FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 455, 7 March 1919, Page 1

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Yesterday's Meeting

The ordinary monthly meetiug of the Franklin County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Hall street, Pukekohe yesterday, fiose present being Crs W. Claude Motion (chairman), K T. Reid, J A. Short, T W Woods, J S. Montgomerie, H. Wilcox, James Keith, W. H Thomas, and T. J Lookwood with the County Clerk (Mr Alan Day) and the County Engineer (Mr J. F McAnhur). GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES

With reference to wi >rk done on Amwsvdle toad the Cnder Secretary of the Public Works Department intimated that, paymeut of £290 19a 7d would be forthcoming if the Coun oil would suggest a temporary transfer of a similar amount from some items on the appropriation, there being so far no provision on the estimates for Arrowsville r.»ad —The Clerk repotted that he had written suggesting votes on the appropriations that could be temporarily transferred. In connection with Pratt's Hill deviation the Publio Works Department wrote advising that the certificate issued by the District Engineer for payment of £733 9s lOd (£ for£) I would be redeemed immediately. if the Council returned it to the Engineer.- The Clerk stated he had returned the certificate and Councillors thought that the position was highly satisfactory. In December 1916 the Minister of Public Works agreed to the Council proceeding with several small road work* to the extent of £1275 on the understanding that pa) merit would not be made until funds were available to the Government. In conuec tion therewith the Under Secretary of the Department advised that formal monetary authorities had since been issued for most of the items. He added that proposal* for an expenditure of £ll2 4s on Clarke's road, Waiau, aud an authority for £SO (£ for £} had been approved. He further stated that the Department was prepared to issu* authorities for Wairoa Falls road gratit of £IOO and for the Otatia swamp nad, to Port Waikato of £l5O.- The Clerk reported that he had replied pointing out that th* vote of £IOO for Clarke's road. Waiau, on the Estimates was a free oue and not £ f->r £ so he presumed an authority for £IOO free would ba issued instead of for £SO, £ for £ The nutter of -he Wairoa Falls road was left in the hands of the Engiw .-r and Clerk to have the plans and specificationaltered The Public W.tVs Department advised thit the Minister of Puh'ic W"?k>» was pre oared to is-ue authorities as under for road works in the Pounty directly plsus ami specifications and detailed estimate of C'p.st w n- submitted to and no proved v:z . fur Dmrv toWanku] Via Kmk.. £B.IO (£| for£l) ; 11, i j vetH St .tion K .h> £I00(£ ! f..» £| | ; Karaka to Waiau £4OO for t.'l | and Miin.Mit»»nyi ti Kai* \ ■< £loo' (free) Toi.il £1450 The H,. r . stitt-d 'hir 'his w.s'il hj» O ii i j would i' c iv mi' of hi- y ii '- • 'i ii. m -en The "ilMir W k- I) a' o v I i\V n ■ i n fu f VI 1.. i i i. \{ , ■. I £3somi -i £1 ho L'l In- i i x Kutt-I Giant ot £'2oo OUAHAM's URACn LANDINO In reply to the Council'.* application to have the landing reserve at

I Graham's Beach, Awhitu, placed under the control of the Council the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, stated tha' the landing reserve was not vested in the former Koad board arid in view of certain c Tcmiiotiuces within the knowledge of his Department he could not r'comm-nd the granting , of the Council's application,, • The Cbaiiinan- asked as to the " certain i irc'u'mstances " referred to and the Clerk pxplatued that a dispute occurred »*m« time ago between the late Awh'tu Road Board and the Cooiniissiouerof Crown Lands. -It was resolved to write to the Commissioner asking him to have the noxious weeds cut ou the property. ROAD CONSTRUCTION POLICY. Tne Waipa County Council for- ' warded a circular letter suggesting that the time had arrived when some system of building permanent roads had become necessary and that such roads should be constructed largely at the cost of the consolidated revenue, automa'ically given. The Council further considered that as motor traffic was assuming such proportions it could n« longer be permitted to escape taxation andt thought that a tax of at least 10 per cent should be levied on all tyres imported, the tax to be collected through the Customs and divided by some equitable system of distribution between the local bodies who had to construct and maintain the roads The Council also suggested that the Chairman of the Counties' Association should be asked to arrange for a Counties' Conference before Parliament sat so that arrangements might be made with individual members of tbe House to u sist upon immediate Government action. Cr Lockwood moved that the Council support the resolution. < r Montgomerie seconded al tbough he said he was not in favour of imposing the tax on tyres as it would increase the cost of cirrying The motion was earned unanimously. UIIAZINO RIGHT LEASES. A circular letter was received from the Eketahuna County Council ask iug support to represen'auons forwarded to the Government suggest iug an amendment to the Lands for Set lem«mt Act to mike the Crown liable for rates on lands leased on Grazing Right leases The Chairman said they had no graziug right leases in their district but he thought it was only a fair rtquest. The Clerk endorsed the Chairman's lemarks and said they never kuew when th« Government would pur eh.ise s >me land for soldiers' settlement Oil the m tiioi of the Chairman it *j.- lie. ided to support tho request. Sri'KKVISION OF MAORI PAS. Tit 1 KnHuital Hoar.! i«k' .1 ii, |i rr O) a 10-oluM .n h,.> h-i ('•■* ' / ' i' in/ propor in !>• c ■" ■ •• M ■ • s ,u\ ;tie ~,,... I ''' "-'' "' ,! "1 ' '■ s i '•• ■"' " ' !> ~.■".. . |- , , •' I ill ■ ,-• ',. • Iv ■ I • I .. .. , ~ h iii '• ■ • 'i l' i-.- i! m i. , i 1 ■ • i' '■ \ .ll\ :: \ II s" .• {:: I ~ • • ♦ liOhul'dlt MK I! IX <■■ Il'il'ls ii The Pukekohe Borough C'-inei! intimated that owing to tho pro-ert

