TUAKAU TOWN BOARD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 479, 7 November 1919, Page 4

TUAKAU TOWN BOARD.

Monthly Meeting, The ordinary monthly meeting of the Tuakau Town Board was held on Tuesday. Present. Messrs Dynes Fulton (chairman), Jas. Pirret, B. G. Geraghty, YV. Barnaby, Chas. Finch, Geo. S. Lapwood, J. M. Mungall and the Clerk (Mr A. H. Tapper). PUBLIC WEIGHBRIDGE. The Manager of Farmers' Union Trading Company offered to take charge of the public weighbridge on condition that they received 2-5 per cent of the takings.—The offer was accepted on the motion of Messrs Barnaby and Geraghty SMEEI/s < OXTUACT.—ALLEGATION'S DENIED. Mr W. A. Smeed requested settlement of account, incurred in connection with his late contract. He pointed out that unless the matter was settled that night he would place the matter in the hands of his solicitor. The prolongation of the settlement of the account was, in his opinion, due to misrepresentations of Mr J. Mungall, and this prompted entirely by personal spite He explained that some two years ago he received a communication from Mr Mungall demanding an apology within 1 i days or proceedings would be taken. The demand was not granted, hence all this trouble to the Board members and inconvenience to himaelf. Mr Smeed pointed out that Mr Lapwood suggested that there had been some " backscratching " in connection with his contract. This he emphatically denied, and stated that his tender was for crushing and carting only, and it was only through after representations of the Chairman and Engineer that he agreed to do a portion of the spreading on Mr J. Madill's contract alone. Mr Pirret said the matter had been hanging fire for a long time and he considered the time had arrived when the account should be settled. The whole matter had been hung up through one member, Mr Mungall, and it was no good allowing the Board's business to be hung up in such a manner. Ho had as much right to write to the Valuation Department and demand that payment to Mr Mungall for selling his property, be hung up, as Mr Mungall had of writing to the AuditorGeneral demanding that payment to Mr Smeed for his contract be hung up. Mr Mungall rose to a point of order, when the Chairman reminded Mr Pirret that no one knew who had written to the Auditor-General on the subject. Mr Pirret said he did not suggest that Mr Mungall had written to the Auditor-General. Mr Mungall appealed to the Chairman, as a gentleman to ask Mr Pirret to withdraw offensive words. The Chairmin stated that no offensive worde were used. The Chairman explained that a report nad been forwarded to the Auditor-General and so far a reply had not been received. In view of this fact he moved that the account be passed for payment on condition that the final certificate of the Engineer was forthcoming. Mr Pirret seconded the motion, which was carried, Messrs Mungall and Lapwood voting in the negative. TRAIN SERVICE. With reference to the Board's application to tho Railway Depart-

ment urgine; the reinstatement of the 5.45 p.m, train from Auckland to Mercer, the General Manager of Railways advised that the Department was at present reviewing the train services and anticipated at an early date to announce that the train would be reinstated as near to its former time as possible. —Received* GEORGE STREET COMPLETION. The Board's Engineer, Mr John Routley, forwarded plans and specifications for the completion of George Street He estimate 1 the work would cost £2137 10s as follows : Metal, £1397 10s ; earthwork, £6OO ; culverts, £7O; dry wall, £2O ; footpath dressing, £',<).—Deferred. To be considered on Saturday. CROSSINGS WANTED. Mr L. W. Keals made application for a culvert crossing into his section at Pirret subdivision, also a crossing in Gibscn road and one from Henderson's Avenue, a five pipe culvert in each case. He agreed to defray cost incu<red.—The Clerk was instructed to reply that the matter would be attended to when the new works on the roads were in progress. Gl'BU's irontaoe. In reply to the Board's request as to their legal position with regard to the frontages in George Btreet, .where the now cutting and filling work was done (between the English and Catholic Churches), the Board's solicitors stated that Section 111 of the Public Works Act gave the Board power to alter the level of the road, subject to its liability to pay reasonable compemation for any injury done and material taken. The letter added it was clear that the Board was liable to pay compensation for any injury done and the whole question was what injury had been done to any particular ratepayer as against the injury the Board was entitled to set off t.ny appreciation in value caused by its works. Their opinion was that with regard to Mr Gubb's position, if the Board provided this latepayer with reasonable access and the remainder of his boundary was not in such a position as to be liable to fall away, the Board was not liable further. With regard to the latter event they contended that something in the shape of a retaining wall may be necessary.

