Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 246, 17 April 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

A PLEA FOR PEACE PROVES EFFECTUAL. Monday night's meeting of the Borough Council was so peaceful. Really it seemed unlike the. real thin". The only approach to a -'breeze'' came when Cr." King moval for a return showing the legal expenses incurred by the Council in conniption with the Electrical Supply Company. life object, lie said, was to show the ratepayers the amount of money which had ibecn wasted in this way. The motion was heartily supported by'Cr. Paget, who said the return should be most interesting, for the reason why all this expense had been incurred lay in the 'presence of electric light representatives at the Council table. Who they were lie would leave the public to find out.

:Cr. King: There's only one Or. Paget: Oh, no; there have been several in the past. The iMayor smilingly appealed to councillors 'to "let's have the- last night peaceful, please I" Cr. Paget, continuing, said that he bad been of the opinion that the £9B odd spent over the recent electric light loan propositi was pure waste of money, but if it was going to have the effect of pro-,. viding a muzzle 'for Cr. King on electrical (matters he would consider the money well spent. The motion was carried. BOROUGH COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING. At the monthly meeting of the Borough Council on Monday evening, there were present: The Mayor (Mr. J. Masters), presiding, and Crs. Paget. Sangster, •McAllister, Boon, Ward, Hcaly, Morison, I.awson and King. PJNK'INO, AND RENTS. The proprietors of one of the skating) rinks in the town wrote that they had wished to book the Town Hall for skating carnivals on certain nights, but the Council had made arrangements with a certain skating syndicate to use the hall. The writers continued. "We do not see why a public hall should be bound up in that way. We made our application, we believe, before any papers were signed, and don't see how you can rea-1 sonably bar us. If you don't let us have ) the hall, the only thing we can do is to consider building an up-to-date skating j rink." j

Cr. Paget, in answer to a question, was informed that Missis. .Mercer ami Drake had not signed a contract for the use of the hall for their skating rink, and wished a clause inserted giving them the sole right to run skating at the hall this season.

Cr. Boon moved that such addition be made.

Cr. Paget, who seconded the motion pro forma, said lie •would oppose the motion, for he contended that no person or syndicate should have the exclusive right to the hall at a reduced rate. If others wanted to use the hall, and were prepared to pay the ordinary scale rate, they should be able to have it, for whatever purpose—skating, dancing or otherwise. He recalled that no such concession was made to last year's rinking club, even though they gave an undertaking not to use metal rollers, which might be used in a public skating rink, and which would certainly ruin the floor for dancing. He thought that the rinking club Should be able to secure the hall this winter, if desired, of course paying the full rate. He contended that whenever any person was willing to hire the hall, and to pay the ordinary tariff, then the people having concessions must stand down.

The Mayor .said the hall had, in his opinion, been let at too low a rate. The < Council ihad to pay 2s fid each time for ' shifting seats, and 7s fid for light; so 1 there was little profit left in £1 a night, j iCr. Paget said he was prepared now '■ to engage the hall for certain nights at ! the full tariff' rate. He gave notice to ' move that, owing to Messrs. Mercer and Drake not having signed the contract on ' the terms offered to them, the matter J be again considered by the Council. iCr. Boon gave notice to move that ( clauses :be added to the terms previously ! offered, providing that the syndicate provide their own labor for moving seats, and that the hall be let to no ] other rinking concerns. ' ■HIGHER PAY. j Cr. Ward moved that the wages men ] be given an extra Is a day, and pointed out that in other boroughs 9s was the c minimum, whilst here 8s was the minimum, although in Stratford the men , were expected to do sewerage work, , water reticulation, get stone out of the i river (which was paid at Is Gd an hour in Wanganui), and even attend to blocked sewers, at the rate of a shilling an hour. This last was objectionable i work, and it had been decided years ago to give them 2s 6d an hour. (Jr. Ward said the Council had a good staff, and , they should get 9s a day. Cr. Paget, seconding pi--, forma, said be eould not understand v\v Cr. Ward should ibring the matter up in the dyisf hours of the Council. He was iiul going into the. merits or demerits of the case. j and he moved as an amendment that the matter be referred to the Estimates Committee. Cr. Nangster agreed, and seconded the ' amendment. Cr. King complained that Cr. Ward had not adopted the usual courteous course of consulting him, as chairman of | the Works Committee, under whom | these -men were working. He had heard [that ('•;. Ward had brought the matter forward with a view of seeing how the I councillors would vole on the eve of an | election. Otherwise, his object was hard to find, unless it was to gain a certain j amount of kudos for championing the j workers' cause. Cr. King added that he j believed the time had come for raising ! the wages. j The Mayor said that had he remained I on the Council he would have brought the matter forward in the beginning of the year. Cr. Ward said that when he first handed in the notice of motion to Mr. I Skoglund it was with the idea of putting j it before the. Estimates Committee, but he was given to understand that the Mayor would like to have the matter discussed this year, lie was sorry if he hail hurt Cr. King's feelings, and said he would withdraw the motion, but Cr. Paget objected, and it was defeated, the amendment being carried. Cr. Ward's motion to iner'ase the ! town clerk's salary was also referred to , the Estimates. Commitl e. '. A DANGEROUS CROSSIXC. j Mr. T. Harr-v Brown, secretary of the ■ Stratford District High School Commit-

