STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 92, 20 July 1916, Page 7

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Stratford County Council met yesterday, when there were present: Crs W. Hathaway ■'chairman), L. Baskin, H. B. Worthington, E. Waiter, W. H. Were, .). Smith, T. Anderson, J. Christoffel, and T. Coleman. CORRESPONDENCE. J. S. Main, Douglas, wrote stating that he would be willing to give os a year for a corner on the old East Road near Mr Bredow's, providing the Council allowed him to fence same.— Granted. The Minister of Railways wrote stating that the Council's offer to erect warnirfg signals at"railway crossings would be referred to the officers of the Department.—Received.

W. J. Tristram, County Clerk, Eltliam, wrote enclosing the following letter from Mr X. B. Fryday: Will you kindly instruct the Eltham County Council ranger to proceed at once to the Kinnerty Road and .'mp mud therefrom two working bullocks. 'I hey are on the said road eontinvully, except when they are trespassing on my pro-

perty, eating my oats and turnips. They jump the fence, etc. I saw the said bullocks for the past ten days. I suppose the ranger has a friend some place,. so therefore the said bullocks can take the County for a paddock.— Referred to the County range!-. The Secretary, Anti-German League, New Zealand Branch, Hawke's Bay, wrote asking the Council to exert its influence in the passing of the enclosed proposed Bill dining the present session of Parliament.—The Chairman moved: That the Council heartily endorse the Bill—There was no seconder. Cr Walter said the matter had been over-drawn.

H. H. Sharp, Resident Engineer, P.W.D., wrote stating that he would inspect the deviation on the Kaiticke Road and report at an early date.— Received.

The District Engineer, Railway Department wrote re drains at Douglas station, informing the Council that until Mrs Watson, the lessee of part of railway reserve at Douglas, clears out the ditch through the land leased by her, nothing can be done that will enable the water to get away,—Received.

F. H. Taylor, Midhirst, applied for payment for wet and dry weather on account of the long hours worked attending to the Council's horse.—Tlu letter was.referred to Foreman Brown for an explanation. Or Baslcin said ho had brought the matter up before. Taylor had to attend the horse on wet days, on one occasion he had had to go up to the top of Radnor Road to attend to the horse. This took three hours, and he received nothing for it. The Under-Secretary, Department of Lands, wrote stating that the Department was prepared to sell anc 1 supply suitable trees to farmers who wished to improve their farms. Fruit trees or trees for planting in town lots are not supplied.—Received. M. McCullougli, East Koad, wrote asking the Council if it could arrange to get a loan to renew the old bridge leading from Fast Road to section No. 19. Mr Bonner, who is also interested, will attend the Council meeting

and explain the dangerous condition ol" the present bridge.

Cr Walter sail! the road was not dedicated i» the Council, and before th ' Council could do anything it would

Ir.'.vo to be dedicated. Cr Christofi'el moved, and Cr Coleman seco.ided : Until the road was dedicated, til ' Council could do nothing, and as soon as thi 1 road was dedicated, the Council had no objection to the raising ol" the loan. Cr Christofi'el also moved, that the County Clerk write to the Land Board and ascertain if the road was dedicated.

YV. Colson, lion, secretary Raupouha School Committee, drew the attention of the Council to the fact that a hoar is running at large on Toko Road much to the danger of the ptipil.s going to and from school.—Referred to Ranger. Mrs E. Ellis, Bird Road, wrote asking for permission to remove a few yards of clay from a cutting in front of her 'section.—Referred to Engineer with power to act. DEPUTATIONS. Mr F. W. R. Bredow waited on the Council in regard to two bridges over five-foot and eight-foot drains on the old Ohura Road. He asked the Engineer to order the timber for the bridges, and he suggested that concrete bridges he erected. The Chairman said the difference between the cost of concrete and hardwood bridges would be very little. In answer to Cr Anderson, the Chairman stated that the road on which the bridges were required was a private one, and had to bo constructed to the satisfaction of the Council. Mr Bredow suggested that the Council should pay the difference between the cost of the concrete and hardwood bridges. Cr Walter said Mr Bredow should, considering the amount of money the Council had spent on the road, erect concrete bridges. The matter was left to the Chairman, Riding members, and the Engineer, with power to act. • Mr Carroll waited on the Council in regard to the condition of Denbigh Road. The carts were up to the axles on the road. The milking season would soon .start, and the settlers wanted the road attended to before that. The Engineer said—a crusher was under order,' and should have ! been in Stl'artfwi'd by July 15th. They i would attend to the road as soon as the new crusher arrived. Mr Carroll said he wished the Engineer would send the carts along and take the metal out of his paddock.

