STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 75, 19 March 1914, Page 2

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Council was held yesterday, when there were present:—Crs. W. Hathaway (chairman), W. H. Were) E. Walter, J. Young, W. Rogers, J. Thomson, J. Christoffel, E, Anderson and J. Smith. Engineer’s Report, [ Tile Engineer (Hr E. C. iTobiiishn) j reported; Mr Skodgwell was notified to have lus drain cleared out, but the work has not yet been done.' I have inspected Puniwbakau township and PvUii creek bridges, arid find that the decking of both is in an unsound [Condition, also several joists iu the latter require renewing. To make repairs to the Cornier would take about 7000 sup. feet -of timber and to the latter about 4000 slip, feet, This would mean the re-decking of each bridge. The ‘necessary telephone instruments for connection of Cardiff cottage have been ordered, Tin mediately ufter last meeting 1 applied for railway trucks for carriage of metal

trom Skinner Road to Huiroa, but was informed that for the present none were available, 1 have again applied but with similar results. The foot suspension bridge over the* Patea River on Bird Road is completed. The crushing plant is still in the West Riding, also the road roller, working is per West Riding foreman’s report. I have had the waterway under Waipuku bridge, Mountain Road, straightened, as the stream was driving rqther hard against the west pier. Maintenance,' painting, cleaning and screwing up work to Waingongoro and Mangatoki bridges on Opunake Road has been completed, aijd the Wingrove Road bridge will be now put in hand. The approaches to small bridge on Maknri Road East have been metalled as per instructions. Other instructions received from .last meeting have been attended to and are referred to in the Foremen’s reports which are attached hereto. I have been informed- that the Government intend granting £2OO subsidy on- Stanley. Road bridge, and 1 have already in band the preparation of drawings and specifications of the new bridge 4>o submit to the Government for approval.

It was decided .that the work of re-decking the Runi creek bridge be authorised at once.

Ci' Young agreed -to hold over ‘ the matter of the Puniwhakau bridge till next meeting. He said that he desired to make himself sure of the condition of the bridge. ■ Letters were read from the District Engineer of Railways regarding the shortage of trucks. He said that all the rolling stock was fully engaged at present and would probably continue so until the end of the busy-sea-son. Road metal was carried at a specially low rate, on condition that it was shipped at the convenience of the Department. He suggested that the Council should have its metal railed in the winter and made available for work when the summer season set in.

The Chairman said a loan had been raised and a grant made for the road work in question and everything was held up for want of trucks. The i Engineer reported that the Patea suspension bridge had cost about £4O 10s. The settlers had agreed to pay half the cost. A railway crossing is to be applied for.

Cr. Anderson said a good job had been made of the repairs to the Mangatoki bridge. lire Engineer was authorised to purchase the broken atone available on Croydon Road South.

It was decided that the roller, go to the South Riding after finishing the work in the West Riding. The Qjiairman was deputed to meet the Minister for Railways in reference to the shortage of trucks. Foremen’s Reports. North Riding, West.—On account of the long spell of dry weather most gf the roads under my control are loose and rough at present. Mountain Road:: This has been hanked as instructed south of Radnor Road and grass cleared away. York Road; Repairs to upper portion of this road have been commenced. Denbigh Road: The-blinding of this road has been completed. It will be raked’ in again shortly. Radnor -Road; The money authorised has been spent in picking up and breaking large stones on tho upper portion of this road. Denmark Terrace-: -Most of the work authorised has been completed, Mr Keightley having done his share. Lower Pembroke Road: This has been raked.

