MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 346, 18 January 1918, Page 1

MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL

Monthly Meeting \ At the monthly meeting of the Manukau County Council held at their office in Auckland on Tuesday last there were present Crs A. Bell (chairman), J. Luke, F. M. Waters, A. Muir, F. H. Brownhill and S. W. House with the Clerk (Mr A. Bell). PAPATOETOE RECREATION GROUND LOAN The Clerk having reported that some dispute had arisen between the Council's Solicitor and the proposed mortgagee as to the legality of the preliminary steps taken in connection with the Papatoetoe Recreation Ground Loan Poll it was decided on the mqtion of Cr Waters to obtain further legal advice. Cr Waters pointed out that unless matter was proceeded with, the time during which the Council could act on such authorisation would expire. WIRI STATION AITROACH With reference , to the Council's application to owners of land adjoining the road leading to Wiri railway station asking them whether they would be prepared to give sufficient land witn the object of making the road a chain wide Mrs M. I. Forrest and Mr D. McNutt wrote that as they had already given land when the road was opened they were not prepared to give any additional property for the purpose. The Clerk reported that Mr Holmes had offered to give a portion of land and this the Council appreciated. Aa the Council could not make better arrangements it was resolved that the Clerk should communicate with the Railway Department accordingly. A MANUREWA COMPLAINT Attention was drawn by Mr Mellors to the defective state of the culvert on Weymouth road, Manurewa, adjoining his property. He pointed out that the culvert had to carry all the water from Russell road, Railway street and Martin's bush and when there was a flood the water not only overflowed his land but went over the road. Cr Muir explained the position but no action was taken. A PAPATOETOE PATH In a letter to the Council Mr W. W. Pettit, Papatoetoe, complained of the state of the new footpath running along Station road, Papatoetoe, from the station to Bell's corner. He Baid that docks, thistles, etc., two feet high, covered the track and caused a great deal of inconvenience to ladies using the footpath. The foreman stated that the footpath would be repaired as soon as men were available. LOAN FOR BRIDGES The Clerk reported that on making application for a loan to the State Advances Office, Wellington, for the purpose of providing money to meet the cost of replacing three bridges in the Wairoa, Papakura and Turanga Ridings information was forwarded that special provision was made on the Local Bodies Loan Act, 1913, for the establishment of a Bridge Rate Fund. A County Council wishing to levy a bridge rate must submit its proposal to the ratepayers in the same manner as it would in the case of the raising of a loan by poll. If the proposal was carried at the poll the bridge rate would be levied by Special Order The Chairman mentioned that if a poll had to be taken it would necessitate a somewhat comprehensive scheme being placed before the ratepayers. Cr Brownhill thought that the Foreman should submit an estimate of the cost of the bridges in the various Ridings, that were considered dangerous. A resolution was adopted on the motion of Cr Biownhill that the consideration of the matter should be deferred until the next meeting, the for-man to be asked to sub nit an estimate of ?h« co-it <>f the work on the * arioun bridges. DOG REGISTRATION Some oiscus-ion took place on the question of g r*giMtrar> for dog licenses iu the different Road Board ilis ricts. On the motion of Cr Brownhill it was agreed that each Riding member shoul 1 be authorised to m ike arrangements for a registrar in the ie>pective ridings and it was agreed to allow such registrars a commission of Is fir each dog PAI'ATi'ETOE RAILWAY CROSSING Cr Muir drew the atteution of the Council to the inconvenience and loss of time frequently occasioned by the way in winch the traffic on tho Papatoetoe Mmgere road was he!d up owing to tiie trains being allowed 11 stand for a long time at the Papatoetoe crossing. U-< mentioned that it had been a grievance which had existed for the pa.-t two or three years.—On his m >ti >n it was resolved that Clerk sli< uld writo to the Traffic M»nager calling the attention of tin Deparum nt to the obstruction causod at the crossing referred to and asking that sumo improvement Ke effected. HAM E tons rORNE.iS Cr II -lite referred to tho dangerous (.orners at Robertson and Ma<sey roids and also at Buckland and Massey road", Mangere, whore the hedges had been allowed to grow and thereby obscured the view of traffic. jHe asked that atteution should fie given to these, and other

