STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 300, 17 December 1914, Page 8

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

- The monthly meeting of the Council was held in the County Chambers yesterday, and was attended by Messrs- W. /Hathaway (chairman), E. Walter, L. Baskin, T. E. Coleman,: H. B. Worthington, J. Christoffel, W. H. Were, J. Smith, and T. 11. Anderson. THE ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Engineer (Mr W. J. Lopdell) stated: During‘the month good progress has been made throughout the County with the various works. The roller has been kept going full time, and is now working in the North Biding. H. Julian has completed about 40 chaini of refacing on Kent Terrace, after which we will re-face a portion of the Mountain Road, near Midhirst. Green and Chard have completed the 350 cubic yards boulder stone contract at Cardiff, and are now re-metalling Beaconsfield Road. Bennett and Julian are busy at their contract on Hastings Road getting out boulder stone ready for crushing. Grimmer and Chamberlain are also busy in tire South Riding. I have inspected Cambria Street, Midhirst, and have attached the estimate of the cost of proposed work. I have also gone carefully into the Pembroke Road contract, and consider it will take all cf £SOO to make a credit, able job of it. The up-stream wing on a small bridge on the Croydon mad has been washed out this week by flood, but repairs are being done to-day. The West Riding foreman is engaged at reducing grades and making up fillings. * There are a few bends on the Opunake Road which would be greatly improved by a few feet being removed. With Cr. Worthington I again visited the filling on the Manga Road and find that the timber in the tunnel is going fast. Mr McPhee, of Toko, has offered to quarry shell, rock at the pit, Waiwiri Road, at 5s per cubic yard, royalty paid, and as we are requiring about 50 cubic yards on the ' Waiwiri arid lAhuroa East I would suggest that his offer he accepted.

Resolved: That failing any satisfaction being given by the Land, Board re the Manga Road, the Minister of Public Works be communicated with. That the matter of Mr Johnson’s silted-up creek on the Skinner Road be referred to the riding member, and engineer to report. That the matter of Mr Gray’s drain on the Beaconsfield Road be referred to the riding members to see that clearing out is done by Mr Gray. That Mr McPhee’s offer for shell rock be accepted. LAND FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT Cr. Smith Snored that Mr Edward Mason, occupier of section 11, block, Kaupokonui, receive the sum of £lO clear of any further costs by him, as full compensation for , land taken for the purpose of road*' improvement on the Stratford-Opunake Hoad. Cr. Anderson seconded the motion pro forma. He considered that the price of £lO for the bit required was a bit unreasonable; the same demand might be made in every subsequent action of the kind, and he objected to the precedent which would be set up.

O. Christoffel strongly objected to tlie whole proceeding, which had no right to be settled outside the Council. It was a County question, and not a riding one. He was absolutely, opposed to the whole transaction. The matter was hero adjourned till a later stage of the meeting. In connection with the same question after the luncheon adjournment, a letter was read from the Town Clerk, i\ew Plymouth, containing the following resolution: “That, provided the tenant (Mr Fincham) agrees, the Council offer no objection to the fence on the Borough reserve being shifted back fifteen feet at the , corner of phura and Standish Roads.” It was agreed that the Engineer meet the tenant and' arrange details. Mr Hooker’s offer of a piece of land at Kapuni was accepted with thanks.

Then Mason’s land was dealt with

Cr. Anderson moved,'as an amendment, that Mr Mason be given notice that the Council intended taking the land under the Public Works Act for road improvements.—Seconded by Cr. Were. It was eventually decided that the matter be deferred to next meeting., and that the Engineer interview Mr Mason, METAL CONTRACTS. Objection was raised to the manner in which contractors were dumping stone on the roadside, and the Engineer pointed out that the specifications provided that boulder stones should be dumped in positions and quantities as directed by the foreman of the riding, and not nearer than four feet from a metalled road. Cr. Coleman moved that the Engineer inform foremen that they are allowed to dump stone at their discretion.

Cr. Christoffel said there was a difficulty in the Council getting the, amount of stone they paid for. After stone was dumped, months might clause before the Council could deal with the stone, and he quoted a case in point where the Council had paid for 2500 yards and got only 1500 yards. Tie seconded the motion. Cr. Smith said there had been no end of trouble over this matter. Tn the West Riding the stone had been 'put anywhere, and the foremen had bad great extra work over it. In one case, in fact, stone had been put down in front of the church, and people* could not get in to pray! The motion was carried.