DISTRICT NEWS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 267, 17 April 1917, Page 1

DISTRICT NEWS

OTAHUHU. [The Otahuhu Agent for " The Times" is Mr Bathe, from whom copies of the paper may be obtained. Mr Bathe is also authorised to receive advts. and printing orders on oar behalf.]

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Otahuhu Borough Council was held last Thursday evening, the members present being: Mr. J. Atkinson (Mayor), and Crs. J. Todd, A. Ross, J. Wilson, H. J. Hall, W. B. Lloyd, A. Lowe, and F. R. Field, with the Town Clerk (Mr. C. J. Kent-John-ston). The Nation's Food.

The Waipara County Council forwarded the following resolutions passed by it and asked for the support thereto, viz.:—(l) That owing to the serious decline in the quantity of the world's foodstuff* everyone with a small area of land is urged to cultivate it and grow potatoes and oth?r vegetables that can be grown successfully, thereby the individual in helping to maintain him or herself will at the same time ..be helping the nation. (2) That every endeavour be made to grow wheat or oats in larger areas where likely to be grown successfully, thereby helping to keep our nation's granaries from becoming empty and thus help to keep off from what' will otherwise be a disaster—a famine. (3) That a personal canvass be made throughout the country and suburban areas making these requests and securing promises to comply with them. (4) It is thought the half-holi-days could be profitably and healthfully used in the cultivation of the small areas. The Mayor pointed out that the Government were already urging the people to grow wheat and it was decided that the letter be "received." A Lamp Wanted. A petition was received, signed by residents of Gore Street, asking for a lamp to be erected at the intersection of Gore Street and Pratt Street. It was pointed out by the petitioners that the spot was dangerous owing to Pratt Street terminating at the Tamaki River, which place in winter was very dark.

Cr. Ross said that the council would in any case visit the situation before deciding. The request, he thought, was reasonable and should be handed over to the incoming council for their favourable consideration. Cr. Lowe mentioned that, the spot was very dark and a lamp was badly needed there. A Voice from the Gallery: You will do anything now. The' Mayor: Silence. The petition was deferred for consideration.

Auckland Railway Arrangements. Mr. Stanley Somerfield. the chairman of the Ellerslie Town Board, wrote drawing attention to the proposed alterations to the Auckland railway station and the removal to Old Mechanics' Bay, about half a mile smith of the present station. The writer asked for the co-operation ci the council in approaching the Railway Department with a view to the running of suburban workers' trains from and to Breakwater Road, instead of from the proposed now site. There were, he said, about 2,000 suburban workers travelling between 5 and 6.30 p.m. and before 9 a.m. from and to the city, and he suggested that -the convenience of those workers had apparently been overlooked by the Auckland Harbour Board and by the Railway Department. He further pointed out that the plan of the alterations showed lines running through to Breakwater Road, and he claimed that the request was not an unreasonable one.

Cr. Ross suggested that the council should fall in with the idea, and he moved that the council should send a deputation in support when the time was opportune. Cr. Hall expressed the opinion that outsiders did not always understand the railway working system. It would, no doubt, be a convenience. It was a case of " nothing asked nothing gained." said Cr. Hall. It was resolved to support the Ellerslie Town Board in the matter. Foreman's Report.

The foreman (Mr. W. Kemplay), in his report, stated that the water tables near Mr. Markwick's property had been cut down to almost form a ditch to drain his own property, and if the water table was cut to the same depth from Mr. Markwick's property to the creek the storm water would all get away.

It was agreed that this work h< done.

Tram and Bus Service. Cr. Ross drew the attention of the council to the need for some improved travelling facilities being provided in view of the discontinuance of the evening service next month. He suggested that the Council should endeavour to link up the existing tram service at Onehunga by a motor bus service. There was. however, the question whether the matter should be dealt with by the present council fir left to the incoming council. Cr. Ross hinted that it might be possible fur concession through tickets to be issued by the Tramway Company. Cr. Todd: Better wait until the train service is knocked off. The Mayor thought that the question might be deferred for consideration to the incoming council . (V. Hall remarked that there \va.= tin road connecting with the On 1 - hunira (rum thai would carrv molm bus traffic The Mayor moved that the question be dealt with by the new council, and Cr. Lowe seconded.