North Riding, East.—The metalled roads are very loose owing to the dry weather. Tho Stanley East and Aekland Roads have been patched, all the maintenance metal being used. A fresh supply is required. The watertables on these roads have been cleaned right through. The metalled portion of Croydon Road South has been raked and blinded and watertallies cleaned. The watertablos on Croydon Road West have also been attended to. About 45 cubic yards of hand-broken stone can be obtained alongside Croydon Road South at a cost of Ss per cubic yard. South Riding; All the roads are in lair order. During the month tfio Mountain Road lias been raked and blinded, drains cleaned out on upper and lower Bird Roans and the nnmetallcd portion of Skinner Road trimmed up. As soon as the roller is available 1 propose commencing the re-metalling of a portion of Firtnerty Road. Mr Norris’ boulder contract is j nearing completion, there being only the Cheal Road left to finish. I

East Riding, Toko.—During the month T have completed getting the 2500 cubic yards of boulders from the Patea River at Skinner Road, and everything has been made ready, for the crusher. The Beaconsfield Road'

has been raked. The Ohura Road is

being raked and blinded. The Standish Road draining work is completed. East Riding, Douglas.—During the

month about 23 chains of Taihore

Road have been ploughed and reformed. The watertabics along the metalled portion of road have also been cleaned up. General maintenance work has been carried out on Gordon, New Douglas and Main Hoads. East Riding, Huiroa.—Necessary repair work lias boon carried out on the following roads: Akama, Douglas South, Makuri East, Mohakait and Douglas North, With the exception of the hist toad all are in good order, and with a little attention should stand well. In the case of the Douglas I propose doing what is necessary during the Current month. About 4 cubic yards of broken metal was used, in addition to that already on the road, in metalling approaches to snlall bridge on .Makuri East Road. Drain cleaning is about completed Oil Mohnkau Road, the work being carried' out in a satisfactory manner. A small bridge on this road has been temporarily repaired. Autawa Road : Authorised repair work is proceeding slowly, hut 1 hope to have it completed shortly. Gorse-cutting was completed, early in the month and the men made a first-class job of it. This completes' the cutting of noxious weeds on all road reserves in this part of the Riding. Makuri Road West: The metalled portion of this road is in a rough state and requires immediate patching. An 18in by I2in culvert is .required to replace an old one near the west end ' of this road.

West Hiding : About 24 chains of Palmer Road and 10 chains of Duthie Road have been re-metalled. Operations have l>een delayed owing to a breakdown in one of the working parts of the crusher, but during this time about 30 chains of Opunake Road No. 11 have been scarified and re-rolled.

Mangaehu Riding.—During the month general repairs have been carried out on all the Riding roads, which arc now in very fair order. Flint Road East. The Mayor and Cr. King waited on the Council as a deputation from the Borough Council in reference to the condition of Mint Road East;

The Mayor said the "-Borough would soon be framing its estimates and desired to make provision for putting Flint Road East in order. There was a good ideal of metal on the road, but it was ‘in bad order. The roller had been put over it but the boulders, came through- again. The Borough Council thought that if the scarifier was put over the road, the boulders napped and a little new .metal put on, the road would remain in good order for some time. There had been numerous complaints about the road. The cost of the - work was estimated at under £IOO.

.Cr. 'King said not much metal would be required. The Mayor said his Council desired to have the work done before the winter.

The Engineer said the total distance from the Showgrounds to Esk Road was about 90 chains. The road had been metalled in the first place with boulders and pit metal. It was doubtful if there was sufficient meal at present on the X’oad to make a good surface when scarified and napped. He doubted if £IOO would do the proposed work.

The Mayor: Will the County contribute £SO to the £SO to be voted by the Borough? The ;Cfiairman: Our trouble is that we cannot spare the. £SO. Cr. King: Well, when the ratepayer complains to us again we will send him along to you. Or. Thomson: J'ory well, we’ll hear him.

Cr King: And probably that will be all you will do. (Laughter). The Chairman said he would gladly see the work done if the County had the money.

Cr. -Smith: Would the Borough accept £25. The' Mayor: We would accept that, but I do not think it would go very far.

Finally iti was decided to grant £25.

Rat.ger’s Report.