similar corners throughout the County. -On his motion it was resolved that the Foreman should report on such hedges and that unless the owners cut them down the Council would be compelled to have the work done and charge the owners with the cost. * NOXIOUS WEEDS Cr Luke referred to the growth of & large number of noxious weeds on the Ness Valley road and asked that some action should be taken as their existence adjoining the roadside affected the wear and of the metal. The Foreman was instructed to report as to the offenders so that action should be taken against them. WILDING PERMITS Arising out of a complaint made by a ratepayer of Papatoetoe that an owner had erected a convenience within 15ft of his (the complainant's) boundary the Foreman reported that the section had only 40ft frontage to Station road, Papatoetoe, in place of 66ft but the contractor had informed him that he held a permit. To rem ve the building 15ft. from the boundary would place it within 15ft. of the building on the other side of the property. After some discussion Cr Waters moved and it was resolved that the owner of the building in question should be requested to remove his convenience to the required distance from the building in accordance with the Council's by-laws. In connection with the issue of building permits Cr Waters expressed the opinion that more care should be exercised in future before permits were granted and it was ultimately agreed on the motion of Cr Brownhill that the Foreman should act as Building Inspector and that no permit should be granted until the Foreman's certificate as to the proposed building was supplied. ACCOUNTS Accounts amounting to £I4BO 16s sd, including a payment of £3OO the Council's contribution to the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, were passed for payment. foreman's report The Foreman (Mr C. Dixon) reported as follows: Mangere Biding: The cutting down of the hill on Massey road would be undertaken at once while the plant was in that riding. The removal of strainer post at angle near Favona Bridge would be done by the surfaceman at his first opportunity. Papatoetoe Riding: Yery little work had been done during the past month, only two surfacemen being: employed cleaning paths and doing a little surface work. Papakura Riding : A good deal of work had been carried on Spawling and carting maintenance metal and the crushing of the same would be undertaken at the end of the month The ploughing and rolling of the approach to to the overhead bridge at Manurewa had been delayed on account of so much dry weather. He had had the ec .ria purchased from the Railway Department ploughed up by the County engine and a start had been made with the metalling job at Weymouth, two and a half chains having been already laid. The scoria was qf good quality and satisfactory. With regard to complaints as to the bad smell in the storm water drain on Main Manurewa, he found the cumplaintsWell founded as some of the residents were using it as a sewer. Mr 'Goodwin, contractor for the No. 1 Creamery Bridge, Brookby, has the material on the ground and had commenced work. Waiioa Riding : Since last meeting three bridges at Kawakawa Bay had been erected. He had arranged with Marsh & Co. to till in the approaches and the work was put in hand. The County's No. 2 grader had completed the county road at Otau and had made a satisfactory job of it. It would be necessary ior the Council to notify Beckett and Bob Brothers to remove their fences off the surveyed road as the badges just completed were of littie use until this was done The Foreman submitted an estimate for ploughing, rolling and coatiug with blue metal Buckland road, Mangere, a distance of about 70 chains, at £420. He mentioned that it the work was carried out a coating of blue metal, about four inches deep and 16ft. wide, w«uld be provided and a good road would be formed. He estimated that no further expense would be incurred for about four or live years. The report wqs adopted subject to the waiter of 'repairing Buckland

road, Mangere, being deferred for consideration until the next meeting. FOOTPATH CONSTRICTION In accordance with instructions received the Foreman reported on the cost of repairing and constructing footpaths as follows: Permanent level footpaths graded kerbed in concrete or store, tarred and sanded at £6 lis per chain. Tarring and sanding old footpaths without interfering with grades or shape £l lis per chain. In his opinion the execution of the work would avoid cost of maintenance for three years. It was resolved that .10 chains of footpath should be tarred and sanded from Kolmar road to the Papatoetoe station. A 11RIDGE DAMAGED The Foreman reported that Mr Lecky SmitM, contractor for the rebuilding of the Papakura Hotel, had damaged the concrete bridge near Manurewa with his traction engine. On inspection he (the Foreman) found that two of the concrete wing Dosts were completely broken off and a portion of the kerb damaged. The iron railing was damaged and twisted. He estimated the damage done from £ls to £2O. The Foreman added that he was informed that whilst Mr Smith was travelling with his traction engine and four waggons and carrying an overhanging load he had stopped on the bridge to take m water, completely blocking the traffic for a considerable time. When he started off again the damage was * done. Some hours later an accident occurred to two ladies in a gig on account of the wreckage. He (the Foreman) had made temporary repairs to the hand-iailing to keep it in order but the work of rebuilding the posts and hand-railing required to be attended to at once. It was resolved that the clerk should notify Mr Smith that he would be held responsible for all the damage done. ADMINISTRATIVE METHODS Cr Waters commented on the practice adopted by Jhe Council hitherto with regard to the responsibility thrown on the Foreman in the checking of accounts relating to wages and material used. He thought that members should be better acquainted with the expenditure on the roads in the respective ridings and advocated that a Finance Committee should be appointed. Cr Waters accordingly gave notice that at the next meeting of the Council he would move that a Finance Committee should be ap* pointed to deal with such matters.