Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 247, 18 April 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

* * * From Our Resident Reporter. * <$ Broadway North., next Loan & 'Mercantile Agency Co. * * * ft*********************-*********

j STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held on Wednesday. '(Present: Crs. W. Hatha way (chairman), Thomson, ChristoffeJ, Anderson, Smith, Marfell, Walters, and Young. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer, Mr. E. C. Robinson, reported that two Government contracts on Manga and Mangaoapa roads were nearing completion. Owing to unsuitable weather, the Makuri drainage contract was going on slowly. The Mangaehu road shellroek pit was not turning out as well as had been expected. The Ohura road boulder supply contract was nearly completed. The cost of regrading and generally improving gangster's Hill, between Stratford and Toko, would be about £6lO. This work, he said, would have the effect of materially shortening the hill, easing a reverse turn near the bottom on the east side, and of practically cutting out the present hill altogether on the west side. It was the most important and necessary improvement work on the whole road, and should be taken in hand as soon as funds would permit No action was taken with regard to Sangster's Hill. ' The engineer submitted a summary of the foremen's reports from the various ridings. Roads generally were in fair order. Warning had been given to certain parties to desist from sledging on the Radnor road. Re-metalling in the south riding would commence next month. The Toko road needed re-, metalling, and work on Toko road east would be begun on Monday next. Remetalling Opunake road No. 1 was in progress. A BAD CASE, A deputation representing settlers on the Denbigh road waited on the council, and asked the council to give some assistance in improving the road, which : Cr. Rogers described as "the worst-; conditioned road in the district," and' which members of the deputation complained was so bad that with the ap- i proach of winter it would become impassable. The last mile and a half was' already so bad that it was nearly impassable, and it seemed that he would have to stop running to the creamery. The settlers had carted out about 200' yards of stone, and were each prepared to get out 20 yards each season A, loan proposal to effect permanent improvements had been rejected. The chairman endorsed the represen-; tations made, and said that the state of, the road was a disgrace. One of the deputation said that the single men residing on the road were not so greatly interested as the other settlers, and vetoed the loan proposal. The councillors went into the whole question very fully, and on the motion of Crs. Smith and Walters, it was decided to expend the penny in the £ separate rate in the best way to make the road passable. A motion that the riding members and the engineer confer with the settlers was defeated. A BOUNDARY DISPUTE. A deputation from the Eltham County Council (represented by the chairman, Mr i T. Quin, Cr. Phillips and the county engineer) waited on . the council in reference to a dispute between the two councils concerning damage alleged to have been caused to Finnerty road bv a contractor under the Eltham County Council. _ Mr. Quin briefly summed up the position, saying that a claim had been made by the Stratford Council against the Eltham Council for damage or assumed damage caused to the Finnerty road by Mr. Innes, a contractor, the claim amounting to £32. The road was a boundary road, controlled by the Stratford Council. The engineer (Mr. Robinson) gave his opinion that the claim was a reasonable one, and that no patching could put the road in as good order as it was before the contractor commenced operations. The question was discussed for over half an hour, and it was decided to allow the two engineers to arrive at a conclusion in the matter, with power to call in Mr. Climie as referee. THE PUBLIC HEALTH. Dr. Chesson. acting district health officer, requisitioned the council to have certain condemned premises pulled down, owing to their insanitary condition, and to have the sections cleaned up. —The officer had made an error in the spelling of the name of the occupier, and the council referred the matter hack for correct particulars. —Mr. Marfell warned the council that it had responsibility in this matter, and if by delay an outbreak of fever occurred the council would have to shoulder the blame. MISCELLANEOUS. The chairman was authorised to sign

the agreement with the Clifton County Council in reference to alteration of boundaries between the Stratford and Clifton counties near Matau. In terms of the resolution of last meeting, Mr. W. A. Hewitt wrote agreeing to provide £1 for £1 tp,complete the metalling of the Esk road.—The work to be put in hand. Messrs. E. Marfell, C. Bayly, and E. J. Lucena wrote with reference to metalling required on Toko road east, and offered to pay £1 for £1 up .to £l2O towards the cost of the work. A petition of Kowan settlers asked for the formation of the upper portion of the Rowan road from the end of the metal to Mr. J. N. Gamlin's section.— The work will he done provided the settlers do the stumping and find a horse and plough. It was decided to call on Messrs. Smith and Watson to clear out a watercourse from the Makuri road to the Makuri stream, in order to'.protect the road. The Department of Agriculture, in acknowledging the council's letter asking for more drastic measures for checking the spread 'Of noxious weeds, stated that the matter would be brought under the notice of the responsible officers of the Department in order that adequate steps might be taken. The county solicitor, Mr. W. G. Malone, wrote with reference to the Upper Pembroke road, stating that as i far as he could ascertain it was a county road, and not a country road, and that as it ran along the bank of a river it could not be stopped except by a special enactment of the Legislature. Acting upon a petition of the rate- • payers, it was decided to take steps to raise a loan of £240 for the purpose j of extending the metalling by 29 1 /, i chains from the borough boundary on Regan street west. An adjustment of rates on sub-sec-tions 1 and 2, section 84A, Brecon road, caused half-an-bour's debate, and in the end the west riding benefited by 10s lid. ] The chairman of the Stratford County J Council stated yesterday that during] the year just dosed the financial posi-: tion of the council had considerably improved, the overdraft having been re-1 duced from £5580 18s 9<l at March 31st, 1011, to £3597 lis 2d at March 31st, 1912.

