Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 206, 28 February 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

Stratford. Tuesday.

BOHOUGH COUNCIL.

A further special meeting of the Borough Council was held last night to deal with the steam road roller question. There were present: Mr. J. Masters (the Mayor, presiding), and Crs. Paget, J. W. Boon, Sangster, Sidney Ward, J. D. Healy, R. McK. Morison, T. Lawson, and J. McAllister. THE ROAD ROLLER. The committee set up to consider the matter reported that if the council decided to purchase a roller they recommended that either a McLaren or an Aveling and Porter machine be obtained. Last year's estimates and the actual, expenditure to date had been scheduled and laid on the table by the town clerk to enable the councillors to grasp the financial position. A DISCREPANCY. I

Cr. Paget asked an explanation of the big discrepancy between the amount of stone (crushed metal and shingle) estimated at the beginning of the yearns the amount required for the year's maintenance, and the amount actually used. There was a difference of over 1000 yards. He couldn't see; either, what had been, done with the 1168 yards which the report said had been placed on the streets.. . ... , ... .. ',' The Mayor said that Cr. Paget seemed to be urging that the full quantities estimated should be procured and used whether it was required or not. Cr. Paget said all he wanted was accurate information. Either the estimates of the requirements last year had been' ! grossly exaggerated, or the streets had been starved. He was not' imputing blame to anyone, but he wanted an explanation. The Mayor said the Works Committee's idea seemed to be that as the stone had not been required it had not been obtained. • Cr. Paget: You're proposing to spend money *>n a roller, with this statement as a basis, and this shows that you J have underspent on your streets by £BB2. No wonder you're in pocket. You don't spend the money that should be spent, but afterwards you'll have to spend half as much again. You estimated that £2069 would have to be spent; and you spend only £llß7. It was decided to obtain a report of what stone had been used during the year, the overseer to include as much detail as possible. SHINGLE AS'ROAD METAL.

Cr. Ward entered his protest against the use of broken shingle on the streets. It had'been tried in Portia street, and the small stones were all loose now. Cr. Paget moved that in the opinion of this council the use of shingle for making or repairing roads is in the present state of our information not advisable. Cr. Ward seconded. The motion was lost. STILL MORE "DISCREPANCY." Cr. Paget moved that the overseer be instructed to report on the discrepancy in the figures as noted in a previous discussion. To his mind this discrepancy bore an ugly appearance. The council wanted money for a road roller, and to find the money it seemed they were starving the streets. It was the usual plan, of course, to bring down a roseate report to make the financial position look, better. But, take away £BB2 (the amount underspent) from the £IOB2 which the Mayor claimed to have saved during the year, and they found they, were really only £2OO better <off, for the money that had been saved should have been expended. He was not prepared to accept the report as warranting the council in expending £BOO when there was a' discrepancy of £BB2 between the estimated expenditure and the actual cost of maintenance. Either the streets were being starved, or the estimates had been grossly exaggerated, he reiterated. Cr. Sangster indignantly protested against the nature of the criticism offered, and pointed out that the purchase of the road roller would save a lot of remetalling, for many streets merely needed scarifying, grading up, and re.-rolling. The Mayor said the figures complained about were not the. overseer's estimates, which had been added to by the committee. The committee afterwards found that much of the metal provided for was not required, and was therefore not obtained, in view of the fact that less stone would be required for maintenance when the council had a road roller. In answer to Cr. Ward, he said he had the assurance of the chairman of the Works Committee and the overseer that the streets would all be in good order by the time winter set in.

