Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 171, 18 January 1912, Page 3

Stratford News.

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. i MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Stratford c County Council was held to-day (Wed- 1 nesday). Present: Councillors W. Hathaway (chairman), Jas. Thomson, J. 1 Christoffel, Anderson, J. Smith, E. Mar- f fell, Walters, J. Young, and W. Rogers.\ c ENGINEER'S REPORT. The renewal of the Toko road bridge was proceeding satisfactorily, the two c piers being in, and the arch about to be 1 put over. Good progress was .being made with Makuri drainage, Mangaoapa formation, Mt. Humphries road formation, J York Toad bridge, and South riding J boulder contracts. Other contracts would! j be started at once. As instructed, information had been collected re road rollers. He had inspected * the eite of the suggested deviation on Opunake road No. 2, and estimated the ' cost of same would be about £2OO, in- J elusive of land compensation and fenc-. ine. Crushing operations were at present proceeding at York road, after which the Salisbury road work would be carried out, and the plant then moved to ( west riding. A road plough was badly needed, and he recommended that the council'procure one straight away. Dur-l' in« the month a wash-out occurred onf the Monmouth road. The culvert ,was t too small. c On the motion of Cr. Smith, the council deferred consideration of the Opunake road; deviation near the Hastings road, and the engineer will go on with the work of raising and metalling the., filling. t The council decided to procure a road f plough, Crs. Thomson, ChristofFel and Young opposing the motion on a division. The matter of reinstating the filling on the Monmouth road was discussed. The road finances were not in a position j to bear the cost. The chairman said the t settlers could do without the filling, but t the through stock traffic and cream cart traffic would be blocked. It was a case for assistance from the speeial.filnd. c but that fund has been depleted—The g work is to be But in hand. • j. (FOREMEN'S REPORTS. . t The north riding foreman (West side) a reported that he would' Have sufficient I metal till ,next season.. Rfc-foetalling was t in progress on York rokdV'lTh'e foreihan t on the east side reported on 'repair work. The south riding foreman reported f roads in fair order. A -small pipe cul- i: vert had been put in -ofl'rthe'-Sole road 1 and a wooden one on the' Mountain road. 1 [ The east riding'forerfidn feported that) the metal was loosening up oil'the Ohuta J road, but the BeaconsftfelA road was c much worse in this respetft. The nil- t metalled portion of AMroi rovl had been reformed, and was now lft'firat-class order. The west end of the WaS'Ve-' I quired a good deal of attention. In c spite of numerous cul verts in,, Bell's g hill still scoured out . after, each r:,in. r The metalled portion., of ( the < road was t completely worn out, and- ,thej» was not . a yard of maintenance metal on'it any-) where for patching. Beaconsfield road t needed 30 to 40 yards .of.anetal- near the. I north end of his length.-. e The east riding (Douglas) foreman re-' r ported sets of pipes had-been, put in on the Maikuri and Ohura joa'ds, The Huiroa foretaan reported on general road « wock. Drains on Mohakau'Toad, were •in t urgent need of cleaning out. This would 1 take a fcouple of men..some -weqks to J clear them. andj f Akama roads required'. courses to give In the west riding tfte. cleeks of -the r Kapuni -and Kaupokonui '. bridges had- v been tarred. Portions of. J3rooks road y had been .formed ready" for- .metalling. Metal on' Brecon road, wp.s... wearing very ® thin. A track had beep- ma,de. in,to Ma- ' ngatoki stream to o.btaitt pjetal'for that locality. J In the Mangaehu, riding .slips- had ' been cleared off the MajjgaebU, • Tutu- . tawa and Pnniwhakaur rQads„ f; and the 1 roads generally > Taihqre, road c was again blocked for . traffic, having, c slipped away for about Ifylf a" chain, in one place, and been blocked, "by three slips in other places.. It''would take about £2O to clear it for ligljt traffic. The east riding members' will confer with the settlers on the Ahuroa road on the matter of obtaining inoney. for re- ; pairing the road. " The matter of cleaning' put flraiss on J the Mohakau road referred to the engineer. J The slips on the Taihore xoad are to : he cleared. ... °i the motion of Cr. Marfell, £5 was 1 nutlnrwed to be spent pn Heao road, at J the bark of TTuiroa. ' , COMPLAINT ABOTTT A .PIG-STY. '] i Mr. W. T. Pearee complained of some j pig-styes belonging to a man on the Ahuroa road. These were a dreadfifl ' nuisance to all who'had to pass there. I They were lmilt right 'on the-roadside, and the bnrrels containing the pig'feed in them had to stand-on the road. The , J stench was dreadful, for there -was no drainage, and the fifth lav rotting: in a | blind swamp along the front of the sec- ! tion. Mr. Pearee said he* had written to the secretary of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, but received 'no reply. Cr. Marfell reported that the matter had been before the Hospital Board, and its inspector had reported that the place had been attended to. Cr. Walters, however, said he had had a complaint about it just a' few days .ago. Councillor? di=eussed the Unsatisfactory state of affairs now existing, owing to the failure of the central authorities to gazette ib(> Order-in-Council conferrinir on the hospital hoard the local authority's powers under the Health Aft. The matter was referred to the chairman. THE HOSPITAL BOARD. The Tnspectoi'-Ceneral of Hospitals, through the Hospital Board, asked the Council's opinion regarding a suggested revision of Hie representation of the county on the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid lioard. Under the proposed allocation the. Stratford County would have live representatives: Stratford Borough, two; and Whangamomona County, one. In the Stratford County it was proposed that the East and Mangaehu riditics would have two members, South Hiding, West Riding and 'North Ridint'. one each. In the di-<n--ion several members expressed the opinion that the allocation i proposed was very fair, but they pre- .. ferred the o!il system, under which members were appointed by the contributing local authorities. Cr. Thomson moved that this Council is of opinion that the contributing local bodies should have the power of appointing their own representatives on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board; and that if this could not be done the Council would prefer a riding represen-

