PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 355, 22 February 1918, Page 4

PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Monthly Meeting

At the monthly meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council held on Wednesday last there were present the Mayor (Mr H. G. R. Mason), Crs A. B. Barter, G. H. Armstrong, A. P. Daysh, F. J. Morrow, J. T. Stembridge, D. R. Hamilton, J. Patterson and R. Bilkey with the Town Clerk (Mr J. F. Deane).

EDWARD STREET Complaint was made by Mrs Preston, Messrs John McShane and S. Palmer of the bad state of Edward street near McGuira's road and a request made that before the approach of winter the road should be formed from Mr McShane's house to the corner of Helvetia road or alternately that a footpath should be provided for that distance. It was pointed out that there was some unexpended money allocated for that road and as they had been paying rates for over 50 years they asked for some consideration to their request. The Town Clerk mentioned that there was approximately £7O available on the General Account.

The Mayor explained that the Council were morally bound to expend money on the road. Cr Hamilton, who was familiar with the road, mentioned there was a bad hole on the road which required filling and thought the road could be improved at a comparatively small cost.

After some consideration of the matter it was resolved on the motion of the Mayor that the letter should be referred to the Works Committee with power to expend an amount not exceeding £ls.

A LIGIIT WANTED The necessity for a light in the road beyond the Cape crossing was mentioned by Mr W. Adams in a letter to the Council. It was pointed out that the road was very narrow and steep with dangerous banks on either side ?nd was all the darker because of the electric lights which shone in the eyes of a driver. He offered if an oil lamp was placed on the road that he would undertake to have it lit at dusk every night and extinguished at ten o'clock. On the motion of the Mayor the matter was referred to the Lighting Committee with power to act.

KITCHENER STEEET WEST Cr Armstrong on perusing the report of the Engineer pointed out that no mention was made in such report the work on Kitchener Street West which had been authorised some time ago. The Mayor explained that the Engineer estimated that a certain section of the work could be carried out for £l5O and he would suggest that this work should be done. At the same time he pointed out that since an allocation out of a loan had been made in respect of the work the cost of both labour and material had much increased and the financial position of the Council must be seriously considered. Cr Armstrong said that the present was the most opportune time to do the work and on his motion it was resolved that the work to the extent of £l5O in Kitchener Street West should be referred to the Works Committee to be carried out by public or private tender.

morrow's road

With regard to the work authorised on this road for which tenders had been called but no tender had been received, on the motion of Cr Barter the matter was referred to the Works Committee with power to act.

RATING CHURCH PROPERTY Messrs J. O'Connor and J. Kennelly waited on the Council and pointed out that the Catholic Church Committee had been paying rates on the Church ever since it had been built whilst it should have been exempt and they asked that a rebate should be made in respect of the rates paid during the past three years.

The Town Clerk explained that the Valuation Department had treated the Church and Convent as one instead of two properties. Two acres of the Church property including the Church had been rated hut the Valuation Department had since amended the valuation and the Church was only now rated as one and a-half acres. After the explanation by the Town Clerk

Cr Bilkey moved that a rebate of £6 should be made. An amendment, however, proposed by the Mayor that the sum of £8 should be refunded and that the matter be referred to the Finance Committee was carried unanimously.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING LOAX The Mayor in drawing the Council's attention to the improvement of the power house plant mentioned that in view of necessity for this the Council would require to increase the electric lighting loan by 10 per cent and that probably an overdraft of £2OO would be wanted. Cr Barter explained that it was largely a question of finance and tho Council wanted some authority to raise the money. Cr Hamilton, who recognised the importance of dealing with the lighting question oU'ectivly, moved that the Chairmen ol the Finance and Lighting Committee should bo empowered to take such steps us they deemed necessary and this \v,is agreed to.

lIXAXI K In the consideration of improvement and repairs to certain roads the Mayor pointed out that as there was already a largo Bank overdraft the Council would have to he extremely cautious so as not to exceed the legal limit allowed l>y law and for that reason work would have to he curtailed. accounts Accounts amounting !o i' s ! I weio passed for payment,