state of the Borough's finances the Council did not feel justified in spending any money on the boundary road, known as Beaity's road, I'ukekohe West, as requested by the County Council.

The Chairman remarked that it was not very creditable for the Borough Council not to meet them half way. They (the County) had made a very reasonable request, and the Connty was willing to find the labour.

Cr Wilcox said the manner in which the Borough conducted its affairs was a shame. He instanced roads a few yards from the main roads, which, he claimed, were a disgrace Near the Showgrounds, he added, there was a road, the condition of which was such that if he had known he would have sent a man along at his own expense to fill in the holes The letter was " received." TECHNICAL HIGII SCnOOI. LOAN. The Pukekohe Borough Council forwarded the agreement between the Borough Council and County Council in connection with the Pukekohe Technical High School loan. The agreement provides that the County Council shall pay to the Borough Council yearly half of the annual charges for interest and sinking fund in respect of the said loan as long as any part of the loan shall remain owing and unpaid, and that the same shall extend to any future loaDa that ma y be raised for the repayment thereof at the lowest rate of interest current at the time of raising such loans, and that tho two local bodies agree to have equal representation on the Board of Governors. On the motion of the Chan man, it Wis decided to have the Council's seal attached to the agreement. OLD CLAIM RESURRECTED. An Auckland solicitjr, on behalf of Miss Pop.or, of Pukekohe, wrote stating that his client was having coui*ider«blo trouble' m uiikiug any negotiations ui connection wi;h hjr property, owing to the fact that the Council claimed a roadway through the property, which road, he sai">, was net showu up»u her tiihya thy Deeds Kegkration office. The clerk reported luat he had re t ied saying that the matter came behj.e the Council in 1915, shortly after the inclusion of Miss Pepler's laud within the County boundary. He ascertained then that the Pukekohe Borough Council had considered Miss Pepler's claim for some of the road in use, and had decided to take no action in the matter. Further, he had sated that the roai in question had been in use by the public for 40 years. L'r Woods remarked that there had bet-n peacn for some time with regard to the mater He pointed out that the roaii had boon for year*, and it was the old Diury road. Public money hid been spent on it for tho last 30 or 40 yean. The Clerk's action, in replying as above, was approved. MISCELLANEOUS. An application for a billimlsaloon license was made by Mr J Evans, of Bombay. The applicant also requested that the conditions of the closing time be extended to 11 p.m., instead of 10 p m. as at present. —The Clerk said tho closing time according to the by-laws was 10 pm. - Councillors thought they should adhere to the by-laws, and the license was granted on that condition.

A request, to have the road loading to her property at Ponga, repaired as it was dangerous in winter time was made by Mrs M. E. Cieadle of Ponga.--Left in the hands of the Engineer and the member for the ndiug to deal with.

