STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 369, 21 April 1910, Page 7

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the Stratford' County Council was held at the Council Chambers yesterday. There were 'present: Crs. (i. A. Mareluaiifc (chairman), W. 11a(,1mway, G. M. Por- | ritt, l'i Walter, E. Marfell, J. Thomson, J. ChristoU'ell, D. L. A. Astbury and D. Maxwell. TAIHOEE ROAD METALLING. | The chairman (reported that at a com j mittee meeting the tender of C. McPhee was accepted for metalling Tni I liore road at a cost of €7 10s per chain This was rather high, but material wa» difficult 'to get, and moreover there wa9 a danger of the vote lapsing. RADNOR ROAD BRIDGES. The engineer reported that the ti'.st bridge two a,nd a half miles up this road was practically rotten. It could be irebuilt in concrete at a, cost of from £125 to £l5O. The second Oridge, louri miles up, was also in a very bad si ate. It could be rebuilt in concrete ;:c- a cost) of from ±'-100 to £125. He had inspect-, ed these bridges eighteen 'month* ago -and the 'position had not improvii since then.

Cr. Porr.itt moved that the bridges be erected in concrete. This was scosnded by Cr. Hathaway and carried 1 . An understanding was also given that a separate rate would be s'truck for this wheal tlhe general rate was. st.-'uck.

OUTSTANDING RATES. The chairman reported t'hat tiiare were 144 outstanding ratepayers, %he amount of whose arrears was. a little ov-r j:10'-0 this year, and £2OO last year, f e latter amount he litvd given t lie cierk instructions to sue for at once. In regaid to the other amount, the cierk had received numerous offers io [.ay. To-day was factory pay dav, and several might .pay -uip. He propn.d lr. a few days ot draw lots and sue one-third of the defaulters at once, and the otlieis in -batches later on. as 144 summonses were too many to -put in at otici. Cr. Thomson said the Couc.-i] 1.-aj only 'themselves to blame. Tf they lifi.l been 'firmer they would have been much better off. He did not see tlie advantage of paving a -solicitor 5 per eei-.t, to collect the money. j

Cr. Astbury said ratepayers chould be in a good position t.o pay now, batterfat is at liy 2 d in many places. The overdraft, 'however, stood at -)V.-r £4Ol-0, and the position was bad. i'lie ci l airman's action was approved.

10 PER CENT. PENALTY,

A lady waited on the 'Council in u--j ga.rd tc the 10 -per cent, penalty, ?nd asked for a remission of the amount.: She understood from her solictor 1 bet j all :the rates had been paid w'aer. she-1 purchased tilic property in and' was surprised when she .foun-'l inat. t'.-! rates were not paid. She at once j.a'cl them. TJio amount o f the p-nnlt/ was 83s. The chairman' said it wis evidently ( a mistmdorstandisig between her soiici-l tor and herself. Two other applhxti.ns foir remissions were also received, 'me stated his neglect was tlirou.pt the rick-, ness of his brother, who attended to i:is business. After some discussion theCoirocil expressed regret, but had no power to grant the applications undei j the circumstances. i DEPUTATIONS. —Damming Streams. —

}lr. A. J. Smith, Cardlilf, asked «Jie Council's permission to erect a. dam on a small creejc through, his property to enabled him to work a Hutcheson pump for a milking machine he was putting in. He was prepared to indemnify the Council against any damage that might result to the Council at any time. There were already two others danis on the creek—The Council granted him permission to erect a dam at his own risk, subject to any future regulations of Council. The chairman said it seemed to him that the time was near a;t hand when the 'Council would have to :te something to preserve its own interests and the interests of other ratepayers He 'had "considered the mutter a little, and thought that it would be 'better to charge a small license fee and ihave the engineer report on the state of these dams periodically. There were now three dams on this creek, and .possibly later on there might he eight or nine. If the >top one burst at flood time it might he the means of the others carrying away, and causing serious damage. j Cr. Thompson was in favor olf the' Council obtaining an indemnity from 1 those who erected darns, instead of t'ak-. ing any (responsibility themselves. I

—Douglas Drainage.— I Messrs. St. George, liart and Lawj (Douglas) waited on the Council with, a scheme for straightening the Toko creek to save Hooding,, at a cost of £53(5. instead of forming a Drainage Board, which was nearly as expensive as the work, they asked the Council to take it over and raise a loan for tlhe. work. !

