AUCKLAND HOSAITAL EXTENSION.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 485, 27 June 1919, Page 2

AUCKLAND HOSAITAL EXTENSION.

AT MANUREWA. The pasi week bus been an eventful period for this district. The Auckland Hospital Board have purchased about 125 acres part of Pnriri Park, where it adjoins Mr D. Nathan's property. The property acquired was formerly known as Colbeck's, and extends from Oram's road to an extension of Hill road. This new road was constructed about twelve months ago, by the Puriri Park Syndicate, to a point where it links up with Totara Park property and road.

The Hospital Board, finding the Auckland buildings all too small, or with the prospect of being crowded out, have purchased this property, intending later to erect an auxiliary hospital, meanwhile the lands will be put in order as a hospital farm and gardens. The property is particularly well sheltered from the south-west and has long extended slopes from Hill road to a very fine creek running parallel with Orams road. This creek is bounded by several acres of beautiful native bush.

The new road to these grounds at Manurewa turns off at right angles from the Public School and Great South Road, and the grounds are distant therefrom about sixty chains. This district is a particularly healthy locality, and the Board are fortunate in securing such a fine site. The price paid was £75 per acre. Adjoining is the Totara Park Syndicate's property. Here close on a thousand acres of good, well-sheltered country is available for close settlement.

DUAL CONTROL. With characteristic zeal the Chairman of the Manurewa Town Board, Mr. C. H. Lupton, arranged with the Manukau County Council to receive a deputation of the Board last Friday at their special meeting when the council had under consideration the formal severance of the Papatoetoe Town District.

After this business had been dealt with, the council chairman, Mr. Bell, invited the Manurewa Town Board to state their case. The chairman briefly stated the following facts—that the Manurewa Town Board had now a population of 530 (an excess of 30 really) to enable the board to control all roads in the Town District. The census was taken in April, but it was then too late to petition the council for separation this year. Seeing therefore, that the council had been asked by the Papatoetoe Town Board to secure separation by special resolution, the Manurewa Town Board had availed themselves of this opportunity to petition the council on the same lines.

Mr. Lupton said there were several important works required in the district, the most urgent being what is known as the School Hills, a vey bad piece of the Great South Road and the approach to Manurewa. For this important work the council had secured a subsidy of £4OO from the Government, £ for £. He understood the council were not prepared to go on with this necessary work, and if the council handed over the control to the board they would incorporate this amount in a loan and have the work done. There was another important road work, the connection of Weymoutn Road with the Great South Road, a piece of road through what was known as the Railway Reserve. The council had made a definite promise in 1917 to pay half the cost of forming this road the full chain width. The early completion of these works were of vital interest to the district, and the chairman urged the council to give the board the opportunity to thus relieve the council of these responsibilities. Mr. E. S. Pcgler followed the chairman by stating that he had always been a strong advocate of amalgamation, so that when Manurewa and the Papakura Valley Boards merged into the County he was pleased to see the change.

For widely scattered districts such municipal control as the Manukau County Council may he an advantage, but to progressive small centres such as arc springing up around suburban stations, considering their diverse interests he had come to the conclusion there is only one method to adopt and that is to allow these centres to work out their own destiny.

llc. the speaker, was not there to criticise council system or methods, but lie did think that the merging of the two hoards mentioned and the elimination iif ton or more members and thus casting the responsibility on the one member was too drastic a change and not in the best interests of the districts concerned With the natural progress of these districts it will be impossible for one member (be he ever so able) to give satisfaction. In backing up the chairman's request he could with confidence say that the big majorrtv of Town Board ratepayers now desire to control their own affairs. For the County Council to continue to divide'the local government he

honestly believed would not be in the best interests of either party. Mr. T. •). Corin urged the council to allow the Town Board to carry out these necessary works; he considered it would be an advantage to both parties.

Mr Geo. Smith and Mr Fg Woods endorsed the remarks or the previous speakers. Mr Bell, the Chairman of the Manukau County Council, replying to the deputation, was sympathetic. He admitted that in many ways the interests of these rising townships were somewhat diverse to that of the Council. With the merging of these widelv-scattered districts, I'apakura Valley, Manurewa and Papatoetoe Road Boards, it left the Council with a big field of operation.