Application was made by Messrs Thorne, I'horne and Hopkins, solicitor?, on behalf of Mr Robert Cossav, of Drury, for a certificate of a title to allotments 3, 9, 40, 42, and 55 of wction 8 of the village of Drury on the grounds of occupation for 44 years. The applicants pointed out as Mr Cossey was entitled to the lull Crown grants measurement the District Lauds Registrar required the consent of the Council to Mr Cossey's application.—The chairman advised that before any action was taken he thought, the Engineer should inspect the laud and submit a repoi t and such was decided on. The Fields Inspector wrote that complaiuia hid hoeu made to him as to the prevalence of rabbits and weeds on what was said to be a Ci unty reserve between Whitford and Howick, viz,, between the old i' ad and Frost's road, and he requ. s f ed the Council to attend to the oit'tor-The Chbirman stated that he i si-ivc was not in Franklin but in Manalviiu (J.-rur.y and the Clerk ivhh ni-niict-'ii to reply pointing out he some mistake had evidently een inn e as the reserye did not »ii{> to Franklin. The Standard Dairy Company i lore Bskintr if 'he Council would II r my • bjcuon to the company ■■ tin, ■ n am receiving de(.ot on '■ ■•• i Mr larvi-y'.s corner, : ' I" ma i- r Wis left in h- 1. -I. md ''r Short •* ', '" • i hair ■< in 'in mi nii * lli" ii.-ual custom to on s df ii it iiiml providing •!■ • ' 'in s wre Qiected at suit- ! I poo ts Mr Wilfred Johnstone, of Pana tootoe, requested the Council to

spend some of his rate money on the road fronting his property at Awhitu. —The chairman said he had been along the read and had found it in fair order. He thought however, that ratepayers should receive some consideration but they could not metal roads out of rates.—Cr Short moved and it was carried that a reply be sent to Mr Johnstone pointing out that as the Councillors would be in the vicinity very shortly the matter would receive attention.

Mrs J. E. Large, wrote asking if the ouncil would construct a road to her property section 228 a, block xiv, Maungatawhiri, as she intended building in the near future. She added that she did not expect the Couacil to construct a road for her special benefit, but pointed out that there were other sections around her without access. - The Clerk stated that the section comprised 85 acres, with a capital value of £l7O. It was situated on the bank of the Maungatawhhi stream. —Cr Keith said not much could be done out of rates from the property and, in fact, there was already a read leading to the property.—Left in the hands of Cr Keith to inspect and report upon at the next meeting. Mrs E. C. Ivey, of Ararimu, wrote stating that she thought there was a sum of money due to her for land taken for a road, and she asked for the road to be opened up.—The Clerk reportod that he had written Mrs Iyey, pointing out that no claim had beeu received from the previous owc.ers for land taken for road purposes, and he was not aware of any land having been taken recently. He had further explained tha?; some yeais ago there was a proposal made to take about lr. 24p. of land to make a road, but it was subsequently abandoned. With regard to the road Mrs Ivey asked to be opened up, he had asked what road was retried to. — Left in the hands of the member for the ri ling, Cr Thomas Mr T. It Uaslip, of Karaka, drew tho Council's attention to the bad statu of the approaches to GHasson's wooden bridge, and of the portion of road close to Air Fitch's tortier.— Ci Moi.tg<'iiierie moved that the engineer should be iustructed to place a couple of loads of gravel "at tho appioathes to the bridge; and that tho other matter be left in the hand*) of the engineer to deal with - Cr Woods seconded tho motion, which was carried.

The Cuairniaa reported that he had attended the conference at Hamilton convene! by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce wich reference to the acquisition of the Hora Hora Hydro eiectii.; power It was decided on the motion of Cr Beid, seconded by Cr Lock wood, to contribute £2 2s towards the expenses of tue conference, as asked for by the 'Jhamber of Commerce The luakuu Town Board requested an interview with Cr Wilcox and the County Engineer with a view of improvement being effected to Mill road leading to Mr Pi-Met's piO{eriy—lnterviuw to be arranged.

A recommendation of the Fiaance Committee for the Assistant County Cleik's salary to be increased from A' 3 lQs to £4 lCs per week was adopted.

Oa the motion of Cr Short it was agreed to lay shells on Creamery Hill, Waipipi, arid on Jones' R >*d, Wuipipi, Cr ■ hort statiug ilut with resp ct to the latter roi i the residenta wer9 prepared to give one load to the Council's two. Cr Loekwooci referred to tiie prevalence of blaekbenies throughout the Hunua riding and it was lesolvtd to servo notice s on all owner? at fault. TAKINOTOX UI/XSK UOADB. The Cleik reported that Mr J. <J Wymer, of Glenbrook, lfadiuforme-i him that he had arranged with the Public Works Department to do 24 chains of formation at a co.it of £'s2 10s on the Pakington block access road leading past Messrs McKinney's and Flanagan's properiies, and the Department was going to spend about another £l5O. Mr Wymer had further stated that he was approaching the Lands Office to get part of the £ IUO voted for Pakiugton block spent on tha formation of Tramway road from the Waiuku Dm; y road (Kayes' Cornor to Gilmore's Corner) and he askeci for the support of the Council thereto On the m.jtiou of Cr Reid, it was decided to endorse Mr Wymei's action.