, COMMENDABLE ECONOMY. The Mayor said it wasn't fair to blame the overseer for being careful. Mr. Sullivan had been instructed right through the year to save every penny he could, and if he had erred on the side of great economy he was to be commended rather than blamed. They had all been working for months past with a view to finding the money for the purchase of a steam roller, and he believed that if it could be bought out of the current year's revenue it would be the finest thing that the borough of Stratford had ever done. He pointed out that £3oo'of the estimates was to pay for metal obtained and used in the previous year, but which had to be paid after March 31st. Cr. Paget said "that makes the position so much worse," and added: "This report is like His Worship's report on ( the electric light proposal. It is essentially misleading." The Town Clerk, quickly: I might say that I drew that (electric light) report, and there was nothing misleading in it. Cr. Paget: It misled me! A STEP FORWARD. The council affirmed the desirability of acquiring a, steam road roller, Cr. Paget stipulating, and the Mayor accepting the stipulation, that if it is found during the next six months the streets havebeen starved the blame shall be shouldered by those at present responsible for their maintenance. After discusing a motion to purchase a road roller, and not a traction engine convertible into a road roller, the council adjourned to enable several councillors to see the two types at work at Eltham and Manaia. Cr. McAllister opposed the purchase of a roller at all, on the ground that there would -not be enough work for it.

"HARVEST HOME." The harvest thanksgiving services at Wesley Church' on Sunday, led by the Rev. C. C. Harrison, were very hearty, and the preacher's address on "Gratitude" at the evening service was well thought out and well delivered. Fe endeavored to bring home to his hearers the necessity for expressing thankfulness for our everyday prosperity, and not to take things just as a matter of course. A harvest festival sale of workwas held to-day in the old Masonic Hall, where the ladies and other church workers set out to garner in the shekels

* * * From Our Resident Reporter * * Office: No. 3, York Chambers, Stratford. *

in order that the circuit debt of £53 might be wiped off, and the fund be started with, a clean slate for the coming year. There was a splendid display of produce and needlework for sale. The Mayor, Mr. J. Masters, who i» also circuit steward and church trustee, officially opened the sale, and ,took occasion to refer to the progress of the church, particularising the improvement made in the past three ygars, during which the Rev. Harrison had been their minister. The total liabilities on Ist April, 1909; were £585 3s 4d, being church trust £97 2s Id, overdraft at bank for parsonage £B2 Is 3d, mortgage on parsonage £320, circuit debt £B6. To-day the liability stood at only £lB6 las 6d> or a reduction I of £398 7s 10. In addition to this, they had renovated the parsonage, installed electric light, and repainted the church at a cost of over £SO. The stipend had been raised from £IBO to £2OO, and the church had decided to cease drawing the Home Mission grant of £3O a year, preferring to be independent. The balance of assets over liabilities was £1668 4s 6d. He pointed out that the circuit debt could be kept down by members contributing 2s 6d each a year for that purpose. This sale of work, with £3O cash donations, should wipe off the present circuit debt. He praised the young; people of the church for their willing helji, and also thanked the congregation! generally. j The stall-holders Were as follow:—! Fruit stall and suppers, Messrs. Maretfc and Hogg; produce and jumble, Messrs. Harkness and H. Masters; sweets, Mesdames Handley, Beira and Dillon; :home produce, Mesdames Harrison, J. Boon, and Beckett; ladies' work stall, ■Mesdames Dobson, E. H. White, and H. Masters; afternoon tea, Mrs. White's young ladies' Bible class. i

LAWK TENNIS The following team will represent the W.Y.M.I Club's s"team against the St. Andrew's B £eam on the latter's courts on Thursday;— Misses R. Everjss, E. Cameron, 'I. Hooker, B. Hart, Messrs. D. Everiss, A. King, J. Schofield, W. Everiss, H. W. Jebb and H. Wilson.'

COMMERCIAL. NEWTON KING'S STRATFORD AUCTION REPORT. At the Stratford Haymarket on Saturday there was a very good attendance. Pigs came forward in large numbers; in fact my pens were overtaxed, The enquiry was practically limited to good stores and porkers, which resulted in a drop in price for small pigs. I quote slips and weaners 7s 6d to 18s," small stores £1 to £1 ss, medium do. £1 7s to £1 13s fld, small porkers £1 lis to £1 14s, medium do. £1 19s, sows £3. Hacks. £3 ss.