The chairman questioned if the Council had power to do this. Cr. Walters stated the cause of the trouble was the drainage of the railway. This threw more water into the creek, and the culverts were not large enough to carry it. Mr. St. -George said the settlers were quite unanimous on the matter, and considered tihe Council had the power. Tliey were willing for a loan of t'GOO, so as to cover cost of administration. !

Ir. Wallers moved that the opinion of Council's solicitor be obtained as to whether Council 'had power to raise a loan, and if so steps 'be taken to raise it by petition. This was seconded by Mr. Marfell and carried. NOTICE OF MOT FOX.

Cr. Walters gave notice to move at next meeting that all revenue accruing and all expenditure incurred on the fundern:fiU'!iOned t'elads • tr'oni t|he w>list March la-;t be placed to a special account. and that the Xiorth Hiding and South Riding eai-li contribute one quarter olf the deficiency, if any. on each years working. Olmra road, from boir ou-gli boundary to Skinnier road, Beaconsfieid road, from Obura road to riding boundary, and Skinner road, from Ohuira road to Skinner road bridge. FOREMAN'S REPORTS.

D. Drown, foreman North Riding, reported that a culvert on the York road had fallen in 011 a deep tilling, and re quired about (10 feet of tunnel. The Monmouth road was breaking up 'badly, and the crusher was urgently required; otherwise hand breaking would be needed. He had also attended to the Mountain. Flint and Denbigh roads.—A •newhorse. drav and harness is to be purchased!. a«" his was transferred to the East Riding. J. Kovaleski (North Riding East).— All roads under his charge are in fair order, except Stanley road east, 011 which large lumps of shell rock were protruding. There was no maintenance metal on' the road. He suggested that the metal be nicked up and broken. The drain at J. Kovaleski's bad been cleaned out. Half a mile of the Stanley road cast is to be broken up as suggested.

Mt. Harme.ll is to be instructed to cleanhis drain forthwith, and failing it being commenced wiith a fortnight the foreman is to do it. It was also 'resolved to call upon Mr. Priest to clear out his drains in connection with a. demand received.

G. Parker (South Riding). —All iroads in good order. A culvert on the Warwick roadl required- renewing, as did three on the Mountain road below the C'heal road. —Work to be done.

| L. Roberts (East Riding).—New metal an East road 'had set well. 'Die Alwiroa iroad was nearly completed, but a bridge oil it was in. a very bad state. The saddle on the road was bad. It required a large expenditure to make a ip.ro.pei- job of -it. The engineer is to see to repair of Ahuroa bridge and report to Council if it requires renewal. F. C. Galto-n (Douglas).—Has been attending to East road lately. He had got- the 'horse and dray from Midhirst, —A shed is to be provided for the horse and harness.

Geo. Hills (Hui.roa).—Roads in fairly good order. He .had spent some time on Ma.haka road. He would like to know hi,s boundary line. The bad weather was ■preventing Brooking from metalling the Akama junction, so they were working from both ends. They lmd over sixty chains more on this end tihan the other. It would be useless to carry on the North- Douglas road' filling in tfliis unsettled weather. He suggested it be ldft till .next spring.—Foreman is to be instructed not to do anything further to the filling. R. Robinson (West foreman). —Twen-ty-fonir chain had been, remetalled on Opun-ake road. —Chairman's action to authorising work on Hastie road was confirmed.

J. Savage (•Mangaehu)The recent rough weather ha-d brought down a. lot of trees and a few slips. He had, however, cleared t-lie.ni all for traffic. EXPENDITURE OF ROAD GRANTS. In reply to n letter from the Council that the Council could not see it way: clear to undertake the expenditure of grants for road works except Noble's ■bridge and Taihorc .road, unless an al-i lowance is made of ?y 3 per cent, fori engineering and other expenses, the Under-Secretary of Public Works wrote that the conditions imposed are the, same as 'have been imposed on every' other local body to whom grants have been entrusted -for expenditure, and the. .Minister is unable to .make any exception iin -regard, to this Council. The] matter of the expenditure by departmental officers of the votes for the three works declined, will receive the Minis-j ter's consideration. EUliani County Council also wrote, 1 asking the Council's views upon the. c|uestion of the cost of administering the Government grants to road not being dharge-d against the loan, and also asking whether they favored a conference of the local bodies or independent, action 'being taken. It was resolved to inform Elt'ham Comity Council that this Council sym i .pat'hised with them, and suggested tint the matter be discussed at the fo"'ieoming Counties' Conference. i

MATAU ROAD. Copy of Order in Council declaring part elf Ma-fcvu township to Mangaopa road a county road was received from the Public Works Department.

