STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 241, 17 February 1911, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

(Continued from yesterday). NOTICE OF MOTION*. The chairman moved, in accordance with notice of motion, "That upon the .Stratford Electric Lighting Co., Ltd., indemnifying the Council against any claim Tor damages or loss in connection with the erection of plant or supply of current within the county, the company be granted permission to supply current and energy within that part of the county contained within a radius ol three miles from the Stratford posit office; such current and energy being supplied to the county ratepayers at the same prices as those charged within the borough of Stratford and to be of the same voltage; the above grant to expire at the same time as the borough concession to the company."—Seconded by Cr. Hathaway and carried. MOUNTAIN HOUSE TRACK. The engineer was instructed to proceed with the work of improving the track to the Mountain House on receipt of £lO contributed by the Borough Council and £7 subscribed by the public, as referred to in the letter from the Borogli Council. Cr. Thompson objected on the ground that they should assist their baekbloek settlers at Puniwhakau instead of plea-sure-seekers. The chairman said they were committed to this by a previous resolution, which agreed that if the Borough Council provided one-third, the business people another third, the Council would provide the remainder. Moreover, this track was used by residents of the county. Globe-trotters used the North and South houses.

Cr. Walters also objected on the same grounds as Cr. Thompson. Personally, he would give £1 towards' it, but not one penny of the ratepayers' money, which was needed badly elsewhere. In fact, they had refused to assist their own ratepayers.

MAS'GAEHU-PI'XrWHAKAU CLOUD BURST.

The chairman said that the meeting of ratepayers convened at Puniwhnkaii to discuss the question of renewing the dam : age caused by the cloud-burst was well attended. Cr. Maxwell was also present. The matter had been talked out, and the result had been agreeable to all parties. The settlers recognised the ursrency of the repairs and the fact that they'had to help themselves. They were very disappointed at the small Government subsidy. The resolutions passed at the meeting were that money should be borrowed from the Government by petition to renew the bridges, and that* a special rate should be struck to repair the road, and that the Stratford County, Council should be asked to define the two special areas for rating purposes. The chairman stated that those present at the meeting seemed to be a fair-minded body of men, and one or two motion* to define a rating area which would pmit the movers were not seconded.

Crs. Maxwell, Walters,' Astlmry, and the engineer retired by resolution of the Council to fix the rating areas, and, on resuming, reported that they Jiad decided to include the whole of the £!>oW> loan area, and also some sections on the Tailiore side up to the Forest Reserve, and also one of Perry's .sections, on the Mangaehu South road. This area was adopted by the Council for both the bridge loan and road rate, and steps will be taken to prepare the petitibns at oace.

ALLEGED MINISTERIAL DISCOURTESY.

At the last meeting some comment was made on the fact that the Minister for Public Works had failed to keep an appointment with the county chairman, who went to Wellington to meet him in connection with the Mangaehu-Puiiiwha-kau road cloud-burst. It was tlijen decided to Wire the Minister asking who was to blame in the matter.

Hon. R. McKenzie sent the following wire under date of January 1!):—vln reply to your telegram, owing to important business I had to leave Wellington for Christchiirch on Thursday last, and I regret if in consequence I missed' meeting the chairman of your Council." 'Some of the members stated that was only a stock reply, and the' mater 'dropped. Under a later date the Hon. R. McKcnzie wrote acknowledging recoipt. of the Council's resolution asking further consideration of the application for assistance towards the sufferers by the recent cloud-burst at Puniwhakau,' and promising to give the.matter.his early attention.

A SPECIAL MEETING. . A special meeting of the Council'was held, when a special order was instituted, authorising the raising of a loan o'f £SOO for defraying cost of draining tlie,jiew Kopua Drainage District, "out east," and setting out the special rating area for same; and also a special order striking a rate of %d to pay interest on the loan. At the ordinary meeting-later it was resolved to at once call tenders for the drainage.