FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 537, 4 June 1920, Page 3

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

■ WEDNESDAY'S MEETING The monthly meeting of the Franklin County Council yas held on Wednesday, when there were present:— Crs. W. Claud Motion (chairman), R. H T. Keiil, J. T. W. Woods, J- S. H. Wilcox, Jas H and the clerk UIK ' engineer (Mr ■ An apology for absence was receivH ed from Cr. W. H. Thomas, who is indisposed. I Hospital Board Levy. With regard to the resolution passed at last meeting urging the Government to amend the law in the direction of making the cost of the maintenance of Hospital and Charitable Aid institutions a charge on the ■ Consolidated Fund of the Dominion, the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. Massey) replied stating he would be glad to give the matter careful der at ion. H/ The chairman stated the matter ■ was one which should be kept fresh in the minds of the councillors as they should continually urge the reH quest be giveto effect to.— Received. I Rabbit and Noxious Weeds' Inspector In reply to the council's letter urgthe appointment of another rab- ■ tit and noxious weeds' inspector for ■ Frankin, the Prime Minister stated H he was personally conferring with H the Minister of Agriculture with a H view to ascertaining whether it was ■ possible for anything to be done in ■ the direction suggested. He added ■ that he would reply again when.Jie ■ had further information.—Received. ■ Cr. Montgomerie said he thought ■ an assistant had been appointed, as ■ one was with the inspector on a re- ■ cent inspection. I Native Rates. Action to be Thken. ■ The Bay of Islands County Council ■ forwarded a circular letter asking ■ the council to appoint delegates to ■ attend a conference to be held shori- ■ ly regarding the non-payment of na- ■ tive rates. The letter pointed out I that the matter was becoming a very I serious one, and the council considered the time had arrived when some alteration in the law was absolutely necessary. It asked the council to support the following resolutions:— "That the Prime Minister be urged to have introduced the coming session legislation either: (1) Giving - local bodies full pqwer to enforce the payment of rates by Maoris, or (2) providing for payment , of native rates by general government." On the motion of Cr. Montgomerie the chairman was appointed to attend the conference. It was pointed out that there were several thousand acres of native land in Franklin affected. It w/ts also decided to support the resolutions. Universal Half-Holiday. The Stratford Boi'ough Council forwarded the following resolution, asking tht council's support: "That the Government be asked to take the necessary steps to make Saturday afhternoon a ' universal half-holiday throughout the Dominion." 4 The chairman stated that in some parts of the county Saturday was the half day, and in others Thursday was the day off. It was fixed foi the convenience of the public. The letter was merely received. R.'mission of Duty oil Children's Footwear. ,<. Advocacy of the remission of duty on children's footwear was contained in a resolution from the Hawera Borough Council as follows: "That withta view to -affording: .some measure of relief to the parents of families during the present abnormal times, and taking into consideration - the fact that the New Zealand manufacturers are' -unable to cope with demands fpr adult footwear, the Government be requested to immediately take the? necessary steps foi the removat-of the duty on childien's footwear," - The writers, pointed out that if this duty of sixpence per pair and 15 per cent, additional were removed, the comparative cost of footwear for a child up to 12 years of age "would be equal t6 infant foot wear which is admitted into the country duty free.--Received. Outside the sphere council's ac ■C" The'. chait;niaj^,, s remarked the only thing t6 v r"educe the price was competition! but they did' not wish to Introduce Asiatic labour. The council was there tor, attend to road work, and not political matters. Hospital Board Contribution. The Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board advised that the council's contribution to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board would be £4,477 15s Bd. The attached schedule I evealed that the rateable va ', luc of the county was £3,838,100, the \Pukekohe Borough £373,619, Tuakau "Orown Board £103,080, Waiuku Towr Board £131,843, Papatoetoe Town Board £230,130, Papakura Town Board £209,360, Manurewa Town Board £124,275. The chairman said the fact or tin matter was that the farming com munity was paying too much. There were not three per cent, of the people in Franklin who entered the hospital. Those who did enter the hospital were able to pay for theii treatment. , Cr. Lockwood said during the yeai only about £2O had been written ofl the books of the board of money due by people of Franklin who could not Wilcox suggested taking steps I to form a separate hospital district. The clerk said since 1914 the coun cil's contribution had gone up about four times as much as the Aucklam City Council had. During the last si> years the City Council's contribute had only doubled, his reason for tlm being that the city valuation had not been revised, while during that period the council's valuation had in creased considerably from time t. time He pointed out that in IJ-< the Auckland City Council was pay | inn- about £25,000 out of a total o' £54 000, while in 1914 it paid £12,00* out of £21,000, the Franklin County.' contribution then being abo.it U2im' Cr, Montgomerie said the couiki was paying about a-fifth as much a? Auckland, yet Auckland leteivoi practically the whole of the benefit. The chairman said the ievy shouh be met by the Consolidated Fund, s. everyone would have a chance of co:i tributing. A .nan who was uoili £IOO 000 boarding, with no oroperty was'allowed to go scot free, wheien: n man .vho had a farm worth - the equity of which was £3OO the farmer had to pa.\ a rat" on th. capital value of the prope.ty. It was finally decided that Jit chairman and clerk draw up a peti tion, to be app: ••■'d »»y the -oincil ' in d circulated to other counties, and on to the Government. Revised Valuations. Ivaluation Depart lient request (1( i tin" council to no.ninatc an assessor to act on behalf of the council at jqTi't i , oiumg Assessment. Court, Awliitu V ipipi- Mercer and H» Killings. clerk i lported th:it he had refilled that Mr. Henry hw"i Robert 1,11X1110) e Wily, of Mauku, fanner, has be e„ appointed to act as '.he council's assessor.—Received. Awhitu and Kolte Kolie Reqnests. Mr J. D. Kemp, Awliitu Central, drew the council's attention to the state of disrepair leading to his property, and requested it be attended to —Received. , , , The Kobe Kohe branch of the Farmers' Union urged upon the coun

