STRATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 96, 16 April 1914, Page 7

STRATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting ol the Boiongh Council was held last night. Present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. P. Kirkwood) and Crs. J. W. Boon, R. McK. Morison, J. B. Richards. J. Masters, N. J. King, and 11. Thompson. reports. Library Committee. The Library Committee reported:— The present system oi' tiling papers in the reading room has had a lair trial and has not proved a success. We would recommend that desks be placed around the reading room walls. The timber belonging to the old style of desks is still available for making the desks we recommend, and the cost to the Council of the suggested alterations would be very small.—The report was adopted, and it was decided ,to recommend the Committee to consider the question of so erecting the desks as to enable users of the room to sit down when reading newspapers. Works Committee.

The Works Committee reported: The Chairman and His Worship the Mayor waited on the County Council with regard to Flint Road with the result that the County has decided to spend £25, if the Borough spend ,m equal amount on repairing the road. It was decided to spend £25 on Flint Road.—Cr. King said the workshould be done as soon as possible. Overseer. The Overseer reported: 1 beg to report on the progress of work for the oast month as. under:—

Kcrbing and channelling between Regan Street and Seyton Street has been completed. I expect to have the kerb on the north side of Regan Street between Juliet and Miranda Streets finished to-morrow. The footpath on the oast side ot Broadway lias been raised to the kerb line. The filling up of fhfe, footpath on the west side will be put in hand to-morrow. Some filling has been done on Broadway North between the metal and channelling, this work is not completed, but will he carried out as opportunity offers. A footpath has been formed in Seyton Street between Broadway and Juliet Street. I would suggest that the Railway Department be writer! to re forming footpath over the railway line.

I arranged with E. Chard for the formation of 7 chains 40,*links on Portia Street, south of Romeo Street for £IG 10s. I understand this work is almost completed. The fences on reserves recently leased to Mr Jackson have been put in a proper state of repair. Metal crushing was commenced on the 16th March, the amount crushed to date being 800 cubic yards. Jor your information 1 may point out that the crushing plant is working splendidly, the product is certainly the nearest to hand broken metal that could bo. Messrs Sharrock Bros are not making sufficient progress tvitli their boulders contract $o j: ; ensure their contract being- finished- by the prescribed time.

The question of improving Broadway Central has from an. official point of view occupied my mind for some considerable time, and after going into the matter very fully I have come to the. conclusion that the first work of

a permanent nature to he carried out should be the kerbing and channelling from Victoria Bridge to Regan Street, then the street could be formed to proper heights and grades which should he taken from the kerbs and channels.

There are a few spares required for the crusher, which should be procured, namely ;—2 jaws, approximate cost, £9; 1 pitman (complete), £ls ss; sundries, £0 10s. Total £27 15s. If. is not necessary for me to go into details re the advisability of having the above mentioned spares on hand. Some of the above may not be required for a couple of years, on the other hand I might want one of thorn next week. Messrs Sharrock Bros, interviewed the Council regarding their boulder contract, and gave an assurance that in future more stone would be got out weekly. It was decided to purchase the spare parts mentioned. Re Septic Tank. The Overseer reported as follows regarding the septic tank: —ln justice to myself I must refer to a statement 1 made over five years ago in connection with the efficient working of the septic tank and filter bods. On February, 1909, 1 reported to the Council that the tank was not working properly, and also stated that it might cease working altogether at any time. The result of the above report was as follows Dr. Frengley and Mr Climio were communicated with, and in due course arrived here, and, in company with the then Mayor and councillors, inspected the tank and filter beds. It was practically decided that the present tank was not large enough, and that another tankshould bo built at a cost of £IOOO. Councillor Masters, who was chairman of Works Committee at the time, asked me what 1 thought about it. My reply was: “if you have too much money it would lie a good way to get rid of some of it.” I also said that if I had complete control of the tank 1 would guarantee to make it; treat all sewerage for at least five years. Tins f claim to have done, thereby saving this Borough from an unnecessary expenditure of £100(1. 'l'lie tank and beds are still in good working order. Or. King said great credit was due t» <h» Oversaar far th« aiaaaar isa

