FRANKLIN COUNTY RESERVES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 309, 11 September 1917, Page 3

FRANKLIN COUNTY RESERVES.

At last Thursday's meeting of the Franklin County Council the following report was presented by the Reserves Committee, viz : There are altogether 17 reserves in the County. Nine of these reserves are fairly large and comprise in the aggregate about 124 acres. There are eight small reserves aggregating about eight acres. The larger ones are as follows : Quarry Reserve, Tuakau, sac. 3ro I2p, not let—This is a valuable reserve for metal as the metal is easily loaded from quarry to punt in the river fer conveyance to Aka Aka or elsewhere.

Scoria Reserve, Aka Aka, 25 acres- It has been decided to lease this Reserve as it is not considered suitable for County purposes. Quarry Reserve, Kiri Kiri, five acres.— On this Reserve there is a valuable quarry alreadv opened up and showing a good face of splendid stone. It would be a good place for the County to open up a permanent quarry as it is only one mile from Opaheke Station, and a train could be laid along a county road from station to quarry. The land is let but is in bad order and the Committee would recommend the Council to terminate the lease as the leasee is not keeping the land in order. Cemetery Reserve, firury, 4ac. 3ro. lOp. Thisis in first-class order and at present is leased with about four years to run. Quarry Reserve, Puni, 27ac. lro. lOp. -This reserve has not got much metal on it and is not of much value for that purpose. The reserve is not in good order, being pretty well covered with blackberry. If the Council resumed possession of the reserve and cleaned it up it would be a very convenient place to keep the horses belonging to Council and we would recommend this course.

Landing Reserve, Waiau, llac. 3ro. 20p.—This is at present leased from year to vear. This reserve is in a first-class position for a surfaceman's house or to keep the Council's teams if working in that district and we would recommend the Council to retain it and not let it except for a short term as at present. Quarry Reserve, Maketu, 15 acres. This is a most valuable quarry, having a very large supply of the very best metal over the greater part of it. The reserve is in rather a bad condition with noxious weeds. We would recommend the Council to have it cleared up when labour is more available. Quarry Reserve, Maungatawhiri, 15 acres.—This is a valuable Reserve for keeping the Council's teams, as there is a good body of grass on land, and although there is a considerable amount of blackberry on it the land would not bo costly to keep clean. The Committee would recommend that the fence along the road should be repaired and a new gate erected. The Committee would also recommend that the Reserve should not be relet except weekly, when the Council does not require the use of it for its teams.

Quarry Reserve, Kirikiri (McCrae's) 16 acres.—This is at present let at £5 per annum. There is a good deal of metal in the Bhape of houlders but no solid face of rock. As the Council can get metal from this quarry any time when required it is not recommended to interfere with the present lease, but the Council should compel the leasee to confirm to the terms of his lease in the matter of keeping land dear of noxious weeds which is not being done at present. Consideration of the report was deferred.