FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 358, 8 March 1918, Page 2

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monthly Meeting At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Franklin County Council held at Pukekohe this day (Friday) there were present: Councillors W. C. Motion (Chairman), W. H. Thomas, T. J. Lockwood, C. A. Hille, H. Wilcox, R. T. Reid, T. W. Woods, J. 8. Montgomerie and J. A. Short together with the Clerk (Mr Alan P. Day) and the Engineer (Mr J. F. McArthur). KAEAKA MERGING Notification was given by the Department of Internal Affairs (.Wellington) that the Special Order merging the Earaka Road District in the County was published in the Gazette of the 21st February last.

MOTOR REGULATIONS An amendment of the General Regulations under the Motor Regulation Act, 1908, as published in the N.Z Gazette of the 21st February last was referred to in a letter to the Council from the Department of Internal Affairs. A copy of such regulations was forwarded in which it was provided (1) a separate number shall be assigned by each registering authority to have effect throughout the whole of New Zealand; (2) Such number shall be fixed upon a motor parallel with the axles, to be illuminated at night by the rear light; (3) The registered number of any motor cycle shall also be fixed in an upright position both at the front and at the back of the motor cycle.

WAR FUND COLLECTIONS la a circular letter from the Department of Internal Affairs advice was given that the issue of permits for collecting moneys for war funds would only be issued to persons whose bmia fides were unquestioned and particulars of the persons to whom such permits were granted would have to be forwarded to the Department on the prescribed forms each month in accordance wirh the regulations. dominion-razorback-tuakat; road Replying to the representations made by the deputation from the council regarding the formation of a road to connect Dominion and Razorback roads to Tuakau, the Minister of Public Works (Sir W. Fraser) wrote that as there was no item on the appropriations for such work he was unable to authorise its expenditure but he would make provision to the extent of £250 (£1 for£l) when compiling the Public Works Estimates for the next financial year. The Chairman suggested that a meeting should be arranged by Or Wilcox with the settlers interested in the development of this road to ascertain if they were prepared to take up a loan on a £ for £ basis. Or Wilcox thought there would be no difficulty in the settlers raising a special loan as mentioned. The Chairman added that when the meeting was held he hoped the settlers would arrange all the necessary particulars so that everything should bo in order when application was made for a loan.

Or Wilcox agreed to consult the settlers on the subject at an early date.

rUKEKOHE-PAERATA ROAD The District Engineer (Mr D. T. Mcintosh) of the Railway Department, replying to the Council's application for the Department to maintain a portion of the road near the railway crossing on the Puke-kohe-Paerata road, stated that he presumed the deviation of the road was done in accordance with the wishes of the local body and if not he suggested that the Council should commun*'cate with the Public Works Department. At the suggestion of the Chairman the Clerk and Engineer were empowered to consult with the Public Works District Engineer (Mr Murray) on the matter.

TIT 9 BAMOAN ISLANDS Support by the Council to the following resolution, passed by the Auckland City Council, was sought by that Council: "In view of the great public interest being shown regarding the question of the disposal of Samoa at the conclusion of the war that this Council urge upon ;he Now Zealand representatives at die forthcoming Imperial Conference the necessity of strenuously advocating the retention of that portion'of the Samoan group taken from Germany in British hands and that Public Bodies be requested to cooperate in this direction." The Council unanimously agreed to endorse the resolution. GRAZING FEES

A suggestion was made by the Aka Aka Drainage Board, in a letter to the Council, that an allowance should be made to the Board of fifty per cent of the fees collected hy the Council for road grazing fees to recoup damage done to public drains caused by licensed cattle drinking therefrom. It was pointed out that as stock grazing on the roads was protected by liceuse from being impounded the Board had no redress and they were of opinion that the request for a proportion of the revenue of the gnzing fees was only a reasonable one.

