FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 191, 14 August 1925, Page 3

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) PUKEKOHE, this day. The regular meeting of the Franklin County Council was held yesterday, the chairman, Mr. H. Wilson, presiding. The chairman formally welcomed Major Max Aldred, who was elected recently to represent the Waipipi Riding, vice Mr. W. C. Motion, who resigned to go to London as a representative of the New .Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board. It was agreed to contribute £50 towards the Auckland court in conection with the Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition. The engineer, Mr. J. F. McArthur, in his report, stated that settlers iv four different localities were desirous of forming special rating areas, and raising loans to metal access roads as follow. Taurangururu, £4234; Wallace Road, Karaka, £600; Dazeley's Road, Puni, £500; and Peach Hill Road, Maketu, £800. Steps arc to be taken to accede to the settlers' wishes. I The report also showed that 41,167 yards of stone had been delivered for crushing within the county; that up to July 31 £36,467 had been expended in connection with the Waiau-Karaka loan, leaving £3475 to be ■ spent -this next summer. Works generally—maintenance of roads and bridges—were being carried out as expeditiously as possible, as weather permitted. The treasurer, Mr. A. P. Day. reported that the County Fund Account waß in debit to the extent of £16,621, and that the amount allocated for works in the various ridings totalled £19,526. Since April 1 £8443 had been expended over the whole county. The outstanding rates at March 31, 1925, were £10,555, and the total collected since then was £3602, leaving £6953 still outstanding. A letter was read from the No. 2 District Highways Council advising that provision was made in the Public . Works Amendment Act for the classification of roads. The Council was asked to advise the names of highways it wished to have permanently classified. The main highways in the county were given as two I namely. Great South Road and PokenoWaihi Road. After discussion a motion was moved by Messrs. G. W. Heald and H. P. Garland, " That the Great South ltoad be classified a second-class road, and j all other roads in • the county third-class roads." It was felt by the remainder of the council that as a big stretch of the { Great South Road passed along the eastern part of the county, the ratepayers in that area would be severely hit if heavy traffic damaged the road, therefore an amendment was moved by Messrs. 3. _. Lowry and J Deau, " That all roads be classified thirdclass roads." The amendment was eventui ally carried, with one dissentient. | It was decided to ask the members for ! the district to use their influence to proI hibit the proposed increased railway charges on the carriage of road metal.