PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 268, 20 April 1917, Page 1

PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Monthly Meeting. The last meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council prior to the election was held on Wednesday evening, the members present being the Mayor (Mr H. G. R. Mason) and Cra F. Hubbard, A.. B. Barter, I. A. Motion, C. Clarke, J. Baatty and R. Bilkey, with the Town Clerk (Mr J F. Deane). OR. TATTERSOX'S RESIGNATION. A letter, dated March 30th, was received from Mr J. Patterson tendering his resignation as a member of the Council.—The same was accepted. FIRE BRIGADE REQUESTS. Application was recoived from the Fire Brigade for the Captain's house 1 to be connected with the telephone and authority to purchase two leather helmets for use" of firemen on duty at the Premier Hall.—The matter of the telephone connection was deferred and the purchase of the helmets was sanctioned. workmen's wages. In regard to the claim of .the Labour Department that the Council were not carrying out the recent employees' award in the wages paid to certain workmen the Department advised the Council that a'test case was before the Court and the Council would be advised of the decision. anzac day. The Mayor reported that he had received a circular letter from the Minister of Internal Affairs suggesting that the anniversary of Anzac Day should be observed this year on Monday next (St. George's Day) owing to the Municipal Elections being fixed by statute for Wednesday (the actual date of the "anniversary). In view of the feeling amongst returned soldiers that the anniversary should be observed on its proper date he had taken no action but preferred the Council to decide the point. It was resolved, on the motion bf Cr Barter, seconded by Cr Hubbard, to invite the burgesses to observe Wednesday as a half-holiday and it was also agreed to accept the invitation of the School Committee for the Mayor and Councillors to take pait in a children's demonstration in the Premier fialbon Wednesday afternoon. ROAD WORKS. A suggestion by 0? Hubbard that the attention of the new Works Committee should be called to the necessity of improving Robson's road (off Manukau road) was adopted.

Cr Beatty asked that before the Council went out of office the balance of an old loan, amounting to about £9O, authorised for McGuire's road but temporarily expended on Helvetia road, should be transferred back to McGuire's road so that scoria should be laid on the road. He added that residents on the road were willing to contribute an additional £ls towards the work.—lt was decided to comply with Cr Beatty's request. The Foreman of Works reported that concrete kerbs and channels had been completed in Tobin and Albert Streets, in Edinburgh Street to Blake's Corner and on the eastern side to Mr Mclntyro's, and West Road— a total of 76 chains. 58 chains of paths had been made to permanent grades. Harris Street, Puni Road, Victoria Street and West Road had been scarified, sav in# a considerable amount of metal. The Foreman recommended that the remaining portion of King Street should stand over for treatment until the spring.—The report was adopted. Payment of £2O was authoiised, on the motion of Cr Hubbard, seconded by Cr Clarke, to the Road Foreman (Mr S. J. Clews), in connection with extra duties entailed on him in the expenditure of the road loan. THE CEMETERY. Cr Bilkey urged that as the cemetery was now in a clean state, thanks to the recent operations of a working-bee, it should receive regular attention. He statod that Mr John Adams, the sexton, was willing to keep it in order at a cost of £7 per a.num. Mr Adams was appointed caretaker as suggested by Cr Bilkey. THE DOMAIN'. Cr Motion reported that the Do main had bofii cleared of blackberries, the hedges trimmed and seats and a new gate erected. ()u Cr .Motion's pmp sition, it was decided to tngage Mr D. W McArthur to report as to the best means of draining fie Domain, WATERWORKS KEI'OUT. The Waterworks Committee reported as follows : The water mains have all been, lifted from the m tin thoroughfare an 1 placed under the fo itpath This work has been completed and the En giii( i r revolts that it is all in thorough working nrdor. The new reservoir will bo filled and will start to supply the town in ab lit three weeks' time 'I'll! Advisory Engineer Mr !). W. Mc.Uthur) visited Pukekohe during Easter week and expressed his satisfaction with llih woik completed. He is now resident in Auckland amt states that he w II bo ably to make it- tin.re frequent visits. Your Committee regret.-, that none of the waterworks scheme h is been completed before the term of this Council expired but

no doubt the Council realises that on account of the war and th 9 difficulties of obtaining material and labour in consequence of the war this was impossible. The report was adopted. FINAXC'E

A debit balance of £615 15s 4d was reported on the General Account and a credit balance of £4OB 8s on the District Fund Account. Accounts totalling £9Ol 14s 4d were passed for payment. FAREWELLS. Cr Hubbard stated that as he was resigning from the Council by medical advice he wished to take the opportunity of expressing his appreciation of the courtesy always extended to him by the Council's staff and of their loyal attention to their duties He also appreciated the kindly way in which his colleagues on the Council had treated him. He proposed that the Conncil should place on record their recognition of the good work done by the Staff. The Mayor seconded and besides expressing regret that Cr Hubbard had found it necessary to retire he (His Worship) thanked all the members of the Council for the assistance rendered him.

Cr BaTter supported the motion and as chairman of the Waterworks Committee particularly alluded to the skill displaved by the Waterworks Engineer (Mr W. Wyatt) in his execution of the new water scheme. Cr Barter added that his associations with his fellow Councillors had been most pleasant and he was sorry that so few of them were seeking office' again. The Mayor, he concluded, had always shown courtesy and forbearance and had carried out his duties in a most efficient manner and he thought the town was fortunate in having had his services for the pxst two years The motion wss then carried by acclamation.