The Franklin Times PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1929. LOCAL & GENERAL.

Franklin Times, Volume XIX, Issue 100, 28 August 1929, Page 4

The Franklin Times

PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1929. LOCAL & GENERAL.

Phone No. 2. Night Phone, No. 328.

Office and Works: ROULSTON STREET, PUKEKOHE

P.O. Box 14.

"We nothing extenuate, nor aught

set down in malice."

Reconstruction Work Authorised. Reconstruction work necessary on Tuakau Road, from Kitchener Road, was authorised at Monday's meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council. The work however, is not to be undertaken until after the close of the present financial year.

This Year's Borough Rates. A motion, confirming the council's intention at a special meeting, to make and levy rates in the borough totalling 213-16 d in the £l, was confirmed at, Monday's meeting of the Borough Council. The rate is 3-16 d less than that levied last year.

Wellington's Roads.

Testimony to the success of bitu-men-surfaced roads with concrete foundations in Wellington was paid by Mr R. M'Keen (Wellington South) in the House of Representatives. Mr M'Keen said that maintenance costs had been so reduced and the dust nuisance so minimised, that the City Council had had to dispose of some of its dustcarts and watercarts. So far as the rolling out of the bitumen surface was concerned, Mr M'Keen said that the. City Cuncil had found that the English roller was superior to the American.

Proposed New Road

The proposed new road through Roose's estate, is estimated, by the borough foreman, to cost £274 10s. At Monday's meeting of the council, the Mayor, Mr John Boutly, stated that the trustees of the estate were prepared to pay this amount in to the council's fund, so that the road could be dedicated, and enable the trust io dispose of some of the sections. Ho added that there was no hurry for the work to be undertaken. Cr. G. T. Parvin remarked that it might be two or three years before the road was required. The Mayor mentioned that one quarter of an acre had been set aside as a reserve. The foreman's j report was adopted, and the Mayor, | Crs. J. P. Bae and G. H. Armstrong j were asked to sign the deed of dedication on behalf of the council. !

Light,for Glenbrook Beach. The Franklin Electric-power Board at its meeting yesterday accepted: the tender (£163 6s) of Mr E. J. Williams, for linking up McLaren's beach, Glenbrook, group. 6

Infectious Diseases.

The Health Inspector, Mr T. C. Thompson, advised the borough council on Monday evening that during July there were two cases of infectious diseases —one of scarlet fever and one of tuberculosis —in the borough. Twenty four, sanitary inspections were made and six requisitions served.

"Flattery—Abuse—Bribery."

"We were informed that we started with flattery, got on to abuse and ended up with bribery," remarked a member of the Franklin Electric-power Board yesterday when reporting on the result of a deputation's interview with a Departmental officer at Wellington. "What, did you offer him a sack of spuds," asked another member amid laughter. "No,' was the retort, "we put up plain facts only, and you can't get away from facts."

Baptist Church Corner. The Pukekohe Borough Council decided on Monday evening to pay over to the Baptist Church authorities £ls, the purchase price of land at the corner of Seddon and Victoria Streets required for road purposes. The fore-

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1929. spect the land and report on its condition. The town clerk, Mr J. F. Deane, was asked to furnish a return of the eosts contingent upon the taking of the piece of land in question.

"Worthy of his Steel."

"He is a hard man, worthy of his steel," stated a member of the Franklin Electric-power Board yesterday when referring to an officer of the Public Works Department. "Yes, you are correct," stated another member. "He is a most capable officer and if all the Department's of state were conducted in the same way a=s this officer conducted his office, the country would be well managed," he added.

Water Charges. The Mayor, Mr John Routly, stated at Monday's meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council that there was provision in the Act for the council to charge for water consumed at per meter, in lieu of on the annual value. He moved that the finance committee investigate the position and report to the council. Cr. G: T. Parvin said the time had arrived when the waterworks Department should be self supporting, and those who used the water should pay for it. At present quite a number of non consumers had to pay for something they did not use. The Mayor's motioh was carried.

Loan Works. Three thousand pounds of the recently sanctioned loan of £6OOO is to be uplifted and- expended during the current financial year. At Monday's meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council, the works committee was asked to recommend to the council the works which should be undertaken. Cr. G. T. Parvin urged the committee to give consideration to the reconstruction of East Street and the construction of a footpath on the Northern side of Prospect Terrace. The Mayor, Mr J. Routly, promised Cr. Parvin that both matters would receive due consideration.