The Ranger reported: In the 25th nit. I was at Bird, Skinner, and Win.grove Roads , and found three wcanors belonging to Mr Coleman, and one horse (impounded). On the 27th I got one horse on Finnerty Road belonging to Mr Phillips. On the 29th J was at Midhirst and York Road, but found nothing. On the Ist I was at Tututawa and Puniwhakau, and found one horse belonging to Mr Kerrisk. .On the 2nd I was at .Ronald and Palmer Roads, but got nothing. On the 3rd I got one horse on Radnor Road belonging to Mr Taylor. On the sth 1 was at Toko Road and got one ho rso belonging to Mr Stocks..On the 10th I was at Midhirst, Cross, and Beaconsfield Roads and got one horse belonging tp Mr Bonnar. On the 16th I. impounded two horses from Wawiri R.oad and on the 17th two cows from Midhirst and two from East Road. Stanley Road Bridge. Mr >T. B. Hine, MVP. forwarded the following letter die had received from the Minister for Public Works: “Referring to your representations urging that a grant of £225 should be given for the Ahuroa stream bidge on the Stanley Road and £250 for the 1 To Popo bridge on the Mountain Road, [ have to advise yon that 1 have now received the Resident Engineer’s report upon this matter, and have duly considered the same in conjunction with your representations. In consideration of the circumstances, I have approved of a grant of £2OO being given in respect of- Ahuroa bridge, hut regret that I cannot see my way to approve of any grant he-

iug made for the Te Popo bridge. The .authority in respect to Ahuroa bridge will be issued when satisfactory plans have been submitted to the Resident Engineer and duly approved by him.” General. The engineer was instructed to level down hummocks on Ahuroa Road East;

The question of a domestic drain at Douglas was referred to the .District Health Officer. The Chamber of Commerce wrote asking the Council to pass a resolution urging the establishment of sittings of the Supreme Court at Strat-ford.—-Request granted. The Public Works Department forwarded a copy of the Order-in-Council declaring portion of Whaka Road to be a County road. It was decided to call for tenders, closing on March 28th. for getting sufficient stone out of the Toko stream to reinstate Toko Road.—ln view of the straitened finances of the Council there was considerable discussion on the matter, and on a division on the motion, Crs Thomson, Christoffel and Smith voted against it. A. G. Rutherford, Huiroa, wrote that survey pegs recently put in showed his building to be a few feet over the fence line. He was prepared to erect a fence leaving a chain road and to lease the half-chain in front of his section.—lt was decided to give a lease of a quarter of a chain on the frontage. The Engineer was authorised, if trucks are available, to call tenders for crushing the metal at Skinner Road and carting it to Roaconsfield and Makuri Roads. Ho was ed to deal with Government grants for the Stanley Road bridge and for Autawa and Haeo Roads.

The Engineer reported that be had prepared a statement in connection with McPhee’s metalling contract, which showed a credit balance of £147 16s 6d, excluding workmen’s claims totalling between £3OO and £IOO. The statement had been forwarded to the County Solicitor.

The Yaluer-General asked to he notified as to the person who would represent the Council on the Assessment Court in connection with the revaluing of land in the County.—Mr A. W. Budge is to be asked to act. The Chairman reported on the committee’s visit to Pukengahu Road. He thought the metal would cost 15a a yard, and he did not think the benefit derived would he equal to the necessary expenditure.—Cr. Smith supported this view. He said the land was not suitable for dairying, though settlers had paid the exorbitant price of £2O per acre for it. An opinion was read from Mr T. F. Martin on the question of tolls, which was to the effect that he could not see that a County Council had power to exempt any class of vehicles from the payment of tolls.—The question was deferred until after"the conference at Eltham on Saturday. P. Moratti. Midhirst, asked that a further £lO be spent on Radnor Road. Some work had been done, but the worst piece had not been touched. On this piece of the road horses usually stumbled and were in danger of breaking their knees,—F. A. lleesby wrote to the same effect,—A sum of £7 was granted.

.J. O’Will and N. A. Brown wrote cancelling their consent to be included in the special rating area for the proposed Pukengahu Road loan.—A petition was presented, signed by throe other residents, asking for the raising of a loan to metal about 118 chains' of the road. It was mentioned in the petition that the road had been in a bad state and that itwas with difficulty that settlers had got their milk out.—The request was aranted.