PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 272, 4 May 1917, Page 1

PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Statutory Meeting. The first meeting of the new Borough Council for Pukekohe was ' held on Wednesday evening, all the members being present, viz, the ' Mayor (Mr H. G. R.. Mason), Cis A. B. Barter, R Bilkev, J. Pattereon, G. H. Armstrong, A. P. Daysh, J. T. Stembridge, D. R. Hamilton, and P. J. Marrow, together with the Town Clerk (Mr J. F. Deane). The usual declarations on taking office were made by the' Mayor and Councillors.

DEPUTY MAYOR APPOINTED. Cr Hamilton proposed, Cr Stembridge seconded, and it was unanimously resolved to appoint Cr Barter as Deputy Mayor. Cr Baiter, in returning thanks for the appointment, said probably his duties would not be onerous as the Mayor in the past two years had never missed attending a Council meeting and rarely had been absent from committee meetings He hoped that they would all pull together in their term of office and assist the Mayor in every possible way (applause). CONSTITUTION OF COMMITTEES.

The Mayor suggested that instead of large Committees being appointed the usual committees should be limited both in number and extent as he considered better results would be obtained thereby. The Mayor's recommendation was approved and the committees were set up as follows: — Finance, Legal, By-laws and Library : The Mayor 6 (chairman \ Crs Daysh, and Stembridge. Works, Cemetery, Recreation Ground, and Band: Crs Hamilton (chairman), Bilkey, aDd Patterson. Waterworks, Fire Brigade, Lighting, Sanitary, and Drainage : Crs Barter (chairman), Armstrong and Morrow. soldiers' farewell committee. , The Mayor, Crs Barter, Daysh and Stembridge were appointed *as the Soldiers' Farewell Committee, together with (subject to their acceptance) Messrs C. K. Lawrie, A. Grigor, Jas. Roulston, A. F. Brown and J. Coady. On the question of the chairmanship of the Committee being referred to the Mayor stated that a misunderstanding on the matter arose when the Committee was first appointed, it being thought that he (the Mayor) wished some one else to act. He, however, realised tha| it was a Committee over which the Mayor ought to preside and he was quite prepared to do so. Cr Hamilton proposed that the Mayor should be the Chairman of the Committee and that in his absence the Deputy Mayor should act.

Cr Armstrong seconded and the motion was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr C. K. Lawrie for the services he had rendered as Chairman of the Committee.

MEETING DAYS. It was agreed to meet, as hitherto, on the third Wednesday in each month, the times of meeting being fixed at 7.30 p m May to October inclusive and 8 p.m. in other months. EXPIRING LOANS. The Mayor mentioned that shortdated loans of £15,000 carrying five per cent interest would be falling due in November and he suggested that the holders of the debentures should be asked if they would be prepared to renew them and if so on what terms.

The matter was referred to the Finance Committee.

ROAD MATTERS. Applications for repairs to be effected to Beresford stieet and to the path on the western side of Hall street, from the Post Office corner to the County Council offices, were referred to the Works Committee.

Cr Hamilton suggested that better supervision of'the roads would be secured if every Councillor was responsible for certain roads and he pointed out that the ratepayers would then know which Councillor to approach for their respective localities. —On the motion of Cr Stembridge, seconded by Cr Barter, the Works Committee were requested to draw up an allocation of members for different roads.

A recommendation by the Mayor as to the necessity of kerbicg and channelling Harrington Avenue was referred to the Works Committee.

In reply to Cr Daysh, the Mayor stated that the authorised works for forming and grading Station road from Mr Berriman's to Dr Wake's would he put in hand as soon as possible.

The attention of the Works Committee was called by Cr Armstrong to the necessity of filling up holes ou the footpath in King street caused by the laying of the watermains thereon. TIIE MAYOR CONGRATULATED.

Cr Barter proposed a vote of congratulation to the Mayor on his re-election. He hoped that His Worship's tenure of office would be more pleasant than in the previous two years. Cr Bilkey seconded and considered that the unison existing that evening was a happy augury for the future.

The resolution havin? been carried by acclamation, The Mayor said he had not always enjoyed.his experience in the past ancralthough he had made no complaint he had felt that he had not invariably received the loyaity that might have been expected. He therefore keenly appreciated the sincerity of their vote that night.