The Chairman said that the letter was the outcome of an application from Mr W. Gubb for the Board to regrade the whole of the frontage of his property to give him a reasonable access. He pointed out that the Board was always willing to give reasonable access, but what Mr Gubb had requested was an impossibility. No one could say that the regradating of the road had not improved the property. If Mr Gubb would not accept the Board's offer then the Board could do nothing further. He thought the better way would be for to ask the Engineer to inspect the property and report on the cost of making an entrance. Mr Lapwood moved that the Engineer be instructed to see Mr Gubb and to try and arrange for a reasonable entrance, and to report to the Board as to the estimated cost. Mr Geraghty seconded, and the motion was carried. ELECTRIC LIGHTING SCHEME. The Chairman reported having attended a meeting of delegates at Pukekohe with regard to the proposed electric lighting scheme and gave a brief resume of the transactions Personally, he was under the impression that nothing would lesult from the proposal.

MILL ROAD. j The chairman explained with reference to Mill road, that the County engineer had inspected the place, and estimated the cost, to do the work, would be about £75. Ihe Council offered to subsidise the amount, £ for t. It was explained that the ratepayers along the road, had agreed to pay £ls, leaving £3O for each local body. On the motion of Messrs Barnaby and Qer&ghty, it was decided to accept the Council's offer. PEACE CELEBRATIONS. The chairman mentioned that the cost of the Peace Celebrations amounted to £146 4s fid. Pukekawa, Onewhero, and Port Waikato, ridings, of the Raglan County Council, were prepared to pay their share. After the Government subsidy had been paid, and the amount of £7 from the Tuakau riding of Franklin County Council, about £66 was left to be divided up between Tuakau Town Board, and the Pukekawa, One-vhero, and Port Waikato, ridings. This amounted to £l6 each. Members considered this very satisfactory indeed. WEIGHBRIDGE. In answer to a question by a member, the chairman said the weighbridge was ready to be erected, and the work would be put in hand, ai soon as a carpenter was available. STRAYING CATTLE. The chairman reported, that there had been a decided improvement by several people, to keep cattle from straying on the roads. The ranger had made four trips to Pukekohe pound, but " the worst offender, a lady, was as bad as ever, she deserved a leather medal," said Mr Fulton. Action was deferred, pending the gazetting of the new by-laws. When such come into force, they are t) be strictly enforced. CLERK RESIGNING The clerk, Mr A. H. Tapper, said that owing to pressure of private business, he would at next meeting, tender his resignation as clerk, the resignation to take effect on December 31st. He also asked the Board to vacate the Board room from December 31st next. He would tender his resignation at next meeting, and the extra notice would give the Board time to find another meeting room. The chairman said the intimation did not surprise him, as Mr Tapper had previously imformed him of his intentions. He very much regretted Mr Tapper's action. The latter had been clerk since the inception of the Board, and fulfilled the duties of clerk up to all expectations, and his work was not only a credit to the Board, but to the district. Mr Tapper's work had never been challenged by an auditor. He hoped to say something further at a later date FINANCIAL Accounts amounting to £465 3s sd, were approved, and passed for payment. The principal amounts were £lO2 17s final payment for Mr W. Smeed's contract, and £l4l 4s for interest on Loans. Mr Mungall moved, that £24 7s appearing on the pay sheet, to Mr Smeed, be deferred, pending a reply from the auditor general. This lapsed for want of a seconder. The debit balance of the geuera' account was shown as £776 5s 2d, while the credit balance of Loan account was £1762 12s Id.