MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 251, 16 February 1917, Page 4

MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Monthly Meeting. The monthly meeting of the Manukau County Council was held in Auckland on Tuesday last when there W(re present: Messrs H. K. Mackenzie (chairman), A. D. Bell, F. H. Brownhill, A. E. Hattaway, Alex Muir with the clerk (Mr A Bell). A COMPLAINT. Mr W. J. Dilworth, Papatoetoe, wrote resprc.ing the water pipes in front of his property being blocked, resulting in his property being flooded, and potatoes in his garden being washed away, and his paths being damaged. He asked that the Board should compensate him for the damage done. After receiving the foreman's report thereon it was on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr Muir, resolved that the clerk write Mr Dilworth that the council could not accept any liability, but the complaint referred to would receive the Council's attention. A MANUREWA CULVERT. A letter was read from the actingclerk, Manurewa Town Board, drawing the attention of the council to the unsatisfactory state of the culveit at the Manurewa Creamery. It was resolved that the matter should be attended to and the clerk was instructed to reply to that effect. GOVERNMENT GRANT METHODS. A circular letter was received from the Waiapu County Council inviting the co-operation of the Manukau Council in an endeavour to abolish the present system of Government grants for roads and to substitute a system more acceptable to local bodies and settlers generally. It was pointed out that when moneys appeared on the estimates as voted for certain works moneys would be available for expenditure but the experience was that months and sometimes years elapsed before authorisation to expend money was issued. The letter suggested that assistance to local bodies should be entirely automatic and should take the form of a subsidy on rates. It was moved by Cr Muir, seconded by Cr Hattaway, and carried, that the council should support the Waiapu County Council on the lines referred to. NEGLECTFUL OWNERS. Cr Bell drew attention to several owners throughout the Papakura Valley Road district neglecting their property by allowing noxious weeds to accumulate in their creeks. The failure to keep such creeks clean, he said, prevented the free flow of water to the Council's drains and culverts alongside the road.—Cr Brownhill suggested that an example should be made of offenders and it was resolved that legal proceedings should be taken against the offending owners to compel them to clear their propeities of noxious weeds and to put their portion of the creeks in a proper state. Cr Bell also reported that he had received a complaint that two Bettlers on the Clevedon - Papakura road through failure to keep the creeks clear of noxious weeds had caused the same to be blocked. —lt was decided to notify these owners that they must clear the creeks. RAILWAY DEVIATION. The town clerk of Otahuhu notified the council that the conference le the proposed Auckland- Westfield railway deviation would be held on February 22nd. The conference, the letter stated, would concern the local bodies in the neighbourhood of the deviation including the Manukau County Council. It was resolved that Crs Bell and Hattaway should represent the Council at the conference. PLOOD DAMAGE Cr Bell enquired if special application could be made for flood damage to the Public Works Department. It was mentioned that much damage had been experienced in both the Papakura Valley and the Turanga Hidings and it was resolved to make application to the Public Works Department accordingly for financial assistance. BROWN'S BRIDGE, CLEVEDON. The tender of £445 by Mr F. Goodman for the erection of this bridge was on the motion of Cr Bell, seconded by the chairman, accepted, subject to the mixture being 5 to 1 instead of 6to 1. Cr Bell expressed the hope that the contractor would start the work at an early date.

A PAPARATA FOOTPATH Mr I. Gray (Papatoetoe) waited on the council an.l complained tha' the footpath from the Pap;ttoetoe station to Boil's corner was unsaiis factory, necessitating people having to use tho road. It was pointed out that permanent wi rk had not been effected at the footpath near the post office and it appeared that one portion of the distiict was leceiviug more attention than ano'her. The chairman aske-l the foreman for an explanation. The Foreman stated that the footpath complained of was not of a permanent nature but it it was provided for under the permanent scheme of improvements now beiDg carried out. foreman's report Wairoa ridiug: The Foreman in his report said : The floods caused damage on the county roads. The Creamery Bridge, Ardmore, showed signs of collapsing. The water got behind the retaining plank and washed the earth away from tha approaches. Ihe slips on the c itting on the road to Kawakawa Bay blocked the traffic. Mr Beckett has the matter in hand. Mr Paton was making slow progress with his Orere Valley road contract. As to Brown's bridge the floods had washed the approaches away and a set of piles leaving it in a very weak state. Temporary repairs had been effected but if another flood occurred it was feared the bridge would be carried away making the road impassable. The report was adopted.