* From Our Resident Reporter. * * ' * ♦>, Office: No. 3, York Chumben, Stratford. * * * **********<£ ********************

tee, wrote: '"'My committee lias had in view the growing danger to the children attending the school of the railway crossing in Fent'on street. Unfortunately, shunting operations were busiest just as the children were going to and returning from school, It had been suggested that a footbridge across the river on Orlando street would enable all children from the south to reach the school without using Kenton street. There are living south of t!ho river 311 children out of the 738 attending the school, so that the suggestion affects a good proportion of the school. Will you kindly bring the proposal before the Council?''

The .Mayor said that this matter had been, discussed by the Works "Committee, and its members were of opinion that a subway under the railway line would, lie the proper means of dealing with the difficulty. Supposing that the bridge were built as requested, the chances were that not half the children would go over it, and there was no way of compelling them to use it. Buikling a bridge would not do the same good that a subway would, for the latter would be of use to so many other children and people generally who had to cross the railway line. If there were a subway it Would have to be used, for the Railway Department could make it an offence to cross the line. During the Prime Minister's visit a deputation had mentioned the matter to him. The Prime Minister had recognised the danger to the children, and had promised to bring the matter Ixfore his colleagues, and also recommended them to see the Hon. Minister for Education during his forthcoming visit to Stratford.—The Mayor and -Or. King will interview the Hon. Mr. Hanan on the matter. THE TERRITORIALS. The town clerk reported that, in accordance .with instructions received at last meeting, he had written to the local territorial officers, asking them to meet the Council to discuss the qu< stion of providing drill accommodation in Stratford. H'b had also since interviewed Colonel Mal'one and Captain Lampen. .Colonel ! Malone suggested that the Council afiirm or otherwise the principle of providing the. accommodation required. If the proposition were favorably considered, he then suggested that the Council place before the Department an offer in the direction of how far they were prepared to go' in return for a reasonable rent. Colonel Malone advised that Colonel Ohayter, the Officer Commanding, would be in Hawera during the approaching encampment, and suggested that he be interviewed by a deputation from the Council with regard to the above matter. A short irregular discussion took place concerning the advisability of moving in the matter, Cr. 'Paget urging that a committee should be set up to go into all tin details, ascertain the requirements ol the defence authorities, and the tstimated cost 'of giving effect to them. Cr. Ward strongly deprecated "running after the officers." and said the defence people, should approach the Council .in a proper way and state their requirements. Anyhow, it wasn't to be supposed that the ratepayers would sanction a loan of £IOOO or £ISOO for the erection of a hall for drill purposes whilst they had a town 'hall which was going down hill. The, Government could not have much faith in the permanence of the compulsory military training system, or they would put up drill mills themselves. He would favor giving them a borough reserve as a site at a peppercorn rental.

Cr. King thought a suitable building would cost .£'3oo or €350, and if the Defence Department would lease it for 21 pars it would be a good thing for the town.