Poultry.—l had a good entry of all classes of birds. Prices ruling were at par with previous sales. Killing roosters Is to Is <sd, killing hens Is 3d to ls6d, ducks Is 3d to Is 9d; turkeys, hen 3s 6d, turkey and chicks '6s 6d, potatoes '6s 6d cwt, onions 2d per lb, cabbage 2s 3d doz.-, rhubarb 6s doz.. Piano, furniture and sundries sold well. Fruit.—About 1500 cases of assorted fruit came to Hand during the week, and prices were fully maintained. Plums, Satsuma 2s 9d to 3s 6d, Ogon Is 6d tov 2» 3d, Burbank 2s 3d to 3s 3d, Diamond) 3s (Id, yellow gage 2s 9d to 3s 6d, greengage 3s fid to 3s 9d; peaches. No. 1 4e 6d to 5s 3d, No. 2 3s 9d to 4s 3d; pears, W.B.C. 3s M to 6s '6d, other sorts 2s Od to 3s; apples 2s 9d to 4s 8d; tomatoes, 3s to 6s 6d; cucumbers, 2s to 2s 6d; damsons, 3s 6d;. nectarines, 3s fid to 6s 6d, according to,size of case and quality. GENERAL At the Borough Council meeting last night it was mentioned by the representative of a machinery manufacturing firm that duty amounting to a hundred pounds or, so was payable in New Zealand on a steam road roller, but a traction engine, convertible into a road ; poller, was dutiable only in regard to the roller parts, and this duty amounted s to only twenty or thirty pounds. He remarked that it was a bit of an anomaly. "Wonderful Government, truly," ejaculated Cr. Paget. Mr. N. J. Kijg has made a start with the erection of the dress eircle at His 'Majesty's Theatre. Picture patrons will appreciate being able to sit another 20 feet or so farther from the screen, and also appreciate the better view from upstairs. This enterprise on Mme. Bernard's part must be the result of good support. The audiences seem to bo in-, creasing, too, as they should do. The Oddfellows' euchre party last night drew only a moderate attendance. Prizes fell to Master Roy Calvert and Mrs. Crofts, and the "boobies" to Bro. Harts«m and Sis. Moroney. Miss Brooking catered for the supper.

The Operatic Society is making splendid headway with the ever popular "Pinafore," or "The Lass that Loved a. Sailor," and friends are eagerly awaiting its production. "Who was speaking last?" queried the Mayor after a brief interlude in last night's Council meeting, in order to get back to business. "All of us, I think," said Cr. Morison in an undertone. Huiroa and Kiore school children travelled to New Plymouth this morning for their annual seaside picnic. If there are any "white slaves" in those districts they must have been left at home, for the children on the train were bright, alert and intelligent-looking. The Mayor was last night granted leave of absence from next Council meeting. Cr. Sangster, who had been very angry with his next-door neighbor during the evening, caused surprise by nominating Cr. Paget as Deputy-Mayor. Cr. Healy seconded. Then Cr. Lawson moved and Cr. McAllister seconded that Cr. King, a former Mayor, and senior councillor, be elected. This was accepted as an amendment and put first, being defeated by three votes to two, the proposer of the motion abstaining from voting. Cr. Paget now asked leave to withdraw his nomination, but a division was called for. Then Cr. Paget declared he didn't want the position, and Cr. King was elected, much to the relief of some councillors who didn't like the idea of selecting a Mayor by show of hands. At a meeting of the Stratford Building Society on Monday night a £3OO appropriation was secured by Mrs. Henry Hassall. Mr. C. 11. Colson, son of Mr. T. D. Colson, has been staying, accompanied by his wife, with his parents in Stratford for the past fortnight. They left on Monday homewards, Mrs. T. I). Colson going with them to spend a month's holiday in the northern eapital.