Cr. Hall expressed the opinion that a direct trip would be better than linking up with Onehunga. Or. Field enquired if the number of workmen using the Friday evening train service was known, as possibly some special arrangement might be made for that particular night. The Mayor replied thai he ei nld not <rive the information. Cr. Lowe said he though! something had better be done at once. Cr. Todd then moved that a conference of the following local authorities—Papatoetoe, Mnnur-wn, Mnngere, and Papakura—be held on Thursday evening next to consider the question of a motor bus service, and that representatives from the Mannkan County Council be also invited to be present. The Mayor find Cr. T.owe having withdrawn their motion, Cr. Todd's

motion wa3 then put to the meeting and carried unanimously. II was decided, on the motion of Cr. Ross, seconded by Cr. Hall, that Messrs. Andrew and Andrew be asked what motor service they could provide to supply the needs of the districts named. Accounts. Accounts amounting to £229 were passed for payment. Tribute to the Mayor. Cr. Todd, in a fitting speech, desired to thank the Mayor for the way in which he had carried out his duties during his mayoral office, and for the kindness which he had uniformly extended to all the councillors. Many of the old "boys" were gradually leaving the council, he continued, and he could only wish the new council every good luck. Cr. Hall endorsed Cr. Todd's remarks. It had been, said Cr. Hall, a strenuous time during the Mayor's term of two years, but he. trusted His Worship would enjoy good health for manv vears, and he felt sure Jhey would 'all part good friends. (Applause.) . Crs. Ross and Lowe also added their testimonies, and endorsed the expressions of the previous speakers. Both Crs. Wilson and Field also trusted that His Worship would enjoy his retired life, free from the worries of council business. The Mayor, in thanking all for their kind expression-, which he appreciated, said that he was proud to say that the council meetings had been most orderly, and there had always been due deference shown to the chair. While they differed politically, there had l>een no personal feeling during his two vears' term of office. Alluding to the "difficulties which all local bodies had experienced owing to the lack of funds on aecount of war demands, they had; he said, to move cautiously. He regarded the financial position of the council as satisfactory. Their obligations were about £26.000, which was' a small amount when it was considered they had assets valued at nearly half a million pounds. He hoped that the incoming council would be prosperous, and would carry through their business as amicably as the present council had. His Worship, in conclusion, said he desired to express his appreciation of the excellent services rendered by the council's staff. They had an efficient and capable town clerk, and all the employees had served them well. Crs. Hall, Lloyd, and Ross also spoke appreciatingly of the work performed by the council's employees during the past year, and the meeting closed with a pleasant and cordial spirit prevailing.

COUNCIL WORK REVIEWED. THE YEAR'S OPERATIONS. The following report of-the operations of the Otahuhu Borough Council for the year ending March 31st last was presented to the council at its meeting last Thursday by the town clerk (Mr. C. J. Kent-Johnston), viz.:

Council Meetings. During* the past twelve months there has been 17 meetings of the council convened, of which only one lapsed for want of a quorum. The attendances for such 17 meetings were as und.-r, yiz.:-Cr. H. J. Hall (De-puty-Mayor), 17; Cr. J. Wilson. 17; Cr. A Lowe" 17; Cr. J. Atkinson (Mayor), 16- Cr. F. R. Field, 13; Cr. G. Wallace, 13; Cr. W. B. Lloyd, 12; Cr. A. Ross (elected in June), 10; Cr. J. Todd, 6; Cr. A. Gray (resigned), 5. Finance.

