MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 294, 20 July 1917, Page 4

MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Monthly Meeting At the monthly meeting of the Manukau County Council, held in Auckland on Tuesday last there were present Crs 11. B. Mackenzie (chairman), J. C. Bryant, A. Muir, A. E. Hattaway, F. H. Brownhill, A. D. Bell, with the Clerk (Mr A. Bell). MANI'REWA SCHOOL Mr C. 11. Lupton, Hon. Sec. of the Manurewa School Committee, wrote asking the Council to put in pipes lying at the junction of Hill and Great South road as in the wet weather the corner was in a had state for the children. He also asked that a footpath should be formed along the Great South frontage of the school ground. It was resolved to reply that the Council would do the work at the earliest opportunity. manurewa roaii liOAitn In connection with the resolution of the Council merging the Manurewa Road Board into the county Mr G. F. Druce, chairman of the Board, attended and was informed that the Council would formally take over the Eoad Board as from the 7th August. It was arranged for the Engineer (Mr C. Dixon) to make an inventory of the plant and tools belonging to the Road Board. UTILISING I'RISOX LABOUR The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, in a circular letter, advocated the employment of prison labour on the main arterial roads and asked the Council to affirm the principle of utilising prison labour in making and maintaining main arterial roads. On the motion of the Chairman it was agreed to support the movement. MANGERE <K«SSIXG Mr A. ; H. Menzies (Mangere crossing) complained of the state of the fcotpath and road and he stated that the culvert at Rosella road could not carry off the storm water. Ho suggested that a culvert should be put in between Manson's and Rosella road which would obviate the difficulty. The Foreman was instructed to clear out the culvert which was the cause of the trouble. NESS VALLEY BUDGE Mr Goodman, bridge contractor, reported that to construct a bridge as above with a 13ft roadway, would cost approximately about £2OO. It was decided to ask Mr Goodman to submit an estimate in writing with full particulars to the Wairoa Road Board. MANCEBK Messrs Geo Britton, A. G. Beckwith and A. McDonald, of Mangere, wrote complaining of tho state of the road in front of their respective properties owing, it was alleged, to cattle stiaying on the roads and traffic on the side of the roads. The Engineer agreed that the road required attention and it was resolved that the work should be done as soon as better weather prevailed.

lIROWn's URIDfIE, OLEYEUON i Mr G. W. Basley, solicitor, wrote | that tho proposal to bomw £47.") for ! the purpose of pajing for the build- ,. ing of Brown's bridge could not be proceeded with until a poll of ratei payers was taken to authorise the I borrowing of the money. It was decided to make tho neces- | sary arrangements to take a poll of tho ratepayers to authorise the loan. \ I'AI'ATOETOE COMPLAINT Mr D. Jarvie, of Papatoetoe, wrote complaining that a neighbour (Mr Delanthie) kept a pig in a sty about 00 feet from his house. It was resolved to give notice to the offender in '[iiestion to remove the pig within seven days from date i of receipt of such notice. I \ MANURE WA UE'iUEsr i A loiter was received from Mr 11. I Bond, of Manurewa, stating that he j had approached the Manurewa | Town Board for a connection to be made from Groat South road to I Myer's ro.d, which road wss his only entrance for trallic. Since the ! Railway Department had raised the 1 South road to the railway bridge the water lodged in tho hollow and foimed a quagmire. Ho added that ho had been informed that the Council was liable and as-ked that tho Council should take their share of the responsibility so that the work could be carried out. On tho motion of Cr Muir it was i resolved to reply that tho Council could not recognise any liability in the matter. E'IREMAX'ti KEI'OKT The Foreman (Mi C. Dixon'; :e----poittd as follows : I Mungero hiding—A load of timber had been ordered for repairs to BlackBridge from Panmuro Budge and the woik was in hand. Papatoutoo Riding—He had employed two one-horse drays to attend to the patching on Station, K'olmar, and Great South roads and the main road East Tamaki. Further i repairs had been done on the back mad and tho bad road complained . of near Mr C. Giliiaid's was also in I liti'id. Station road drainage : The pipes and materia! were on the ground and the contractor had commenced the ditching, and as soon as the surfaceman started the pipes would lie laid and the work completed. Wairoa Riding—Tho I* itch culveit near Alexander's corner was broken and had In en temporarily repaired with timber for tho winter. He had suggosted to Cr Bell that the culvert should be done away ' with and the water can ied on further along tie' fonco side to another ctilvert in the main drain which would have to be taken up and a larger | one i>ut in. l'lie wcil;, however, could net be carried on' until the summer Mr 11. Alexander had promised to assist, as ho would bene. lit thereby. Seventy-live foot <<i '.) inch culvert pipes bad been put in at the junction of Ness Valley and ' N- ith h'oads. Mr L'aton had given two davs la' our gratis. A - uu-th.m-rd "by Cr liell, h-> had called j oi' Mr I'vans in connection with the stonii wa'er running down tho side , road from the foot of Kirik n hill to ' Hallo's property and Mr Evans hid ojyen permission for tho water to be ,

turned into one of (ho cross drains. Mr Evans was procured to '1" all tho labour, providing tin) Coiiiu.il fouud the pipes for two twolvo foot crossings at gateways. Since last mooting Brown's bridge had beon completed and some members of the Road Board, without his or the builders' permission, had dismantled the temporaiy bridge and commenced tilling in the approaches in a careless way with clay, making no provision for drainage. Tho bridge had thus been opened to the public without any weight limit notice before the decking was matured. As to tho complaint of Mr Wilkinson of a portion of main road through Ashby's property, about 1"> chains of bridle track was needed at about 15s per chain. The co>t would be about £•')(). Cltvedon water supply—ln regard to the proposed water supply for Clevedon from the reserve at Thorp's Pit, he had taken levels and there was no doubt about a fall that would give a good pressure. There was not sufficient water without building a dam to hold about two months' roserve. As the water was coming over tho fence of the present quarry it would be necessary to go well back to allow sufficient area for quarrying purposes. It all depended on what quantity of water would be likely tu be consumed and what area it would pass over if he was to be enabled to give an estimate of the size of pipe to be used. lie suggested that Or Bell should call a meeting of the residents. The building of the dam would not be expensive as the gully was of solid foundation with stone walls. The water was first-class and there were no obstacles or difficulties in laying the mains. On tho motion of the chairman seconded by Cr Bryant tho report was adopted. With regard to the proposed water supply at Clovedon it was arranged that Cr Bell should be supplied with infoiniation which would bo of assistance when the question was considered at a public meeting. DEPUTY H'HEMAX