which he had dealt with the septic tanks.—Cr. .Masters said that at tiie time he had a hard job to get the Council to allow the Overseer to 'fix tip the tank.—The ’Mayor endorsed previous remarks. Experience had shown that the Overseer know what lie was speaking about at the timo. Abattoir Manager. The Abattoir Manager reported: Sto(»k slaughtered: Cows 78, heifers 21, oxen 9, calves 3, sheep 302, lambs 72, pigs 29, tripes cleaned 28. Fees £6O 3s. Condemned: One cow wholly, one partially; heifers, four wholly, one partially; pigs, two wholly, two partially.- No. 6 paddock has been sown down in grass, and looks very well. No. I paddock has been stumped and cleared, and has a crop of turnips in it at the present time. A good bridge has been put across die stream in No. 2 paddock. A coalshed was built with concrete floor and iron walls. Owing to Mr J. 1 1 . Curtis going out of business, No. 5 paddock has been vacant for some time. GENERAL. . The. Town Hall Committee was requested to _ report on the method of looking the Town Hall. ‘ It. Div.ehall, poundkeoper, tender,xl his resignation, giving a month’s notice.—lt .was decided to accept the .resignation, and to, call for applications for the position. The tender of I’. Lennon for the old ■ernetery reserve was accepted. B. G. King, applied for a sum of !jl 16s for blinds at the Town Hall, which 1 he had put up to darken the hull for matinees.—-Referred to the Town Hall Committee.

It was decided \to hold over for a month Cr. ’Fredlie’s notice of motion rescinding the motion deciding to ipond £25 on Juliet Street south. The Borough Inspector reported that during the month lie had imlounded two head of cattle. Six persons were convicted for driving vehicles without lights, and two persons for riding bicycles without lights. He had put in eight street lights.

Mr T. H. Peim, secretary to Hospital Board, wrote drawing t tlie Council’s attention to the state of the Public Pound, which had been adversely commented upon by the Sanitary Inspector.—lt was decided to reply that as the pound would need to be re-built, work in connection with it had been deferred until next year’s estimates were considered.

A petition signed by Messrs W. E. Bannister, E. W. Plowright, M. Hardigan, C. Jago, and S. M. James was presented to tbe Council asking for die formation of a footpath on the south-western side of Flint Hoad for i distance of 20 chains from Mountain Hoad. In support, the petitionms stated that the width of metal on Flint Road was very narrow, that pedestrians must use this road, and that on dark night they were in danger from passing vehicles.—The Mayor said the work should ho done.—Cr. King thought no work should be done at present.—Petitioners are to he informed that the matter will he favorably considered in connection with next year’s estimates. A transfer of the lease of sections 564, 860, 902, and 903 from C. T. Osborne to the Roman Catholic Church authorities was applied for.— The transfer of lease of section 261 from Sargood Son and Ewen to W. E. Jones was also considered.—The transfer of leases of sections 173, 174, 213 and 214 to Dr. Paget was sought. —Granted, subject to approval of the Borough solicitor. Cr. King suggested that the shingle brought down by the last fresh should be got out and put through the crusher. He thought it would prove very good metal.—The Mayor doubted if teams could be procured.—Cr. King differed from tins view.—Referred to the Works Committee with power to act.

Tho Hon. J. Allen, Minister of Defence, wrote asking the Coun’eil for ■suggestions in dealing with conscientious and religious objectors to the Defence scheme.—The Major said lie was afraid the scheme was not workable. If the objectors were given work by local bodies there was no means by which value could bo got for tho wages paid. At the same time everybody desired to help the Defence Minister in every way possible.—Cr. Boon said ho understood that the idea was that tho objectors should only be paid what they would receive f they attended camp.—lt was decided to reply that the Council did not think the scheme workable.

When the accounts were brought Forward, Cr. Masters objected to the charge of three guineas by the Borough solicitor for an opinion regarding the electric light question. He thought the expenditure was not warranted. He also objected to the charges by the solicitor for services which amounted really to collecting outstanding rates. He thought that if the Town Clerk could not collect rates he should put the matter in the hands of the solicitor to start proceedings in the Court, in which case there would bo no expense to the Council.

Father Maples wrote drawing the Council’s attention to the had state of repair of the fences between a Council lease and the Presbytery, and asking if the Council would help with the cost.—Left to the Reserves Committee to report to next meeting.—Cr. King drew attention to the bad state of the fence on the section in Miranda Street behind the Commercial Hotel.—lt was a disgrace to the Council.—The Town Clerk said the reserve was leased from year to year, and the Council was responsible for the fences.—lt was decided, on the motion of Cr. King, that the Reserves, Committee report on the matter of the fence.