The Chairman said the settlers on the road had given the metal, and had rendered all assistance possible. The road would receive attention as soon as possible.

Messrs S. Robinson, McCullough, and J. Neilson's representative, contractors to the Council, waited o'n the Council in regard to tho instruction given to the County ranger to impound all horses grazing on the County roads. It Mas not possible to get grazing for the horses, and they could not keep them tethered up at nights.

Cr Smith said he thought the motion passed at last meeting referred mainly to Midhirst township. The Chairman said the chief objection was that the horses wandered into the middle of the roads at nights. He recognised that the contractors were up against a stone wall. The Engineer said the contractors had stuck to the Council right throughout the season. The Chairman said he always recognised that if they were up against the contractors they would have to pay more for their metal.

Cr Were said contractors were up against it. He had seen as many as twelve lumbering horses on the roads in the Toko township. They would have to be more careful. The Chairman said the contractors :ould not get paddocks.

A member of the deputation said if the horses were impounded, the plant would lie held up until the horses wore returned. They could not get paddocks, and they may not be in any one district more than a few days. Cr Coleman said the only thing to do was to instruct the ranger not to impound the contractors horses. If the, horses did any damage, the contractors would have to defray the cost. It was decided to instruct the ranger not to impound contractors stock. RE BARCLAY ROAfi DEVIATION. The Engineer (Mr "\V. J. Lopdell) reported »« follows: 'I he proposed deviation is a straight line from the Waingpngoro to the portion formed and metalled leading on to the Pembroke Road. By adopting the new survey, it will shorten the toad (if ever it is opened) by about forty-five chains, which will more than make up the difference in the cost of the heavy block cuttings rnd fillings which will have to b« laced in the proposed deviation. The old survey crosses the same number of gulleys, only at a lower level, and hug the sidoj of same for some considerable distance which would be liable to slips

! for some time to come. Taking all ! things into account, and the unlikeli- ■ hood of either road ever being opened up, owing to the sections at back and front of the block having an outlet to the Waingongoro and Pembroke Roads, 1 cannot do other than recommend thi v proposed deviation as being the most expeditious. As to the erection of a bridge, 1 would strongly recommend the Council to insist on same being constructed in ferro-concrote. Estimate of work.—Twelve chains of formation at £3 per chain, £36; twelve chains of metalling, twenty cubic yards to the chain, 210 cubic yard.-, at 10s, £l2O ; thirty foot span ferro-eon-crete bridge, £3o3.—Total £456. The Chairman said £-160 did not include the cost of the deviation. On tiie motion of Cr Anderson, seconded by Cr Christofi'el, it was decided to recommend the Engineer's report to the deputation which waited on the Council at its last meeting. NEW TRACTION ENGINE. The Chairman reported that the sub-committee appointed to purchase a roller had bought one from the Waimate County Council. The Chairman said the Council would not have been able to purchase the engine at the price paid it' it had not- been for the good work done by the late engineer (-Mr Lopdell). The Waimate County Council had expressed the opinion that it would have paid the Council to retain Mr Lopdell's services. The Committee's action in purchasing the engine was confirmed. GENERAL.

The Chairman reported that the sub-committee appointed to meet the Eltham County Council in regard to the boundary had not met,, and asked for extension of time. A motion was passed to that effect. Foreman Brown was granted a fortnight's holiday.

The matter of procuring a horse for the South Riding was left to the Riding members with power to act.

On the motion of Cr Walter, sieonded by Cr Were, it was decided to metal three chains of the Akama Road.