FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 237, 22 December 1916, Page 3

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monthly Meeting.

Tee monthly meeting of the Franklin County Cooucil was held yesterday, when there were present: Crs J. Flanagan, chairman, W. C. Motion, T. J. Lockwood, d. Wilcox, T. W. Woods and a\ Hemy. with the clerk. Mr A. P. Day. and the engineer, Mr J. F. McArthur. PAPARIMU - MATJNGATAWHIBIBOAD.

With respect to projected works out of a Qovernment grant on the Paparimu-Maungatawhiri road a letter was received from the Acting District Engineer, Public Works Department, stating that it would be necessary for the Council to arrange for a land plan survey and legislation of the road before forwarding plans for approval. The completion of other necessary formalities was also requested. GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

In regard for votes for roads a communication was received from the Minister of Public Works notifying the council that subject to the money being paid at the Government's convenience the council could proceed with works to the extent of £1275, that sum having been alloted as follows: Bombay to Paparata £IOO (£1 for £1); Opaheke Main road £IOO (£1 for £1); WaiukuDrury road £IOO (£1 for £1); Clark road, Waiau, £100; Creamery road (£IOO (£1 for £1); Wairoa Falls £100; Jamieson road, Buckland, £SO, (£1 for £n ; Beloe road £100; Otaua to Aka Aka £75 (£ for £) Otaua Swamp road to Port Waikato £100; Pollock Post Office to Awhitu Central £75; Waiuku-Pollock road to Te Tora Wharf £100; Mara-

mania to Maungatawhiri Valley (Enoch's Deviation) 45100; and Maungatawhiri stream to Mangatangi stream £75 (£1 for £l.) The v Minister approved of the subsidy of £IOO authorised for Martin road being transferred to Creamery road, Hunua, but he could not comply with the council's request for the subsidy of £875 (£1 for £2) for the Taurangaruru to Waipipi main road being altered to a free grant nor could he see his way, as requested, to allow a further £250 for maintenance of the Great South road from Drury to Rama Eama seeing he had recently given the council a special grant of £250 for that road. In a further letter the Minister agreed to find a sum not exceeding £ISOO for Pratt's Hill Deviation, the council's estimated cost of the work being X2BOO.

The engineer was instructed to forward proposals re Pratt's Hill • deviation to the Public Works Department Cr Henry moved that the Council should express its disappointment of the advice tendered by the Minister of Public Works In his letter with regard to the payment of money. It meant the placing of money outside the reach of the Council for mi indtniiite time.

Cr Henry's motion not being'

seconded, Cr Lock wood proposed that the" engineer be instructed to prepare plans and specifications on all works as soon an possible. Cr Henry seconded and the resolution was carried. LAND FOR ROADS

Copies of •• the Gazette " were received from the Government Depart-

ments concerned containing the pro- \ clamation notice taking land for a road through Block IX., Drury Survey District, and also a notice allocating a portion of railway service near Fokeno for road purposes. HUNUA FALLS ROAD A letter was received from the Chief Surveyor (Auckland) of the Department of Lands returning the plan for the road to Hunua Falls, via Hirst's, and advising ths council that after the plan had been sealed by the council the necessary proclamation would be issued. - The seal was duly affixed. HOGWOOD'S DEVIATION

The State Advances Office wrote informing the council that the application for a loan of £IOO for Hogwood's deviation had been granted. WAR SERVICE. A circular letter was received from the Petone Borough Council asking co-operation in a request made to the Government for single men join-

ing the Motor Boat Patrol Service to receive the same rate of pay as the married men. It was explained that although the men required to possess special qualifications to join that branch of the service the allotment of pay was upon the Imperial basis and consequently lower than that received by men serving with the N.Z. Expeditionary Force. The N.Z. Government had, however, supplemented the pay of married members of the Motor Boat Patrol Service and made it identical with that received by married men of the Expeditionary Force, but had made no increase to single men.—No action was taken. A DEFUNCT ROAD BOARD. A letter was received from Mr R. H. McXenzie, chairman of the defunct Pokeno Road Board, enclosing a cheque for £IBB 17s 6d in respect of the Board's account at the time of merging. COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS. The Mercer Town Board wrote calling attention to the dangerous condition of Eoheroa Hill, and asked for repairs to be effected to the road. —Ksierred to Cr Lyons and the engineer. Application was renewed by Mr J. McFarlaid, of Tuakau, for steps to be taken to overcome the trouble of water lodging on the road near his property.—No action taken. Mr M. Coughlan, of Puni, wrote complaining of the Council's action in not having removed metal dug out from his quarry two years ago. He said the same had prevented him letting other contracts and had deE rived him of the use of the quarry, ut he offered to eay nothing more about it if he was relieved of his rates for the current year. - It was decided to reply that the council would endeavour to remove the spawis. ' laaakjngfora portion of a rood hftowo Moo* 36 and 64, Awbitu, htmmmtnft Mr W. G. Hamilton Unit mr •* AL ~ *offcAt

forwarded a cheque for £l 10s.— Works to be put in hand. A lengthy letter was read from Miss 8. J. Pepler in ref erette to her old claim that a road on the out-

skirts of Pukekohe, recently transferred from the borough to the county, formed an encroachment on her property.—Received. A letter was received from Mr A 0. Bowen, of Papakura, asking for the road leading from his farm to to the Hunua road to be repaired.— Left to riding member and the engineer. A letter complaining of the action of cer ain persons in cutting down willows growing by the side of the creek at Kama Rama and allowing the timber to fall into and remain in the stream, thereby causing the water to flood on to his property, was received from Mr Jas. Donnelly. —The clerk whs instructed to give notice to owners to have the creek cleared.

