STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 263, 16 March 1911, Page 9

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

f MONTHLY MEETING. 1 The monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held yesterday. 1 There were present Crs. Marchant ia (chairman), Thomson, Christoti'el, Astbury, Maxwell, Marfell, Walters, I'orritt and Hathaway. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. E. C. Robinson) reported, inter aila, that he had inspected Akama road and found that the £IOO credit would be sufficient to put it in good order as an unmetalled road. If, however, it was proposed to metal it, the whole length would require re-formation at a cost of from £2OO to £3OO. Without metal to follow such extensive earthwork would, however, be unnecessary. The crushing of maintenance metal for the various roads in West riding had been completed, and the schedule of cost would show that this was the most successful season they have yet had. The bridge over wash-out on Mangaehu road, near Puniwhakau, was completed shortly after last meeting, and the metalling contract on Mangaehu and Puniwhakau roads will be completed in from three weeks to a month. The West riding foreman is to have charge of the Patea. river bridge. The riding members stated that the Akama road settlers were in favor of borrowing the necessary money for formation and retaining the £IOO credit for future maintenance. The engineer's report is -to be forwarded to settler? interested in the matter. It was resolved to authorise the construction of the second bridge on the Puniwhakau wash-out as soon as the loan proposals are in proper order. deputations. Mr. Green, of the firm of Green and Beattie, contractors for shell-rock on the Stanley road, waited on the. council' and stated that according to specificaI tions they had to repair any damage done to the road by carting over it. Owing to one piece being worn when they started, they had to use 200 yards where 30 yards should have done." This cost over £7O, and he asked that half should be refunded them. The engineer stated that the piece of road was now better than before the contract started, and the council decided to re-imburse the contractors to the amount of £25. ! Mr. Barleyman asked that a bridge ■ on the Mangaotuku road, near Tututawa, should be raised by 2ft He was willing to find portion of the money.— The engineer is to estimate the cost of the w#rk. Mr. J. Godkin asked for some Improvements on the Manga road.—Councillors were of opinion that this road was under control of the Land Board. It was therefor? resolved to ask the Land Board to expend £lO on the road. MAKURI DRAINAGE, j Ratepayers of the proposed Makuri drainage area petitioned asking that Mr. E. C. Robinson be appointed to classify the land required to make up the area. In the event of the loan not being carried, they guaranteeed to refund the exj peases.—Effect -is, to be given to the petition. PUNIWHAKAU CLOUD-BURST. The Public Works Department acknowledged receipt of the letter from the council conveying a resolution urging that additional assistance should be j granted towards repairing the damage caused by the cloud-burst in -the Puniwhakau district The letter stated that the Minister had given further consideration to the application, but regretted that he was unable to grant any additional assistance. DERBY ROAD. Mr. P. S. Whitcombe, secretary of the Taranaki Education Board, wrote asking the council to contribute towards the cost of making a track along the Derby road to enable children from the Radnor road to attend the Denbigh road school. The cost of making a six-foot track and bridging the streams with culverts or wire swing bridges would be £7O. It was resolved to inform the Board that the settlers proposed raising a loan, to make this road, provided they could get a Government subsidy, and to suggest that the matter be held over until it is seen whether such subsidy will be forthcoming. It was also resolved to ask the Education Board to support the settlers' application for a subsidy. 01IU.RA ROAD. The Wliangamomona County Council wrote re the commission which was to have been held by Mr. W. S. Short at . Stratford on February 14, 1911, to enquire into the dispute between Stratford and Wliangamomona County ' Councils concerning the apportionment of maintenance of part of Ohnra road. They pointed out that the Wliangamomona County Council had agreed to pay the sum of £2OO, which sum the Stratford County Council had agreed to accept, in full and final settleenint of all claims in respect of damage done to that portion of Ohura road from Douglas to the county boundary; this payment also to be in full settlement of any claim which the council may have or claim to have for future maintenance. Oil the motion of Cr. Marfell it was resolved to point out that this letter went further than the agreement arrived at between the Stratford Countv committee and the chairman of the Wliangamomona County Council, inasmuch as it was never agreed that no future claim could possibly arise, and that they be asked to confer with a view of arriving at a precise agreement in writing. Seconded by Cr. Walters, and carried. I GENERAL. 11l response to a deputation from Mr. Scott it was resolved that the foreman inspect the Croydon road south, between the t.wo stretches of metal, and report on the cost of rendering it passable for traffic. The engineer is to report at next meeting on the pipe requirements for the whole county. It was resolved to expend another £3 Os Sd on the Upper Pembroke road Mountain House track (making a total of £10), providing that another £3 is donated by an outside sourc-e. This with the Borough Council's £lO and the £7 donated by members of that body would give £3O to be expended on the track. The North riding members were appointed to negotiate for purchase of a horse-paddock at Midhirst. The State Guaranteed Advances office wrote finally approving of a loan of £IOO for the Cross road. One tender was received for metalling the Mangaehu road, but was declined, being too high. The engineer is to endeavour to arrange for metalling from the East end, failing which tenders will be called again. -T. A. Stanford, ITuiroa. complained that, .the (county foreman had ordered j |)iok /and.jshovel handles, hammers, and nails, "efefc-./from Stratford, instead ol procuring them locally as formerly.— Letter "-sreieived. Mr. Harkness, Midhirst, is to be sup plied with necessary pipes for drain providing he supplies the labor. Mr. W. Ogier. clerk to the Moa. Roar Board, drew attention to the dangereui

state of the bridge on the Surrey road, which was under the council's control. The bridge required immediate attention—Matter is already in hand.

Accounts to the amount of £2064 were passed for payment.