* From Our Resident Reporter* * * *

tation on the board as suggested.—After irregular discussion this was withdrawn. Cr. Maifell moved that the Council favors representation over the whole county and not on the riding basis.—Cr. Walters seconded. Cr. Thomson's amendment, a direct negative, was carried, that the Council favors riding representation in preference to county representation. TENDERS. The tender of W. E. Hills for 500 yds of boulders on the Ohura road, at £llß 15s, was accepted. REVISION OF BOUNDARIES. Messrs. S. Kennington and H. Sander, members of the Ngatimaru riding of the Clifton County Council, waited on the Council with a view of readjusting the boundaries between the two counties. Crs. Walters and Marfell, members of the East Riding, were appointed to confer with the deputation and the county engineer (Mr. E. C. Robinson). They presented the following report, which was adopted unanimously, Cr. Walters reporting that the conference had been most amicable, the delegates on both sides having mapped out the same aTea for transference frqm county to county: "That the present boundary fcetwsta Stratford and Clifton counties be altered by the inclusion of sections 11, 12, 18 and 22 of block '5, Ngatimaru S.D., and sections 44, 45, 37, 38, '39, 40, 41 and 42, block 6, Ngatimaru, in Clifton, instead of in Stratford County." MISCELLANY. Hon. R. McKenzie telegraphed that he was enquiring into the matter of expenditure of Government grants, and would communicate with the Council again as early as possible. A further telegram was received that* the Minister was enquiring into the matter of- the Mangaehu Village) road. The Assistant Under-Secretary of Pub« lie Works wrote as : "Referring to your letter of-21st ult>, in which, at the instance ■ o| j the Stratfqrd County Council) you- make application fof a small grarit-'-for a portion of York road,- T have to state that the application has been further considered by the Minister,- but, in view of the fact that the road -is "an unimportant one, in an old settled district, he regrets tliat he is unable to £omp]y with- the request to provide a grant for improving x,ne road." J ■ The Assistant Under-Secretary wrote further that the claim for £ls for clearing slips on tiie Manga road formation under Government'- contract had beeij : passed'for paytiierit. Mr. S. J. application for 30, yards of crushed metal whilst the crusher -was'at .th'&'Kapiihi was referred to the engfme&f aid riding members. ' Cr. Smith' nffrv-ed, 'h'ccoMing to notice, 1 "That £6O ; be 'grafted from the West Riding special fjflttd for re-metalling part of the ,South Ha&tfings road, on' the ground is' practically a main road, and that; a-'factory is situated thereon." •'•''■■•p • - . Cr. Anderson seconded. Mover, and ■ seconded pointed out that the side-roaefs Between the Opunake ant Elthanj pads 'were'-bearing a lot of "foreign traffic.''' 1 ! They f were really main roads. 1 ■' The rrjotion- ftaS' 1 carried. The engin&ef \fcis authorised to expend, £7O on I the 'GaWiff-Waingongoro road, the MidhirSt Dairy Company 'contributing £lsj the settlers £§o, and '£3s .to be taken frork ihfe'Wfet Riding special fund. t The cliairiYiah*'Hiov6d''that Kent Terrace, be'' tredted < as a main road, as' it cartffe'd' general traffic and was £7l in debt,' Whilst its'annual revenue' was only'£3 'SSI(Jd.—Carried. The enjginefer wds'instructed to report on the condition -tof McColl's suspension bridge on tirt cJtfjWfaefiu riding. It was' dooTdfedftt)'jfOqiiest the Railway Department' tot-clear "-out drains, etc., at the DougjlaS'.'sHaiti-on: • • '' The attention:'"of the. noxious weeds inspector; wilL be\" drawn to the spread of blackberry? ihi;various'parts of the country. EAST IIGMONT .MOUNTAIN HOUSE. IMPROVEMENTS GOING ON. : Mr. R. McK v Mojisp(i, a member of the National >?ark Board, waited on tile StraifoidjCotiyity Council yesterday, and requested jthat 'jthe,Council vest : in that Boafd tjiat .portion of the Pembroke road running from Mr.'Feaver's property to the Fbrest Reserve. He pointed out that at' present the road there was not good; and the Board would improve it, so asj to facilitate tourist traffic to the EastiEgmo,n£ Mountain House. He pointed «that between the road and the riven was jv- road reserve, and the fencing i'as troublesome business. The chairman of the Council said that he and

his colleague in the north ridi*g, Cr. Rogers, were quite agreeable to hand over control of the road as suggested, but the matter was deferred for further enquiry.

