STRATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 9, 11 May 1915, Page 7

STRATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL.

| MONTHLY MEETING. ] The first meeting of the Council was attended by His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. W. Boon) and C'rs .1. H. Thompson, A. J. Davey, E. W Hancock, S. B. Hunter, T. Lawson, G. W. Mills, E. S. Rutherfurd, A. I). Stanley, and W. H. H. Young. ( Crs Hancock and Lawson signed the usual declaration on taking their . seats. I His Worship briefly welcomed members to the table. He said he would I like them to adhere to the rules of de[bate as near as possible. At the same time ho would not stop discussion or keep information back. There was : ways and means always to obtain that information. The Mayor asked them j to hack'him up in his rulings, and so uphold the dignity of the chair as had been done in the past.—(Hear, hear), j

DEPUTATIONS. A deputation consisting of Messrs S. Ward, T. Marshall and G. Hall, I waited on the Council, asking that a light he put in at the corner of Broadway and Craig Street, and suggesting that the present light at Mr Robinson’s property he shifted to the proposed site.—Resolved on the motion of Crs Young and Stanley to refer the matter to the Lighting Committee. J. McCluggnge waited on the Council re lease No. 652, and the matter was referred to the Reserves Committee and Ci - Young to report.

CORRESPONDENCE. Alfred Gray, director of the Technir cal College, New Plymouth, wrote asking the Council to seriously consider the question of making a grant to encourage technical education, and pointing out that any sum carried a subsidy of £ for £.—Resolved to invito Mr Gray to attend the next monthly meeting of the Council and explain the position. Sidney Ward, Secretary Egmont Club, wrote stating that the committee were willing to allow the Council to take a load off the Club’s hot-water system providing the Council paid the whole cost of fuel used and reimbursed the Club 7s 6d per week for the extra work entailed, the Council to pay the cost of alteration and put hack same when finished at their own expense.— The Clerk explained that the cost would be prohibitive, and stated that arrangements had sinde been made to have the use of the reading room, hut heating would he required for the engineer’s room.—Resolved on the motion of Crs Thompson and Hunter that the Mayor and Clerk deal with the question of additional heating.

The undersigned ratepayers requested the Council to form and gravel one footpath on Hamlet Street South between Opunnke Road and Warwick Road, as there was no footpath on either side of the street. It was unfair, they considered, to the ratepayers of the street that there was no footpath, while other streets had footpaths on each .side. They urged that the rates coilected off these properties entitled them to this necessity: J. Fredric, J. Laverty, A. Welch, J. L. Ward,' L. C. Carter, E. Wasley, J. W. Oliver, Thos. H. Milner, J. Lund, E. J. Gear, E. A Chard, J. Gokoski, J. G Haunce, Richard Wheeler, N. E. Porter, George Smart, A. 1). Blick, H. B. del land.—Cr Thompson moved the matter be referred to the M orks Committee. He said that this should come within the policy of the Council during the next two years. They |Sliould find out what were the most important works in footpaths and improvements to streets, find these should be tackled in order of precedence so far as they could out of ordinary revenue 3 outside these, there would have to be a loan. What they could do, however, remained to be seen. Cr Thompson moved that the Works Committee report to next meeting.—Seconded by Cr Hunter, and carried. 1

Mr W. F. Clemow, Brecon Road, asked the Council to lay water to .section 42, second section from OpunakeBrecon Road. The water would ho used for drinking troughs opposite the section. He agreed to pay the usual fee of £1 per annum.— Referred to the Works Committee to report to next meeting. G. A. Marchant, Cardiff, wrote expressing his displeasure at finding on visiting the Cardiff road bridge over the .Patea that a carter acting under instructions from the Council or its officials, had been carting boulders over his land to put on the weir without permission. The writer further stated that the weir itself was a trespass, and that these instructions had been too frequent. “I have to conserve my rights,” concluded Mr Marchant, “and trust that you will give definite instructions to your staff to abstain from aggression in the future.”—The Mayor moved that a letter be written

t • Mr Merchant explaining that as l.lic matter was very urgent, the Conn, cil could not wait uutil the letter written by the Clerk reached him.— Seconded by Cr Rutherford and carried. Rev. C. W. Howard, The Vicarage, 5 Stratford, wrote re erection of a • mortuary chapel in the cemetery. At present there was no shelter of any - kind, which was at times really a necessity.—Resolved on the motion of . [Cr Thompson, seconded by Cr Stanley, that the Works Committee report lat next meeting. I The District Health Officer wrote re certain defects in stables in Juliet Street, making recommendations to . have manure removed from inside tho ■stables and to have door altered so us to keep out vagrants.—Resolved jon the motion of Crs Hancock and Davey that the owner be written to, asking that the recommendations of [the inspector be given effect to. I E. A. Chard, Stratford, wrote asking the Council to put water tap for j use of cattle on the reserve leased by I him at the corner of Hamlet Street and Warwick Road.—-Resolved on the 'motion of Crs Rutherford and Mills that the water bo carried to the boundary on condition that Mr Chard put in tap on the property.