On the motion of the Chairman the Cleik was directed to reply that the Council could not accede to the request. ROAII REDUCTION On behalf of Messrs Workman Bros, the owners of the Waikato block, who have arranged to purchase the Peters' estate portion of the Maungatangi block for the purpose of (iodicitiou as a road giving access from tho road lately gazetted to their block, Mr J. Stanton, solicitor, Auckland, wrote ecquirying what formation work was required by the Council before the acceptance of such dedication. The matter was referred to Or tiille and the Eugiueer to deal with. I'OLLOK TELEPHONE OKI-ICE Mr Jas N. Drummond wrote that as the official in charge of the Pollok

Telephone office, which was being closed as a public telephone office he forwarded the sum of the refund of a sum m cordance with an the late Pollok Settlement Boad Bo^Ji COMPAINTS AND REQUESTS Comnlaint was made by Mr E. C. Cuff (Patumahoe) of the bad state of the road from the end of the metal at Woodhouse Hill to where the road joins the Drury-Waiuku road. He mentioned that nothing had been done to it since it was formed five years ago and asked that it should be repaired where necessary.—On the motion of the Chairman, Or Montgomerie and the Engineer were empowered to act as they though* best. For the purpose of providing ajfc track to his house Mr M. Tobin, ofl Paparata, asked for permission to% take a few loads of earth from the m north side of the Paparata road near Mr Holmes' gate.—Referred to Cr Lockwood and the Engineer to deal with.

Mr K. 0. Arvidson (Kohe Kohe) who had recently acquired sections at Kohe Kohe formerly held by Mr W. Ewan, asked that the Council would assist by providing a better track to his property and also repair the deviation given by Mr Renall, senr., as a good deal of carting would be done in connection with ', settlement in the district and some j assistance by the Council in the direc- £j tion indicated would be necessary.— Cr Short explained that there was a deviation of the road but he was doubtful if it had been legalised.— The matter was left to Or Short and the Engineer to inspect and report. Permission was asked by Mr W. Ward, greengrocer, Papakura, to erect a small lock-up shop on the roadside at Drury for the purpose carrying on a fruiterer's and greenii grocer's business. His reason asking this, he stated, was owing to his inability to obtain a suitable site elsewhere—On the motion of the Chairman the Clerk was authorised to reply that the Council could not accede to the request. Mr L A. Hay ward (Pokeno Valley) asked that the blackberries growing near the boundary fence between the Quarry Reserve and Mrs Hayward's property should be cleared as they caused a lot of labour by spreading over his grass. He added that he { could get the work done at the usual rate of wages for such work.—Or Hille having explained the position with regard to the leasing of the Quarry Reserve and the offer made for the hire of the sam 9, the matter was referred to the Chairman and % Or Hille with power to act.

clearing of creeks Mr S. Ballard (Runciman) again wrote asking that the willows in the Drury creek should be cut as they were blocking the creek. He asked that the Council would do the work as the existence of the willows seel- - ously affected his land. Arising out of this request the cleaning of creeks throughout the various districts formed the subject of discussion, several members referring to creeks which required clearing in their respective Ridings. As a result a Committee consisting of the Chairman, Crs Thomas, Wood and Montgomerie was appointed to inspect different localities where creeks required cleining and to report. Cr Hille mentioned that a member of the Waikato River Board had enquired of him whether the County Council could assist the Board to enable the creeks to be cleared. The Chairman said that incases of undue hardship some assistance might be given but such a case would have to be decided on its i merits. He added that the striking of the rates would be shortly considered and he suggested that it might be advisable to have an extra rate made to meet the expenses in connection with the clearing of suoh creeks. Cr Lock wood reported that a creek running under a bridge on the Papa-rimu-Ararimu road was blocked and it seriously affected the adjoining property.—The Engineer was instructed to give notice to the owner to have the creek cleaned.

WAIAU ROADS A deputation consisting of Messrs J. W. McLaren, G. H. Learning and A. E. Grinter waited on the Council and drew attention to the bad state of the road from Patumahoe to Waiau Pa for a distance of about five miles and asked that the road should be repaired at once as it was in a deplorable state in winter. The Chairman, in reply, promised , that the work required would be carried out and the Engineer was instructed to proceed with it at an early date.

OTHER BUSINESS The Council was still sitting when we went to press. A report of the later proceedings will appear in our next issue.