The financial position of the borough is not quite as satisfactory as at the end of the financial year 1910. On the 31st March. 1916. the debit balance at the Bank of New Zealand for the District Fund Account was £2,291 13s of which £2,177 15s 2d was the debit balance of the General Account. On the 31st March just ended the debit balance at the Bank of New Zealand was £3,303 15s Id, of which £3,158 <s lOd was the debit balance of the General Account. The increase is easily accounted for in some of the larger items. Fur instance, £1,435 was spent in the vear past on street maintenance asainst £717 in the preceding vear Then asain £34 was spent on the erection of the fire bell, bank interest £193 hospital and charitable aid £409, and transfers to the Drainage Interest and Sinking Fund, Sanitation and Waterworks Accounts amounted to nearly £BOO. In connection with the rates 1 have much pleasure in pointing out that of a total for Cfeneral and special rates of £3968 Is lid, I had only 8s to be written off, the whole having been collected before the end of the financial year, as well as nearly C2OO of rates'and accounts outstanding at the 31st March. 1916. some of which were over two years old. Drainage and Sanitation. In June last the new sanitary service was brought into force, and now nearlv 400 are being served, and the system is running satisfactorily. There are still some eighteen premises in the drainage area which are not, but should be. connected witli the drainage system. Waterworks.

Though tliis account had a credit of £73 at the Ix'ginning " f ttie >' ear> we ended with a debit balance of C2G2 9s lid. The gross income for the vear was LI ,614 9s 2d, and the expenditure C 1,876 19s Id. The main expense during the year was £1,023 19s 8d for water meters, £2B 5s 7d for legal expense. £73 for pipes, and £133 for water royalty. This account should be made to Itear its own responsibility for interest and nil charges, and tnnduallv repay to the General Account what has been borrowed from it at times to purchase meters, etc. In connection with the waterworks the pumping engineer reports as under, viz.:—"The quantity of water pumped for the year April Ist, 1916, to March 31st. 1917. was 20,095.000 gallons."

Tank Leakage.—" This i> a question that i.-, becoming very serious. During the Inst two months the high winds that have blown from the west have had the effect of opening up the crack on the western side of the tank, and has extended southward for about nine feet • it can now lie clearly noticed from Portage Road. This matter should receive the early and sgnous attention of the incoming council." Storage.—"The present storage capacity (46,000 gallons) is, I am sure, generally recognised as altogether too low to provide'for a continuous water supply for the borough, when I point out that during the present year on 13 occasions there has been less than six inches of water in the tank when i have started up in the morn-

ing. The position has been somewhat relieved this summer owing to the unusual amount of rain that fell during the summer months. Had the conditions been similar to those existing during the previous summer, when the night consumption averaged 43,000 gallons during a period of four months, now, with the Westfield Freezing Works connected, the position would have been very 3erious indeed." Engine and Plant.—" Under the present conditions the present plant has no reserve capacity, but given increased storage capacity, in my opinion the present plant would be sufficient for several years to come. With the exception of some few minor running Tepairs which will be effected as the winter advances, the plant is in good working condition."

Cemetery. The Cemetery Account, as usual, is in a flourishing condition. The receipts, £ll3 5s lOd, with the balance at the beginning of the year of £43 18s lid, made a grand total ot £157 4s 9d, the expenditure being £l3 16s, leaving a credit balance of £l3B 6s 7d. I am glad to state that within a veryfew weeks the cemetery will have a much better appearance, as the following works have been authorised, viz.: fencing all round to be repaired, new "ates to be erected, and painted notice board also to be erected, paths to be tarred and sanded, and all the graves in section 2 to be properly pegged and numbered with four jarrah pegs to each grave. When all these works are completed the whole of the cemetery should present a neater appearance than it has done for some time now. Park. The Park has not been lost sight of during the past year, and the committee have had a plan prepared showing further improvements re roads and plantations. Fencing and planting is to bo proceeded with at once. Valuation of Borough.

During the vear the borough was revalued, the new valuations being: Capital value £457,575, and unimproved value £253,700, there being a reduction of £IB,OOO on the unimproved value. I would also point out that in the borough we have £IB,OOO value of exempted properties, which for a small borough like this is a rather big order. By-law*.

Owing to the by-laws relative to privies not being in conformity with the requirements of our new sanitary system, they need revision; also the by-law relative to the ordinary supply of water. These are two of the main things that will need the immediate attention of the new council when it comes into office.