COUNTY COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 22, 18 September 1912, Page 5

COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held this morning. Present: The chairman (Mr W. Hathaway), and Crs. T. R. Anderson, J. Smith, .). Young, J. Thomson, W. Walter, W. Rogers, and J. Cliristoflel. .Cr. Walter's purchase of a horse for the East Riding was approved. With regard to Mr Derby's sawmilling operations, and the suggestion that the Council should be paid a certain sum for wear and tear on roads, the Cr. had nothing definite to report. Engineer's Report. The engineer reported, inter alia, as follows:—-

Tenders have been invited for the supply of boulders in South and West Ridings. I have arranged with both foremen for the setting out of the necessary stone from Waipuku and Manganui streams' for metalling and maintenance work in North Riding. Metal from Sentry Hill authorised is being obtained for top surfacing Ohura Road. J. Cameron lias been appointed foreman for Huiroa and has taken up his duties. Repair work on McOool's bridge is about complete. The work on Young's bridge has been delayed owing to difficulty in obtaining a. team for hauling the timber. On Mangachu Road, about four miles above Tututawa, a big filling has partly broken away and needs urgent attention, as traffic is at present endangered. Last year I reported that a large pipe culvert was required but it was not authorised. The matter has now gone so far that something must be done at once. ] again recommend that tho necessary pipes be put in, and the filling made up. After inspection I do not think it would be advisable to attempt to renew Ahuroa bridge, Stanley Road, with a tunnel and filling. A. small bridge on Cardiff Road 1 is becoming very unsound and will require an early renewal, and the work can be carried out with large pipes. I have arranged for the crushing plant to go up to Manganui site as soon as work ;s finished on Ohura Road. The Manaia Road survey is in hand and would have been completed ere now if the weather had been anything like favourable. The road grader has been supplied in Stratford in good order, together with extra blade.

Foremen's Reports. North Hiding (West).—The following roads have been repaired during the month: Mountain, Derby, York, Radnor, Barclay, Upper and Lower Pembroke. A p : pe culvert consisting of eight 9-inch pipes has been put in on Monmouth Road, and the large stones broken down on Radnor Road, Messrs Young, Reesby and Nielsen giving assistance free for this latter work. The Upper York Road has been repaired to the extent of the money authorised. A start has been made witli the getting of stone out of Waipuku stream, but the weather is very much against such work, also the river is very rough and will bo much harder to work than either Manganui or To Popo.

North Riding' (East). Most of the .metalled roads bayp been patched during the month, while a drain has been cleaned out on/(3roydon M. to M.; the side track "on Beaconsfield Road' will be finished in a day or two, and a small:; bridge has been repaired on Eskßoad. Bad weather has hampered getting boulders out of Manganui. South Riding.—Fourteen chains of Mountain Road have been remetalled, and remetalling on Finncrty Road will be started next week. All the roads are in fair order. East Riding (Toko).— Owing to the: continuous wet weather the roads throughout iny length are breaking up a little. Crushing operation® have been commenced on Ohura Road near Skinner Road, but up to the present progress has been very slow, the reason being the difficulty of getting men and teams, and the wet weather. However, the long carting is all but finished, and with fine weather will be finished in three days.

East Riding (Douglas).—All the roads arc in very fair order. Work has been done in patching, banking, and water tabling the Ohura and Ohura Mangaebu Roads, and also in doing general roadwork. .; East Riding (Huiroa).—General ; roadwork on the various roads has been done under my control. The big drain at the mill on Makura Road East is - m quite blocked with rubbish and timber, causing the water to lie stagnant and j to flow over the road in ,wet weather. Mr Symes could reasonably be asked to have it cleaned out.

West Hiding.—A new 9-inch pipe culvert has been put in on Brookes Road, 10 pipes being used. The overflow culvert authorised on Brecken Road has been put in, fourteen 12-inch uipes being used. Only one side of the hiling is lenced and it would pay to do the oilier side also. Some of the guard fences on Opunake Road are falling down, and require renewing. ■Aibout 100 posts are required for the work. There have been further complaints about Mr Cooper carting very heavy loads on Duthie Road for the new 'factory at Mahoe. The road is breaking up very badly. Mangaehu Riding.—The month has been spent, in cleaning drains and watertables, planting willows, etc., and general repair work. AH the roads are in fair order except Wood's flat.