A letter was also received from N. J. Stockley, asking for repairs to this road from the Mamgaoapa road to the old Te Wera roaxl, which is .almost impassable owing to slips, etc. He estimated! the cost of clearing it at £2O. — The Council decided to ask the Department to put the road in order before (handing it over.

TAIHOR.E ROAD. The engineer was instructed to do what was in reason in connection witu clearing slips, etc.. and making Taihore road passable (for traffic. WAIPUKU BRIDGE.

The Under-Secretary of Public Works wrote, in reply to Council's, letter re the above .mentioned bridge: "Will you kindly supply, at your early convenience, a statement of the reasons why you consider that the bridge should be vested in the Council. It is 'assumed from youir letter that your Council will wholly maintain the structure. Will you please state definitely il this is so, and if not what proportion of the cost your Council considers should -be equitably borne by your Council and the Taranaki County Council respectively. I am also to ask whether or 110't any effort has been miade to induce the Taranaki County Council to agree to the control of this structure being vested in the Stratford ■County Council."—Crs. Hathaway, Porlitt and the chairman were enrpoweyed to frame reasons and -forward! the same. WUAXCA.UOMON A COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Wiiamgumomona County Council stating that ihialf the balance due on adjustment under terms of agreement between the two councils, viz., £073 8s Bd, was now due, it was resolved that the amount be paid.

The same Council -also asked the Council to a.pply to the Treasury for the balance off loan, monies in connection with the Makahu-MaTigaehu, Brewer and

other roads loan of £3BOO. —Loan is to be applied for. SQUATTING ON ROAD.

J. A. Stanford complained about the dog mwsanse on the Makuri road. The owner had been -ordered to move last month or so, but so far he had not shifted. —The chairman stated that he diil not care to take any action without legal -advice. A resolution was passed that the matter be left in the chairman's hands to obtain legal advice in the matter.

SURREY ROAD. J. E. Say well asked' for 5 1 /» chains of metalling on the Surrey road, ami offering to do the work of forming and metalling the road for £3 per chain, and 'also offering to repair two chains of metal road free. —The engineer is to arrange with 51-r. Saywell to do the work to the engineer's satisfaction.

RATE OF INTEREST. The chairman ami clerk were appointed to interview the bank officials with view to seeing if they could not now o'b'laiiu the money on more favorable terms.

GENERAL, llr. Hector Gray is to be asked to clear out iluis creek in the neighborhood of Midhirst cemetery, so as to allow of drainage being carried! out. The matter of painting the exterior of the Council Chambers was left with the chairman.

Quinu Bros, wrote stating that itliev had let a. contract for removing tram en Radnor road, and asking what tram Council referred to in the resolution 'imsised last menting.—lnformation to be supplied.

The Council is to execute Syme's tramway license at ITuiroa.

A. Outhiberfcson's offer to collect dog tax at half fees was accepted. W. T. Simpson asked for information in connection with the loan on the Mate 11ateaonga bridge.—Clerk to reply. W. Hannah is to be informed that the work authorised cm the Flint road is to be gone on with immediately.

Olias. Watehorn, Puin'tWlinfcau. asked that S'/o chains between the Puiiiiwhakau bridge and store should be metalled. The amount of special rates already collected oil' his PiHiiwhakau ■|;roperty, would be sufficient to cover the cost. — Mr. Watciiorn is to be asked to attend next meeting, when the matter will be explained. Stratford l Borough Council asked if the Council would contribute iialf the cost of improvements on Swansea, street, estimated to cost t'2s. —The Borough Council is to be asked to allow the matter stand over for a year, owing to un-linaiK-ial state of road. ACCOUNTS.

Accounts to the amount of £2835 13s lid were passed for payment.