! Mr. Morison mentioned to the Daily 1 News reporter subsequently that when [ this vesting was completed, and it would I be good business for the Council to comply with the request, the Board would I have some chance of coping with the stock trespass nuisance. At present it was quite impossible to keep out these cattle -during the winter months, and they did great damage to the tracks. ENLARGING THE HOUSE. Mr. Morison also informed me that he had just returned from the Stratford Mountain House, whither he had been with Mr. J; : D. Healy, architect, with a view of preparing plans and estimates of the cost of enlarging the house by the addition of a new dining-room and suck bedroom acoommodation as can 'be done out pf the funds available, nearly £loo.' Road work is to be put in hand almost immediately, and it is hoped that in a' couple of weeks' time, given favorableweather, it will be possible to ride in a motor-car as far as the house. BOWLING. STRATFORD v. WEST END.' Our bowlers will play a match at New Plymouth to-morrow (Thursday) against West End, and will be. represented by Newton, Ward, Porritt, Curtis, Jackson (2), Masters, King, Penn, Morison, Smart, McDonald. GENERAL NOTES. "I have had complaints from a number of settlers re "bullocks working for the Council being at large. As far as I can learn, the contractors are offering any price for the grazing, and are unable to Obtain it. • They are prepared to pay for any damage. I have tried not ■to be too hard (in them." Extract from the county ranger's report. Settlers naturally complain when their cattle are impounded, and the contractors get the use of the "long acre" free and untroubled. But; if the. contractors have to dry feed their bullocks aiid horses, up will go 1 the cost of metal contracts. That's certain. j

The -County Council has decided to purchase a steam road poller and scarifier at a post of between' £BOO and £9OO. It has been, pointed ojit that the resolution carried at the-special meeting on Saturday was not, as stated by Cr. Thomson, merely ji repetition ~o£,a -rejjplution passed several years ago. This old resolution, which was passed on the motion of Messrs. Thdmson and Mackay on July 19, 1905, was as follows: "That councillors, with the foremen, prepare estimates of-cost of road maintenance, etc.', fofr tlie ensuing year, to be in by next meeting." A settlers desires to draw the attention of the local body td the -fact that, the' decking on the Swansea road bridge is laid'longitudinally, and it is stated that stime of the nuts are dangerous for. light wheels. Mr. L. Buchler has been appointed '.assistant master at the Stratford District High School, Miss Irene Dewhirst third-year pupil teacher, and Miss Gernlioefer probationer. .There was.an "incident" at the ra'il- , way .station this morning. A man was leaving iwithout satisfying his board account in full. Landlord and lodger grew very 'syarm. Constable Bleasel cast oil on the troubled waters, and the departing guelt cast the eighteenpence at the persistent collector. Then the train .mo.ved- Out, and the lodger wltlj it. ; G,oods- traffic on the railway w very heavy just now. '

At' the Chamber of Commerce meeting oil Tojesday the secretary, Mr. J. B. Richards, furnished a report on what had been done in the so far unsuccessful /effort M secure uniformity of half-holi-days throughout * H? _ ijegf felted that ,his reply "to Mr. H. Wilson in the Tarftnaki Daily News had not been published in full. The executive en-1 dorsed the secretary's action in all that ] he Jva,icone in this connection. The s»ratf ord. Club on Monday evening a presentation to Mr. A. C. Jones, of the National Bank staff, who has ibeen'i transferred to Wellington. The presentation took the, form of a travelling bag,Vajjd! v was made; by Dr. Carbery, .vice-jjresjdent. Mr. Jones left this morning. .for Wellington. The 'Chamber of Commefce executive on Tuasflay evening appointed/ Messrs. .Richai'(|sj andrKirkwood to meet the Government cinematograph operator when he visits; Sfratfdrd shortly to secure pictures of jMount Egmont, the dairying industry, and local scenery. This visit has been} promised now for quite a long, time, .'i % <*• At a'meeting of the Horticultural So- 1 ditty's e: :eiutive' on Tuesday, evening arranged: its were inade for the forthcoming auti mn -show on February 22 and 23. .This is a week later than originally fixed, 'th| Society not caring to compete against? iWirth's Circus. Judges' and steward were nominated, and will be written to .asking tljem to accept the position^ It is reported with some degree of authority that Mr. W. Abbott has purchased |he Toko Hotel, the business having ibeen negotiated by.. Messrs. Young, Hobbs & Co. .1.- ■