BERNARD'S PICTURES Thursday night sees an entire change. of programme at His Majesty's Theatre. 1 Among the new films is a pathetic and romantic drama entitled "Captain J Brand's Wife," dealing with an incident l in the wild days of America, and introducing life studies of the habits of the Red Indians. "Senorita's Conquest" is the name of a story having its rise from incidents in the lives of smugglers In the Old Would, and is said to possess a wondrous charm. Nature lovers will welcome "Rhododendron Culture," and it j has only to be up to the standard of 1 previous botanical studies to instantly instal itself as a favorite. There are several other films, dramatic, comic, and ] educative, and the whole will be screened to the accompaniment of fine incidental | music bv the Elite Orchestra. i "The 'Bells," the late Sir Henry Irving's masterpiece, a drama of "enthralling interest based on "The Story of the Polish Jew," will be produced in Stratford for tlie first time on Monday even- j ing next. The picture, which intro- j duces wonderful snow and ice effects, j and sleighing scenes, has already been shown in the chief centres, and has I proved a veritable magnet. Mr. Alf. j Boothman, actor-lecturer, will speak explanatory parts. THE MAYORALTY. A mayoral election is now assured. There are two candidates, Messrs. R. McK. Morison and J. McAllister, in the field, and the merits and chances of the two men are being actively discussed. It is satisfactory to notice that each has a good record of public service, and each has lieen in the Stratford district ever since its "bush" days. They have thus, or should have, a full first-hand knowledge of the development of the town and its requirements and aspirations They face the ratepayers with a clean record in public and semi-public positions. The ratepayers have no great achievements by either candidate on which to form their conclusions, but they know of their honesty and in- j tegrity of purpose, their business capacity, that their interests are Stratford's interests, and that they are amenable to reason. The contest has not, so far, aroused any element of real ! enthusiasm—at least, none has manifested itself—but there are possibilities still of a trianguJar contest, in which there will be a fairly strenuous -week in front of the candidates'-and their supporters The nominations close at noon to-morrow (Thursday). ' ' WHEY BUTTER Mr. D. Cuddie, Dairy Commissioner, attended a conference this morning at Ngaere of the directors of the Ngaere; Lowgarth, and Cardiff cheese-making companies, in reference to the manufacture of whey butter. The Commissioner eaid that there now remained no doubt that good commercial butter could be made from butter-fat separated frem whey, and- so long as it nviinfn ; _- ' a high standard no differentiation would be made between it and, ordinary creamery butter. If the quality fell, 'however, the Government would insist on its bein,!* branded as whey butter. Mr. G. If. Buckcridge, representing a Home Arm. was present, and he informed (,he meeting that one companv had signed a contract to supply wliev butter with a guaranteed grade of 00 points, which meant that it was of first grade.

GENERAL NEW? Our Territorials, joined the special train this afternoon, ami hv this time arc encamped at Tlawera. They went off as jollv as sand-boys. The' "Rnorimental Pot" was given the rrroatost care and consideration, and tbe bull-pup's "quarters" and cover voiiltf make many a. decorative artist n '™ii iy ;il - rnvv. At tbe county pounc' l »■>.■• <"i,, f (J ] n y the engineer rpporii'l 'hat some doubt existed as to whet l '"' l.be employees I should have, bmlida'. ? jH- TCasfor, and; some of tbe pay-she■■£= ?'w-"d that the holidays had been la 1 -' m T T e for a definite ruling; on n " mailer of holidays throntrhoufc 11,r ■■■vr. lo prevent a a. recurrence 'of sii' 1, i',i'sumlcr 'idinir. It was decided to ■\" [ y- ' v> foremen four davs at Xmn» "on.' 'Mpv. and Easter "Monday. The view from the TTamlet street entrance to Kinor Par'- «|-rnck a recent visitor as hti'in one of the finest I scenic .sdimpses in anv public n-V in Now Zealand. :.. r at : '-.- hi'sh, a bend in

a boulder-strewn river, with a suspension bridge in the foreground —and improving in beauty each year —there is no doubt that there is a charm in the first view of the park. And a stroll along the shady ,j nths enhances the good opinion formed by the visitor. But the road to the park? Least, said, soonest mended. A succession of mud-holes, heaps of stone, ruts and water-courses. Fenton street west might pass for a contractor's yard, hut not as the main entrance to a park of which Stratford will some day—when it wakes up—be proud. Entries for Mr. Newton King's mart sale are advertised iu this issue. A C>-8 horse-power "Rover motor-car will be sold by auction at Mr. Newton King's Tlaymarket on Saturday. "You're always coming here, and we've given you what you asked for. What the d- more do you want?" A greeting extended to a deputation of one at to-day's meeting of the county council.