cil the advisability of expediting the work on Cooper's deviation. It was pointed out that in the opinion of the meeting the work could be done fa? cheaper if it was pat in. hand during the winter. $ v Cr. Short said a "working bee" was supposed to have done the work, but the "bee" had proved a drone. —Matter receiving attention, delay being caused by the legislation procedure. Manning's Road. Mr A. E. Manning, Pollok, requested the council to attend to the road leading to his property. The engineer and Cr. Short were authorised to have the work attended to. Maketu Creek Bridge. Mr. Chas. A. Pollett, Ramarama. drew the council's attention to the dangerous condition of the sunken bridge over the Maketu creek, and urged it be attended to as early as possible. He also applied for a load or two of metal for road. The engineer said the bridge was apparently below the right level, but the willows at the bottom end caused the water to dam up. The whter was right up to the handiails. It would cost from £230 to £250 to do the work. It was a question whether the bridge was safe to build on to. 'lhe matter was left in the hands of the engineer and Cr. Thomas to attend to, and to take steps to notify the property owners to clear out the creek. Paparintu Creamery Road. Mr. S. Aicken, Ararimu, drew the council's attention to the state of the road between his farm and the Papariniu creamery, especially that portion of it near to what is knojyn as Nobb's bridge. The creek was blocked, and there was a pond of water across the road which will soon render it impassable if it is ncr attended to shortly. He requested -the council to attend to the work as early as possible. The matter was left to Cr. Lockwood and the engineer to attend to. Request io Buy Road.

Mr. Geo. Barber, Hunua, asked ll the council would sell him an old road joining his property.—Left to Cr. Lockwood, clerK and engineer. Timber Floating License.

A timber floating license wps granted Mr. S. W. Downard, of Woodside Road, Mount Eden, for the purpose of towing by launch timber over Puharehdre estuary. Manukau Harbour, and creeks, providing that he gave security for any damage that may be done to bridges, etc. A Buckland Request. Mr. A J. MelvHle, chairman of the Buckland Milk Suppliers' Committee, wrote stating that at the annual meeting of milk suppliers held in the Buckland Hall a unanimous resolution was carried requesting the council to grade the road opposite the casein factory so as to bring it up on a level wrfth the approach to the factory. To do this would necessitate raising the concrete bridge, and considerable amount of fdling in. He pointed out that the present construction was both dangerous and unsightly, and was becoming more so as time proceeded. The suppliers requested the council to urgently attend to the matter. The engineer suggested that next summer the hill on Buckland side ot the concrete bridge be regraded, and the embalmment at the approach to the bridge be subdivided. He mentioned that the dairy company were to. erect a concrete wall between tne road and factory. Cr. Wilcox said he had inspected it, and from what he saw there was nothing wrong' with it. The road was full width past the factory, and there was absolutely no danger unless a man deliberately run up the Dank. He did not think there was reason for anything more to be done. Cr. Woods said the council had treated them very well indeed in making a decent road. He agreed with Cr. Wilcox that everything pos-

sible had been done. ' Councillors considered they should r.ot contribute towards the cost ol a : retaining wall. it was decided to reply stating that the road in front of the factory was level, but the fault >vas evidently with the architect employed by i the dairy company in erecting the i casein factory in not building the ; factory on the proper level, Ihcy had already spent over £IOO on the road in front of the factory, and could not see their way clear to do anything further. The council considered the road was in good order and on a good grade. Permission nad already been granted the dairy company to erect a concrete retaining wall. A Puni Request. Mr. W. Maud, Puni, requested to know if the council intended to grade and metal the road from Hooper's corner to Attewell's farm. Cr. Woods said it was intended to from a road from Hooper's corner up the hill to Rogers'. Metal had not been provided for. .« . „ It was agreed to reply to this etfect. Aka Aka Matters. Mr. O. Henry, Aka Aka, drew the council's attention to the condition of the approaches to the bridge r,cross the Aka Aka creek, in front of his property, recently made by Mr Patterson. He pointed out that instead of depositing a few loads ot white clay thereon he scooped a quantity of useless black sou up, which has transformed into mud ana has made the road almost impassable with an empty cart, and also very dancerous owing to the narrowness and the holes on either side. He urged the council to attend to the matter, or failing such requested the ouncil to empower him to do what wis necessary work, anil chr-rge council with the time it takes to attend to the work. Mr. llenry aiso dmv the attention of the council to the nroposed road through the piopeitjes of Messrs. Kitson, Adiington, 'nd Hull, connecting Aka Aka with Waiuku, and asked that a move be made in the matter, especially as Mr \dlington was about to plant slider hedges on the proposed road. The clerk was instructed tr- reply ;structv-« Mr. H»nry to do the work, while hi legald to the second matter it was decided to reply stating the engineer would take steps to have the proposed road surveyed.

General. The engineer was instructed to take steps to have the road between the Great South Road and MePherwon's bridge on the Runeiman-Karaka Road, regraded and formed. The engineer was instructed to prepare an estimate of cost of the load from Paerata station to the ostrich farm.

Workers' Dwellings. Owing to the inability to obtain 1 houses for the council workers, the chairman, Cr. Montgomerie, the clerk and engineer were authorised to make application to the Government for a sum of' money for the purpose of the erection of workers' dwellings. The engineer reported that owing to trucks not being available, Morningside quarry could not fulfil lhe council's orders.