MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 434, 13 December 1918, Page 4

MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL

The annual statutory meeting of the Manukau County Council, combined with the ordinary monthly meeting, was held on Tuesday last in the Council offices in Auckland. Present: OrsA. D.Bell, (chairman) P. H. Brownhill, D. A. Reid, F. M. Waters, A. Hattaway, J. Luke and 8. W. House, with the Clerk (Mr Alex. Bell). NEW MEMBER Before business commenced the Chairman briefly welcomed to their midst Cr D. A. Reid who, had been returned to represent the Papakura Biding, in place of the late Cr A. Muir. He congratulated Cr Reid on his election and said he had known him for a number of years and was sure he would honourably fill the position. Cr Reid thanked the Chairman for his kindly welcome. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN Cr A. Hattaway, the oldest member of the Council, in moving that Or A. D. Bell be re-elected to the position of chairman for the ensuing year, said that during the 1 2 months that Cr Bell had held office he had proved himseif to be a gentleman in every way and also one of the most agreeable members they could wish to sit under. On behalf of himself 'and bia fellow members Cr Hattaway said he wished to thank Or Bell for the able and efficient manner in which he had conducted their meetings and for the courtesy extended towards them. Cr F H. Brownhill, in seconding the motion, endorsed Cr Hattaway's remarks and said that Cr. Bell had proved himself worthy of the position. Cr F. M. Waters also endorsed the sentiments voiced by the previous speakers. As there were no other nominations the Clerk (Mr A. Bell), who temporarily occupied the chair, put the motion which was carried unanimously. Or Bell briefly returned thanks and in doing so said he had been a novice in a responsible position. There were many things in which he could have done better but he assured Councillors he had done his best and would always endeavour to do his utmost to further the interests of ratepayers of Manukau County. TIE YEAR'B WORK. The Chairman, in reviewing the year's work, claimed that considering that the war had been in progress the Council had succeeded in keeping matters in an efficient state. He contended that the Manukau County roads compared more than favourable with roads of Counties adjacent to it. During the epidemic, he added, they had unfortunately lost their Engineer (Mr C. Dixon) and Mr A. Muir, the representative of the Papakura Riding on the Council. The great European conflict, he went on to say, had been brought to a successful conclusion and during the coming year they would find the New Zealand soldiers back and when " the boys " were settled the Council could go in for a more progressive policy. lustancing the increased motor traffic, Cr Bell stated they would have to adopt more up to-date methods in road construction. Out of rates collected, he said, the Council could maintain roads but could not construct them. To meet the position the Council would have to consider the question of going in for a comprehensive loan. The printed balance-sheet for the year ending March 31st last was then presented. The Cnairman moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Cr Hattaway, in seconding, ?aid that the raising of a loan to construct roads was the only possible thing they could do. With the war over and with " our boys " returning labour would be more available and the time was coming when they would have to consider loan proposals for the outlying districts. Cr House took exception to the item on the balance sheet which showed that outstanding rates amounting in 1916 to £l2l 15s od and in 1917 to £l4l Ts 5d were still unpaid. In reply, the Clerk stated that a portion of the same was Native rates and other European. They had been placed in the hand of the solicitors for collection, some of which had been collected. Cr Waters protested against the balance sheet being compiled six months before it could be discussed. It did not, he said, reveal the true position of the Council at the annual meeting. He also took exception to the unbusinesslike method the Council adopted in the expenditure of its moneys. He instanced the matter of moneys expended in the various ridings, and defied any Councillor to tell him how much had been spent in his riding. They had no opportu nity, he claimed, of gaining knowledge in that way, because details were not supplied. He trusted that in the coming year more drastic methods of administration would be introduced.

Cr House agreed with Cr Waters, and remarked that they were absolutely in the dark as to what was being expended in the various ridings. The report and balance sheet were then adopted, and the Clerk and s'aff were accorded a hearty vote of thanks for the manner in which they had carried out the work for the welfare of the Council MISCELLANEOUS.

An application from Mr J. G. Paterson, of Otahuhu, to hire the Council's motor-lorry during the Christmas and New Year holidays, at £3 per day, was declined, the Councillors being of opinion it would create an unwise precedent to commence hiring out the County plant On Cr Hattaway's suggestion, it 1 was decided to inspect the whole of [ the County roads early in the New Year, C3uncillors being of opinion that all should be made conversant

with one another's requirement! and surroundings. j Attention was drawn by the Papa- j toetoe Eoad Board to the state of j Station road for about five chains from the junction of Carruth road, and it was asked that the Council should take steps to have the footpath attended to from Moyle's store. —The letter was merely "wceived." The dog tax for the ensuing year was fixed at—Cattle and sheep dogs, 2/6; greyhounds, 10/-; all other dogs, 5/-. It was decided that the Council meetings should in future commence at 10 a.m., instead of 10.30 a.m. as previously. It was resolved to close the County office from December 21st until January 6th for the Christmas holidays. It was arranged that a special meeting of the Couucil should be held on Friday, the 20th inst., to dal with applications for the position of County Engineer, and the next ordinary meeting being fixed for Tuesday, January Hth, RANIURLT ROAD, PAFAKCRA Mr Enos S. Pegler, of Manurewa, wrote reminding the Council that three or four years ago he was responsible for initiating a scheme to raise a loan for improving Ranfurlj road, Manurewa, and the Government placed £2OO on the Estimates for the road, the Papakura Road Board agreeing to subsidise the loan to the extent of £IOO, and the Totara Estate Syndicate to £IOO, making £4OO, in addition to the loan of £SOO. He added that the road was probably the oldest in the district and had the least spent on it. It was a typical backblocks road used by about 10 families. He contended that any moneys handed over from the Papakura Road Board to the Council rightly belonged to the road and he trusted the Council would give the ratepayers long delayed justice. In reference to the same road Mr G. B. Davies wrote drawing the Council's attention to the urgent necessity of an entrance being made to his property. The clerk stated that when the Papakura Road Board was merged into the County the sum of £490 was transferred to the Council's credit.

Cr Reid questioned whether £9OO would cover the cost of the work. The matter was left in Cr Reid's hands to inspect and report on at the next meeting of the Council.