LIGHTING. •Mr. J. H. Thompson, secretary of the I Stratford Electrical Supply Company, | wrote in reference to the Council's com- j plaints that street lights were being broken by the company's employees during alterations, offering to replace any lights proved to have hien broken in this way, and stating that two lamps admittedly 'broken by the company's servants had been replaced. Re new street lights required near the Town Hall, the company would be pleased to discuss the question of street lighting between the Company and the Council in about six weeks' time (the middle of May), -by which time the new plant should be in running order. The Company further wrote that as the Town Hall had been leased for a fixed period, the rate .to be charged .for current would be at the. rate of !)d per unit, reducible to 7d insteady of sixpence.—No discussion. The Lighting Committee recommended that if the Electrical Supply Company erects a line down Warwick road and Cordelia street, the street lights asked for in that locality be authorised. Held over, pending the meeting with the Company's directors, as mentioned in the Company's letter. Cr. Songster complained of the inadequate lighting of the Regnn-.uiliet street corner.—i Left with the Lighting Committee, to rearrange the present lights or erect additional light. The town clerk subm'Hted a report comparing the cost of upkeep of street lights from September 30, 1010, to March 31,'1011, with that for the corresponding period ending last March. Eighty-six I lights in the former period cost £l3 2s, and repairs, etc., £3 Ms Id; total £l6 18s Id. Tu the second period 110 lights cost £l4 Is 3d, and repairs, etc.. £7 Lis iOd; total, £2l 14s Id. THE ABATTOIRS. The abattoir manager reported Unit during March the stock slaughtered at the abattoirs was as [follows:—-fiS cows, 20 heifers, 252 sheep. 70 lambs. 20 pigs, and 0 calves. Fees'for the month were £53 ?s 3d. Stock slaughtered during the year was: 075 cows, 237 heifers, 57 calves, 2851 sheep, 040 lambs, and 373 pigs. FIRE PREVENTION. Tlu" Fire Brigade Committee reported that, acting under instructions received from last meeting, they mm had a consultation with the captain of the brigade, and having his assurance that a tire could be suecessifuly fought from Broadway, and also having regard for the cost of 'the work required, viz.. £-107, they could not recommend the C' mieil to accede to the request contain: d in the petition to lay a Ci-inch water main in Miranda street. Further. M >:- ■omniille. considered that the m■•■-■. ■;■-, if available, would be better spent i" ■■: ■■• modern fire fighting appliances.-- .V ;t d. GENERAL. Cr. Ward moved that tlv v'ovks Com- > mitten report at ii'xt r- ','".)■'' on lb cost of a street scavi e.g-. n thin : '■'■ the style of a horse-by-- ' . :•.. ■' , ered the present scb 'it; :. . •>"- '' '. one.—Carried.

The report of the Town Hall and Band Commit tecs re the question of a bandroom was that they could not recommend , the Council to accede to the request of the baud for a piece of the Council's re- i serve in Orlando street, and had advised the band that, in the committee's opinion, they should adhere to the original , site in Teuton street west for the bandroom. ' Messrs. Percy Thomson and W. V. Wilson petitioned -the Council for a footpath in Hamlet street south, to give access : to their properties, on which buildings had just hem erected.—Referred to the Works Committee for a report. The Works Committee -will'also submit a report on the cost of extending the i sewers down Hamlet street. Mr. B. Harkntss asked the Council to carry out its promise to complete the gravelling of Juliet street out to the eastern footpath between Fenton street and Regan street.—The overseer to report on the comparative cost of shingle and broken metal. In reference to Mr. Harkness' application for a crossing, tho suggestion was made that a reinforced concrete crossing should be put in, and the overseer will consult with him in the matter. Mr. .T. Frcdric applied for tha extension of tlu; water service, to his house in Arii 1 street. —Referred to the Works Committee. Mr. Wickham complained of the unsafe state of the hoarding alongside the footpath at the Are brigade station. —Referred to the overseer with power to act. On the motion of Cr. Paget the overseer was instructed to make arrangements fie- disposing of storm water at the junction of .Juliet street and Pembroke road. Mr. A. K. (iorton, secretary of the fire brigade, wrote that a combined meeting of the Fire Brigade Committee and the Councils --ub committer had decided to apply !<: the Council for a stove, electric iijilit, iii bathroom, etc., at the station. .' '- fund of the charge for the use of th 'l'nivn Hall for the annual ball, and for tin iielion of a lire hose rack in the staiion.—After some discussion, Dr. Paget elicited the fact that the Fire Brigade Committee of the Council favored tii" "ranting of the requests, and a iniit;i'.;i w.'s caniid accordingly. A ■ -inion Hoarding the Council's powe: .o prevent cattle being left ill the s-Vv-.rd-: all night will be obtained from (OtinH'l to the Municipal Association. Tide was no discussion regarding the letter f-.smi the Hospital 'leiard enclosiiu; Ik" opinion of the Crown solicitor - ■■ the' relations of the Council and the iioard. and the letter lies on the table. Mr. I). Roibertson, secretary of the Post 'I "tartincnf, wrote: 'Tn reference. to 11-iter of the lath ultimo, urging tie- 'i w post office be erected at ■Sir,:.. I. I have the honor, by direct'o" ''iform vou that the matter is h : ■ 'e,l info." i. ' 'in