Mr J. Blake waited on the council and asked the council to make a crossing as an access to his own property at Puni.—Referred to chairman and engineer. -

BAKRISVILLE SETTLERS' WANTS.

Messrs Pook and Strickett waited on the Council and renewed an application pievioasly mst'e for the road at Harrisville adjoining their propertiej to he metalled. The clerk remnided the Council that at the last meeting Gr Wilcox and the engineer, reporting on the application, estimated the awt of metalling at £SO, and did not think the expense warranted. Thev, however, recommended that minor repairs should be effected to the road.

In reply .to Cr Woods, Mr Pook stated that tfcera were only three ratepayers on the road.

Cr Wilcox claimed that there many other toads in hit riding carrying much greater traffic and in far worse condition than the one in question. Under the circumstances he could not see bis way to agree to the outlay that would he necessitated. Cr Wilcox added that the properties on the road only paid £lO per annum in rates. '.

Mr Pook remarked that he and Mr Strickett offered to quarry the metal and he thought when ratepayers were willing to assist halfway they were entitled to consideration.

Mr Strickett suggested that a a mall start in metalling might be made.

Cr Lockwcod advised the deputation to arrange tor a special loan as a way out of the difficulty. Cr Wilcox eventually promised to asaia confer with the engineer to see if the-wishes of the deputation could be meet to some exteut. A MIRANDA MATTER. A letter was read from Messrs Parr and Blomneld, on behalf Of Mr T. E. Bmith, the owner of Opita Block, Miranda, relative to a road being put through his property. They stated that the public were using various tracks through Mr Smith's property, which was unsatisfactory* They added that their client could not allow the track to be used indefinitely, and asked for the road to bo formed. They suggested that their client should meet the council and the engineer and disc*: < what was to be done.—Kef erred to Crs Lyons and Lock wood to <aspect and report. MISUNDERSTOOD!

Cr Lockwod referred to a leading article that had appeared in. the " Times " suggesting that his actions on behalf of his tiding had been somewhat remiss as regards not taking a tally of traffic on his boundary roads in support of his complaint that the Hunua riding was unfairly bearing the cost of traffic from other ridings. He contended that no tally was necessary and that it was for the council to go into the matter of adjusting expenditure on boundary roads On the motion of Cr Lockwood a committee was set up to report on the financial adjustment question. TRAMWAY ROAD. A resolution as adopted at the recent meeting of ratepayers authorising the sale of half the width of the two-chain Tramway road was confirmed. COX'S ROAD. Cr Woods asked that Cox's road be reformed and repaired.—Referred to the engineer.

BELGIAN FUND. • The chairman referred to the great need of the Belgians and thought it a duty of local bodies to help that much distressed nation. He proposed that £SO should be voted to the fund.

Cr Motion seconded, and said he was quite in favour of the claims of the Belgian Fund, and thought the council would only be doing what they should. Cr Henry said that he believed, the conditions of the people in the' Franklin County were prosperous, and he entirely agreed that the poor Belgians should be assisted. Cr Lockwood supported the council in giving to that worthy object. The vote £SO was unanimously agreed to COUNTY RESERVES. The chairman drew attention to the bad state of the reserves throughout the county and moved that they be cleared and sprayed. Cr Henry seconded. Cr Lockwood did not consider that the spraying would be productive of much good, and it was decided to leave the matter over until later in the season. AN AKA AEA LOAN. The resolution authorising the raising of a loan of £IOOO for Arrowsville jroad, Aka Aka, was confirmed. NEXT MEETING. In view of the Ch.istmas holidays the next meeting of the council was fixed for Thursday, February Ist. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S i VIEW. I - - A letter was read from the Pukekohe Chamber of Commerce asking in view of development of shipping trade on the Waikato river that the portion, of the Tramway road from surveyed road leading from Mr W. R. Johns' property at Cameron Town .to the river should be opeaed as the same would thereby affcrd direct reading access from Fukekohe to the river. A SQggee-

meat of the .Bombay district would be assisted if better roading communica'ion was afforded, between Pukekohe and Bombay, such as a deviation to avoid the present steep inclines. In furtherance of the letter, Messrs EL Dell, F. Perkins and B. F. Webster waited on the Council. Mr Dell urged that the road giving access to the Waikato river should be opened. He elaimei that it would be of considerable commercial value to the town and district. Mr Perkins suggested that the Waikato river would soon be teeming with trout and a large number of sportsmen would be attracted thereoy to the advantage of business in Pukekohe. Mr Webster supported the previous speakers, saying that the opening of the road would enabfe a la r ge number of local people to go to the Waikato river and would prove of great commercial value to the district by shipping facilities being made available both for farmers and townsmen, * Mr J. Blake, who was in attendance on the council on another matter, mentioned that it would be a decided advantage to farmers if access could be given to the river as suggested. Mr Webster also spoke in favour of improving the roading communication between Pukekohe and Bombay. The Council decided to consider the matters raised and promised to communicate their decision in writing to the Chamber.