COUNTY COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 22, 19 September 1912, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The following concludes the report of the meeting of the Stratford County Council yesterday:— General. The Chairman brought up the matter of outstanding rates, and stated that out of £SOO, one man owed as much as £IBO. Councillor Thomson said the matter was one for the Council’s solicitor. Cr. Christoffel moved that the solicitor be empowered to act in the matter, and the motion was seconded by the Chairman and carried. Action was also taken with regard to three overdue p.n.’s, the matter being left in the hands of the Chairman, with power to act. Councillor Smith moved that the engineer procure one hundred posts, required by the West Hiding for guard fences on the Opunake Road.—Carried. With reference to the blockage of a drain mentioned in the report of the East Riding, it was decided to write to Mr Symes asking him to attend to the matter. The engineer’s'action in appointing a foreman at Huiroa was confirmed. It was estimated that to carry out the engineer’s recommendation with regard to the filling on the Mangaehu road would cost £SO. It was decided to authorise the work. A motion was passed instructing the secretary to forward to the settlers interested a copy of the portion of the report dealing with the Ahuroa bridge on the Stanley road. id

The reports were all adopted. ! 1 Correspondence, A circular letter was received from the Wairoa County Council notifying that the following resolution had been passed by them: “That the Hon. the Minister for Public Works bo written to, requesting him to have prepared for use, by all County Councils, a standard set of bridge plans, from, say, 10ft to 100 ft spans, which could bo adopted to all classes of bridge work undertaken by local bodies, and, further, that a circular letter be written to all County Councils, soliciting their co-operation and support in having this Council’s proposal given effect to.” The letter pointed out that very often considerable delay occurred in getting bridge plans approved by the P. W.D., owing to the latter’s requirements varying with great frequency, and it was with a desire to overcome this trouble that the Council had made representations to the Minister. The Council decided to endorse the action.

Mr W. Hatcher, Monmouth road, complained of the .inconvenience he was being caused as a result of a pipe culvert which had .been placed in its present position by one of the Council’s foremen. Further, he alleged that this was done for just petty spite, and asked that the Council give him redress.—Referred to the engineer. The Moa Road Board asked if the Council was willing to pay the general rates from the properties of Messrs Fitzherbert and Nopps, for expenditure on the Mangaotea road.

The Chairman moved that the amount of £l2 he voted to the Moa Road Board for expenditure on the road mentioned.

Mr Austin T. Wilson, inspector of Rabbits and Noxious Weeds, wrote stating that he understood that the Council clears the gorse on the banks of the Waitara river adjoining the Douglas road, and asked that instructions be given for that weed to be cleared on that portion of the river banks under the Council’s control. The letter was received. The Stratford Town Clerk notified that his Council were willing to bear an equal share of the cost of the telephone to the Stratford Mountain House together with the County Council and the Egmont Park Board.

It was decided that the County should pay one third of the amount per annum, Councillor Thomson strongly dissenting.

The Department of Public Works acknowledged receipt of copy of a resolution passed by the Council drawing attention to the necessity of the early completion of the Stratford-Kaponga railway. —Received. A letter from the same source acknowledged receipt of the Council’s application for a. grant of £3OO, £1 for £1 for metalling the Makuri road from Douglas road westward to the end of the present metalled portion, and stated that the matter would receive consideration when the Public Works

Estimates for the current financial year were being compiled. “No Prospect.” The New Zealand State Guaranteed Advances Department wrote: —“In reply to your enquiry of the 4th instant, I have to inform you that the limit of £SOOO docs not refer to any one financial year, but is made to apply for an indefinite period. As there is no prospect of such resolution being rescinded in the near future, it would bo useless for your Council to make any further applications for some time to come. Cr Christoffel moved: “That the Government be asked what position the Council should take up with regard to applications for loans for deviating, forming, culverts, metalling, especially as several have a bearing on the establishment of dairy factories. Mrs A. Kirkwood, as one of the petitioners for a loan to metal the nev road taken over by the Council, beyond Regan street west, wrote enquiring when the loan money for this work was likely to be available, pointing out that it was very desirable that the work should be carried out this summer.

The letter was received, the explanation being contained in the letter from the N.Z. State Guaranteed Advances Department. A Deputation. Mr Brown waited on the Council with the request that the Council should take steps to open up the Waihapa road. It was decided to defer consideration of the matter till next meeting. RATES. The following rates were apportioned : Main Roads By-roads.

Tenders. The following tenders were accepted : Supply of 1450 cubic yards of boulders on roads in South Riding.—Messrs Grimmer and Chamberlain. Supply of 960 cubic yards of boulders on Climie Road, at Cardiff.—Mr L. B. Hart. Supply of 240 cubic yards of boulders on Upper Waingongoro Road.— Mr F. W. Green.

Supply of 300 cubic yards of boulders at Hastings Road, 220 cubic yards at Kapuni crushing site, and 200 cubic yards at Kahohonui crushing site.— Mr F. W. Green.

Supply of 320 cubic yards of boulders on Opunake road, near western county boundary.—Mr F. W. Green. Supply of 500 cubic yards of boulders on Brecon road.—Mr L. B. Holt. Accounts amounting to £BO3 5s were passed for payment. Irrecoverable rates up to March 31st, 1909, amounting to £76. were written off. .ii r , :

d. d. South Riding U 1* West Riding U East Riding 1 1 Mangaehui \ . u u North Riding 1 u