Clamouring for Power. "It will be a week or ten day's yet before a canvasser will be able to interview settlers in Happy Valley about their electricity requirements," stated the engineer, Mr T. R. Overton at yesterday's meeting of the Franklin Elec-tric-power Board in answer to a question by Mr J. B. McKinney. Mr McKinney said the settlers were anxious to know when power would be available, because the milking season was rapidly approaching, and a number did not know whether to wait for the power or instal internal combustion engines. , "They are clamour-' ing for the current and the case is urgent," added Mr McKinney. It was decided to forward this advice to the settlers interested.

No Need for Anxiety.

Reference to the electrocution of a little girl in the Wairarapa district recently, was made by Mr H. Wilcox, at yesterday's meeting of the Franklin Electric-power Board. Mr Wilcox said the matter was a serious one if the facts as reported in the newspapers were correct, and many people were anxious to know if there was any j danger in using electric ranges. "Can you give us any facts?" Mr Wilcox asked the engineer, Mr T. R. Overton. The latter in reply, said he believed the facts were not actually as reported, j although he had nothing definite as j yet on which to base this opinion. "I I have written away for full facts of the j case," said Mr Overton. "It is the first accident of its kind that I know of and it will be rather interesting to get the full facts," he added. Continufng, Mr Overton said that unless there was something loose in the range which enabled the child to pull the element out, he could not understand how the child was electrocuted. The elements in the ranges he had experienced, were well concealed and closely fitted and unless somone had been tampering with the fitting it would he very difficult to remove it. However he wok awaiting the full facts of the case. There was no cause for users of electric ranges to become anxious over the matter, concluded Mr Overton.v,

Empire Marketing Board.

An interesting - article dealing with the activities of the Empire Marketing

Board, will be found on page 2

Derrick for Pile Driving.

A very large derrick, used for pile driving, passed through Pukekohe at midday to-day. It was being taken to the broken bridge at Tuakau.

Orphandom—Ladies' Night.

Members of the Pukekohe Orphans' club are reminded that to-night is Ladies' Night. A splendid programme has been arranged. A full attendance of married members and their wives, and single members and their lady friends, is desired.

Railway Road. Further representations are to be made to the Railway Department to bitumenise the. surface of Railway Road. The borough council decided on Monday evening to renew its offer

to do, the work at cost. The member for Franklin, Mr J. N. M'assey, is to be asked to interest himself in the matter. It was stated that since ths council made the offer originally, the money expended on repairing the road would have paid for a bitumenised surface.

"Remarkably Good Business." '.'Remarkably good business," stated the chairman, Mr John Dean, at yesterday's meeting of the Franklin Elec-tric-power Roard, when the secretary, Mr S. P. Day, stated that the gross sales of electricity to March 31, 1929, totalled £84,964, and only £124, or .146 per cent on gross sales, had been written off. Other members concurred. The secretary was complimented on this very satisfactory state of. affairs. A resume of a very interesting statistical return, giving general information and comparison schedules, showing the growth of the board's operations since its inception, will be published on Friday.

Duplication of Pump at Hickeys. The Rorough finance committee was .asked at Monday's meeting of the council, to find ways and means of installing a duplicate pumping plant at Rickey's dam. It was pointed out by Cr. G. T. Parvin that in the event of. the pump breaking down the position would be serious for the town, in view of the fact that the plant at the old power house was not yet in working order. With regard to the latter, the town clerk was asked to communicate with the contractors calling upon them to complete their contract by September 12, and pointing out the delay that has occurred, and the disability the council would be in, in 'the event of a breakdown in the plant at Hickeys.

Damage by Lorries. At Monday's meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council, Ci\ G. TV Paryin referred to the damage to East Street by the Franklin county council's lorries, which, in his opinion, had been excessively loaded. The vehicles, he said, with their huge loads, were chipping the • edges from the bitumen. He considered steps should be taken to have the laden lorries weighed, and some action taken to prevent future damage. He thought the county council's attention should be drawn to the matter, and it should be asked to contribute something towards repairing the damage done.—The matter was referred to the Works Committee with power to act.

Expensive Work Obviated. The Pukekohe Borough Council was faced with the problem of either having to alter certain water mains so I that hydrants used by the fire brigade I would fit, or in the alternative of leaving the mains as they stand and purchasing two hydrants to fit the mains. The alterations to the mains would have cost between £SO and £6O and the cost of new hydrants will be about £l6. The turncock, Mr J. Hunniford, in a report presented at Monday's meeting of the council, stated that after conferring with the fire inspector, h-a recommended that the council obtain two new hydrants for the brigade's use to replace those which would not fit the mains. The recommendation was adopted and stepsffore to be taken to dispose of the old hydrants. It is estimated that the nett cose to the borough will not exceed £lO. An expensive work, therefore, has been obviated.