COROUCH INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

I VV. Barlow, Borough Inspector, reported for the month as follows:—I impounded 19 head of cattle. r lwo persons were convicted (one for riding 'a bicycle without lights and one for driving a motor car without lights). Ten street lights were put in and six lights were given to the Eire Station. Four stray dogs were sold. ABBATOIR REPORT. Mr A, M. Spilman (manager) reported as follows: —At the end of the present month Mr F. Clopestake is leaving the Abattoir after being employed here for eleven years. During the few years 1 have been connected with your Abattoir I have not had a single complaint about the way the meat has been dressed for the shops which in itself speaks volumes for Mr Copestake. The hides and skins have always been taken off to the best advantage of the butchers concerned. The Abattoir property, generally, has always had very good attention from him; indeed you are losing a man deserving of the highest tribute for the way he has carried out his duties, and his position will be very hard to fill.

The report was received on tho motion of Crs Mills and Davey.

OVERSEER’S REPORT.

I beg to report on the progress of works for the past month us follows: —The formation and metalling of about 5 chains of Ariel Street between Seyton Street and Pembroke Road has been completed. The old foot bridge in Juliet Street between Seyton Street and Pembroke Road has been removed, the hollow filled in and about o ,chains of footpath regravelled. The formation of 7 chains of Swansea Road South of Celia Street has been completed at a cost of £2O. The Swansea Road Bridge has been repaired. Asphalt patching has been done on footpaths in Broadway Central. Grass has been chipped off footpaths in Olivia Street. Water-tables have been cleaned out in Juliet, Orlando and Seyton Streets. A flood gate has been erected over the Patea River at tire stable paddock, to prevent our horses from wandering to the adjoining lands. 4| chains of fence has been erected on reserves 1010 and 972 Hamlet and Portia Streets. One cast iron crossing and 1 temporary crossing have been put in. The work of getting boulders out of the river is nrogressing satisfactorily. A connection has been made to the Borough sewers. Three water services have been put in. The weir at the intake gave way during the heavy rains which occurred about 10 days ago. T had about 120 cubic yards of boulders placed at the back or down stream side of the weir. A further 100 yards of stone is required to make the weir safe. As the latter quantity will have to.be carted over Mr Marcbant’s property the Town Clerk has written to that gentleman for permisison to do so. 1 may point out that this work should be done as soon as possible.

The report was received on tlio motion of Crs Lawson and Davey. THE NEW COMMITTEES. Tlio following committees were sot op:—• Works.—Crs Davey, Thompson and Young. Fire Brigade.—Crs Davey, Lawson and Stanley. Town Hall.—Crs Hancock, Hunter and Stanley. Library.—Crs Hancock, Mills and Rutherford. Abattoir.—Crs Hancock, Hunter and Stanley. Reserves.—Crs Hunter, Lawson and Mills. Lighting.—Crs Ilutherfurd, Thompson and Young. Band.—Crs Lawson and Mills. I*inance.—The whole Council. GENERAL. ft was unanimously resolved to increase the salary of the Town Clerk hy £25 per year commencing on Ist May, making the amount £3OO a year. Cr Hunter gave notice to rescind the resolution of the previous Council re the Lighting proposals, j The Mayor gave notice to move a resolution re alteration in the by-laws re sanitary arrangements of the Borough. The annual contribution to the Charitable Aid Hoard is £lB3 1 Is.

Resolved on the motion of Crs Young and Lawson (<> pay the workmen fortnightly in future instead of monthly. Cr Lawson drew attention to state of footpath at the Club Hotel. Broadway, and the matter was referred to the Overseer to attend to. In reply to Cr Mills, the Overseer stated that the work in Juliet Street was not yet quite finished, and some small work would he attended to as soon as possible. The Council adjourned at 10.20 till Monday night, when the estimates will he considered and the policy of the Council for the ensuing two years will he determined.