could erect the appliances. Cr Motion desired to be enlightened as to whether any loan money had been raised, but the Mayor replied that he would report as to the same in committee.

The Council then went into Committee to deal with the loan money question, and it was decided to endeavour to raise the money by the issue of debentures.