Cr Waters also replied and after some conversation re adjustment of accounts, Cr Reid moved that the petitioners' request be granted. This was seconded by Cr Waters and agreed to unanimously.

THE NEW G.P.O. On Saturday last, Mr E. S. Pegler, on behalf of the Manurewa Town Board, interviewed Sir Frederick Lang re the erection of the new G.P.O. Mr Pegler pointed out the fact that the purchase by the Auckland Hospital Board of a large block of land for the purpose of an auxiliary hospital would make for considerable increased postal work for this district. Whilst the Public Works Department had authorised the erection of the Post Office in brick, the Town Board were not satisfied with the design of the building. Sir Frederick said he had interviewed the Department when in Wellington last week, and he thought they were prepared to make the necessary alterations that the Town Board required. He would at once pass on to the Department the information he had now received and would urge upon the Department the desirability of having the building erected as early as possible. farmers Meeting.

On Monday, June 19th, some twenty farmers from Weymouth, Manurewa, Takanini, Alfriston and Brookby, met at Mr Pegler's office to discuss with Mr Harvie, of the New Zealand Dairy Association, the question of the output of their milk for next season.

| Mr H. Moody of Alfriston occupied the chair, and after some considerable discussion the meeting adjourned about 11 p.m. With the aid of a blackboa rd Mr Harvey outlined the proposal for a town supply *and casein factory on an approved site at Manurewa, the cost, he considered, would be close on £3,so<>. A general discussion followed, the general opinion being that with the prospects of close settlement around Manurewa, there would be the possibility of the factory being scrapped before the termination of the four years. It was decided however, to adjourn the meeting to Friday 20th. Here, on that date, some 40 persons representative of the districts mentioned met Messrs Kirkman, Shaw and Harvie, representatives of the N.Z.D.A., Mr H. Moody in the chair. Mr Kirkman outlined a scheme for a town supply, separation and casein factory. He said that suppliers receiving Is 3d per gallon for a town supply with a four per cent test would receive on a rough ca'culation close on 3s per pound for butterfat. The company did not propose to retail the town supply, but from Auckland retailers they would probably receive Is per gallon for six months and Is 3d per gallon for the winter months.

The proposition was to cater for Auckland milk supply, separate any surplus and obtain casein from the skim milk. To cover the cost mentioned, the suppliers would take on a guarantee for four years on a basis of 200 pounds of butter fat per cow. Suppliers would he required to guarantee 500 cows. More cows would mean less cost to the suppliers interested. From a general discussion that followed, in which Messrs Allen (Brookby), Moody and Davis (Alfriston), P. Roy and Alexander (Weymouth). C. H. Lupton (Takanini), K.S. Pcgler, S. Fergusson and G. Smith (Manurewa), took part, the following fads were elicited :

That it would he necessary to take milk to the factory once a day only. That where suppliers' milk had a high and low lest, experience had proved that the casein product was in high proportion as in the lo*t for fat, so that to all intents and purposes when there w,i> a high t..\st for butter fat there \va< also a cor-

respondingly high percentage of Casein, so that the Jersey did not suffer in comparison with the fiolstein.

Apart altogether from the increased demand for milk in the City, there was a big demand for Cream. This the Association would be in a position to supply.

In case there was not sufficient cows offering for Town Supply, Casein and Separation, would the Company re-open the Factory at Manurewa for Separation and Town Supply also accepting home separated cream ? Mr.

Kirkman said they would re-fit the Factory at the Company's expense on a guarantee of 350 cows for 2 years. Suppliers who desired to supply milk for Town Supply, would require to have their Dairies registered. This latter proposal as against a large outlay on ■ Factory seemed more acceptable to the Manurewa suppliers and several are endeavouring to obtain the necessary number of cows i.e, 350. The meeting was a lengthy one and many motions and amendments were made, the Chairman declaring nothing carried. From the general discussion, it was quite evident that the Suppliers in and around Manurewa were not willing to go to the expese of a casein factory. But the suppliers in Alfriston and Brookby stood by the transport of their milk and the Casein proposal or nothing. Thus these suppliers will doubtless arrange for motor transport for the coming season to the Casein Factory at Papatoetoe or Papakura.