Cr Brownhill again brought uj the question of an extra experienced maa being engaged as deputyforeman under the supervision of the Foreman. He explained that the man would only be required casually. He asked that the Foreman should be authorised to engage a man. Cr Hattaway expressed the opinion that as far as his Biding was concerned no extra man was required. The chairman pointed out that owing to war time the Council were only carryiug on necessary maintenance work. As, however, ho understood that the mau would only bo casually omployod he felt sure the Council would not object to the foreman engaging a man when circumstances warranted it.—This was agreed to

SYSTEM OF HOOK-KE£riX<;. With a view to facilitating the accouutancy woik of the Council it i was on the suggestion of the chair- i man agreed to engage the services I of an accountant to advise on the best system of book-keeping. The chairman undertook to make the necessary arrangements. \< I'Ol'Nls. Accounts amounting to £77') .'is Id were passed for payment. (OXTROI, Oi \I.\XUREW\ ROADS. A deputation from the Mannrewa Town Board consisting of Messrs T. J. Corin, C. H. Lupton and F. Wcods, waited on the Council- with reference to the Town TJoard assuming the control of the County roads within the Town Board's area. Mr Coi in said that he considered the Council did not give the attention to the Town Board's district that the Board could and if the Council agreed to the proposal the Council would be able to give morn attention to the country districts, which would, in his opinion, justify the exchange of control. Mr Lupton stated that ho wished to point out that ho did not approach the Council in a spirit of complaint. Ho considered that if the. Town Board had control of tho : r own roads results would bo hotter as the County had a large area to control. Continuing, Mr Lupton mentioned the Station-Cheat South Roal in the Town District where the traffic was great' st. Cr Muir: The tratlic is only on pait of the road. Mr Lupton agreed, but argued that the portion which was in the Town Beard area would receive I better attention from the Board than from tho County. In support of his desire that the Town Board should bo empowered to strike a separate rate, ho said he believed a Town ' ! Board, subject to tho County Coiin- ' cil's consent, could raise a rate up to ud in the i". The town was progressive and he asked that tho B iard should be " let oil for a y- ar " in regaid t j County rates. Mr Corin asked for sole control of tho district '' not for a year." said Mr Corin, "but for ever." The Hoard, he added, did not got sa'is- | faction. Cr Bryant : 1 never saw anyone | yet that got all they expected. I (Laughter). Cr Holt expressed the opinion that | the Hoard got their full sliaie, while Cr Muir remarked that '' tho only decent hit of road in the district was that controlled by the County.'" The chairman asked Mr C> rin what tho Hoard had d 'lie since it had 1). en formed. What wo.ks have you done'.' questioned the cliaii man. Mi Coiin : Wo have spent some money and n seivi d some for further outlay. The diaiiman pointed out that j tho County had coll- cted in the Town Board ana £■".<»! i>s lOtl and ha I sponl a'"nt £.".1)0, in addition to over L'mi for Hospital and Charitable Ail, hi that the 1! ...id had hoimlitvd bv I'Mi Tlioanioiir.! lollnted ha I I em qeii! on reals md footp i'liv Contii uiu g, tin; chairman ■aid that from oxporien. - he bolaved that if the Coum il gave up control to the Hoard the Comic;! would le.ilise tint tho It. ard would only do \\ i rk imiiiediat. 1 v in tie' town The Bond might, - lid tho | chiiiriuan, spend money mi lamps, j gas and such things because it «as i

I only to their interests to push the ; township ahead. " Tell njn '' con* j tiuuod tlto chairman, "if your Board has improved tho Great South I Koad and made it a credit to tho ! district." Concluding, Mr Mac- [ konzie said tiie Councd had to study 1 tho people in the hackhlocks bej causo the country [opt the town and ; not tho reverse. Mr Corin tlion drew attention to : the fact that the Board's request for j repair of a footpath on Station Road had not been attended to. The foreman explained that the shinglo had been ordered and the I chairman remarked that the delay I was in a great measure due to the ! abnormal by heavy rains. After some further questioning ; Cr Ilattaway moved, that it was not ; in the interests of the main arterial \ roads or the general public that the roa'ls should be under the control of j the local bodies. He considered it would be a great mistake to give up : any portion of the Great South Road as the road was a credit to the I Council. Cr Bell seconded. The chairman endorsed Cr Tlattaway's remarks and mentioned that the road from Onehunga to Newmarket, controlled by the Ellerslie Town Board, was a disgrace. p The motion was carried. Cr Bell pointed out that the County possessed valuable plant and | when a Koad or Town Board wanted any help in carrying out work of some magnitude the Council were | able to assist. The chairman expressed the desire iof the Council to help as far as | possible and assured the deputation I that all the Council promised they I I would carry out. I Mr Lupton asked the Council to [ consider the suggestion that the i County should take over the portion of the road between the Great South and the Weymouth Road, The chairman replied that the Council would consider the matter and inspect. The deputation thanked the Council for their courtesy and then withdrew.