Franklin County was one of the counties of New Zealand in the North Island. It was formed following the 1911 Franklin and Manukau Counties Act and continued to exist until 1989 when most of the area became Franklin District.

Etymology

Franklin County was named after the Franklin electorate. The electorate had been named in honour of Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of Sir John Franklin, the Arctic explorer. Lady Franklin had visited the Waikato Heads in 1841 when see visited the mission station of Robert Maunsell.

History

Franklin County was established on 1 April 1912, following the 1911 Franklin and Manukau Counties Act. Previously Franklin County was part of the larger Manukau County. The first election for the Franklin County Council was held 22 June 1912. The first meeting was held in the Pukekohe Mason Hall on 4 July 1912. A permanent location was discussed at the meeting and the Buckland hall was offered but the council preferred to have their offices in Pukekohe. The council set about obtaining two quarter-acre sites at £425 and in 1913 hired local architect L. C. A. Potter to design the new council premises. The tender went to Macpherson & Harvey of Tuakau who finished construction in February 1914. The County held onto the building until 1972. From 1913 to 1918 all 15 road districts merged with Franklin County. The county had eight ridings: Awhitu, Waiuku, Waipipi, Mauku, Pukekohe, Drury, Mercer, and Hunua. In 1915 the approximate rateable value of the county was £3,500,000. In 1923 Franklin County covered 620 mi2 and had a population of 9,730, with 183 mi of gravel roads, 252 mi of mud roads and 400 mi of tracks.

Chairmen of Franklin County Council

Eight men served as chair of Franklin County Council during its 77-year existence: