Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 273, 15 May 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

Stratford, Tuesday. WHAT IS COMING? THE STREET LIGHTING AND THE COMPANY. "Coming events cast their shadows before." At Monday night's meeting of the Borough Council the Electrical Supply Company foreshadowed their intention to milk the municipal cow with greater effect. A month ago the company notified their desire to make fresh arrangements regarding street-lighting, consequent upon the installation of the new plant, which enabled the company to put the street lighting on a circuit separate from private lighting. At Monday liJL'ht's meeting the company wrote as follows: "We have to inform you that the company intends to charge the higher price for current for the Town Hall, and that the notice given in the company's last letter was given so that the Council could protect itself when i making arrangements with its lessees." A motion by Cr. King, appointing the J Mayor and Crs. Ward and Boon a com- j mittee to confer with the company, was | lost in favor of an amendment that no action he taken, as the hall had not been I leased in any shape or form. The amend- j ment was moved by Cr. Healy. ' The mention of the higher tariff at the Town Hall, coming on top of an expressed desire to confer with the Council regarding re-arrangement of the lighting contract, is ominous.

STRATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING. At the Monthly meeting of the Stratford Borough Council on Monday all the councillors were present. The Mayor, Mr. W. P. Kirkwood, presided. SPECIAL MEETING. It was decided to hold a special meeting on Wednesday night to discuss the Mayor's loan proposals. SKATING AT TOWN HALL. Cr. Paget moved, according to notice: That fhe resolution passed at a special meeting on March 19, letting the Town Hall to Messrs. Mercer and Drake for skating, he rescinded. The mover pointed out that the hirers had not accepted the Council's terms, but wished an amendment. He objected to anyone being given the sole right to use the ratepayers' 'hall for skating, even private skating evenings being barred.

Cr. Sangster seconded. The motion was lost, after a long debate. Cr. Boon moved, according to notice, that the following words be added to the resolution passed at a special meeting on 19th March letting the Town Hall to Messrs. Mercer and Drake for skating: 'The hall not to be let to any other nerson or persons for skating and that they remove and replace the forms as required."

An amendment was moved by Cr. Paget, and seconded by Cr. Ward: "That the hall be only let to other persons for private skating at the ordinary tariff, and Mercer and Drake to be compensated to the extent of ten shillings, and that it be let to private persons on afternoons at the same rate as let to Messrs. Mercer and Drake on the afternoons not used bv them."

This was lost, and the motion carried.

Cr. Paget moved, and Cr. Healy seconded, and it was carried: "That stone be not used on the floor, and no metal skates." The mover stated that a stone was being used to roughen the floor, and must seriously damage it. THE LIBRARY AND READING ROOM

Cr. Paget moved that the report brought down in January by the Library Committee, and deferred for consideration till after the end of the financial year, be adopted, with the view to having provision for the alterations placed on the estimates. Cr. Paget complained that the library and reading room were antiquated in their furnishings and of very little use. A librarian was absolutely indispensable. He pointed out that if a subscriber wanted to select a book he or she .required a librarian to advise upon it, and that librarian should foe in touch with the latest literature. The system of filing the newspapers was antiquated. The papers should be hung on the wall, and the room occupied by the newspaper stands used to better purpose. The ■ Library Committee estimated" that £4O a year would be sufficient for a librarian.

The report recommended: That the library be enlarged by extending the southern wall of the reading room, and including the fireplace, a table supplied with various magazines and illustrated papers, together with the necessary chairs, be placed in the library for the use of subscribers; that a permanent librarian be engaged at a salary of £4O per annum.

Reading-room: That the present stands for papers be done away with, tables to be substituted, more chairs to be provided, filed papers to be hung on the wall, wall stands to be provided for the illustrated weeklies and smaller dailies, and that an estimate be obtained of the cost of tl'- nroposed alterations.

Cr. Morison hoped that i l- ' Council would defer the matter, for, jn his opinion, it would be a mistake to enlarge the present library until the shelves contained' more useful hooks than now. Dozens of the books ought to be, put in the fire. But even including all this rubbish the shelves were not filled.

The Mayor agreed with Cr. Morison's remark a.bout the books. Many of them certainly should be destroyed. The Council could, however, provide the better accommodation, and irct better books afterwards. He would like to have an aehitrot's report on the condition of the whole of the Municipal Buildings. It might be wise to alter the arrangement of the rooms, the library and the town clerk's office to change places. The adoption of the report did not bind the Council to enlarge the building, but merely put something on the estimates. Mr. Kirkwood suggested that the Council might with advantage consider the letting of the whole of the buildings on the first floor for offices, and build municipal offices, etc., at the rear of the present buildings. Cr. King agreed with the whole proposal, except with regard to the suggested enlargement of the. library, which was quite big enough for the books. He agreed that many of the books in the library should have been burnt years ago.

An amendment Avas moved by Cr. ■\Tnrd. seconded by Cr. Boon, that the matter of enlarging the library be deleted from the report. Rome discussion took place on the need for re-arrangement of the offices, etc., and on the probable effect of the alterations upon the support accorded the

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

library, the views expressed being divwgeat.

:. iujjct, replying, said tfhe present library would be dirty, ill-kept;, .and poky. No librarian would be content to sit in it for many hours a day unless' it were considerably improved. There must be tables provided so that subscribers could sit down and read magazines, or to turn over the i pages of a book to get some idea of whether they would like it. The alterations suggested would be inexpensive. He wanted to see the library a credit to the town. The space which was now occupied by four newspapers would comfortably seat twelve people at tables. He would like the amendment held over until the new library committee could submit an estimate of the cost. But to defer the matter pending a re-arrangement of the whole of the rooms upstairs in the buildings meant that nothing would be done at all.

The amendment wa3 carried, and' the motion lost. PROPOSED DRILL HALL.

I The committee set up to interview ! Colonel Chaytor, re the Drill Hall, reported having interviewed Colonel Chaytor. They were unable to gain any definite information, and now recommended that the committee meet Colonel 1 Malone and Captain Lampen with a view to obtaining definite information as to the requirements of the Territorials, j and the amount the Department will be' prepared to pay for quarters.—The report was adopted. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer reported as under:—The footpath in Miranda street, opposite Mr. Brown's cottages 'had been completed. Hamlet streej near its junction with | Pembroke road had been repaired, and i 90 cubic yards of gravel have been stacked in Seyton street and Hamlet street for winter use. Metal-patching had been done on Broadway, Fenton street, Opunake road, Brecon road, FalJ staff street, Seyton street, Juliet street, and Regan street. A crossing had been put in Mr. Ambury's property on Juliet street. A new culvert had been' put in Celia street at its junction with Juliet street, and a concrete pipe culvert had been put in Regan street at its junction with Swansea road. Two hundred and ninety-two cubic yards of 1 shingle had been carted from the Patea ( J river, at a cost of 3s 2d per yard. I I Messrs. Chard and Son had put out 100 j j cubic yards of gravel, and had the pitj stripped, so that the gravel could be j j carted out when the weather was favor- ! able. Water-main extensions in Orlando j street south and Olivia street had been' carried out, and four water services had • been put in. A new water meter had been installed at the dairy factory. A j drainage connection to the eewer in | ! Miranda street opposite the new hospitn' | j building was now being put in. 0- j I bridge and two small crossings had been .' t put in at the abattoirs. The footpath ] j extension from Mr. Lyons' gate to Mr. J Percy Thomson's property was estimated j to cost £l2. WORKS COMMITTEE REPORT. The Works Committee reported: An application for a crossing to Mr. A. W, Hogg's property in Regan street was granted: tl>e overseer had been instructed to inspect and report on all faulty drains in the borough, and also to take the necessary levels in connection with ! . the proposed new tunnel at the head- j i works of the water supply. The com- j i mittee recommended that the Council pay half the cost of the fence erected I by Mr. G, Syme between his property) and the Council's in Orlando street; that Mrs. C. Penn's request to have the willows growing in Hamlet street taken out be granted; that Mr. G. Slight's request for six yards of gravel be granted, Mr. Slight to cart the gravel himself and pay the usual royalty; that Mr. P. W. Wilson's request to remove a } portion of the bank opposite his section j in Miranda street north be granted; { that Mr. H. Dickenson be asked to carry ] out the recommendations of the Health ' Officer in connection with the drainage ] of a house owned by him and occupied by Mr. Twiss in Pembroke road; that prices be obtained for machine crushing metal and river shingle; that the request of Messrs. McMillan and others for a crossing in Hamlet street across Seyton street he granted; that the footpath asked for by Messrs. Wilson and Thomson in Hamlet street south be formed. The cost of this would be approximately £l2. The drainage of this street was provided for in the Mayor's loan's scheme. The price of a street ,• scavenger, as per catalogue, which will be placed on the table at Monday night's meeting, was £125 at New Plymouth. The committee recommended that the Council consider the question of a weighbridge.—Adopted.

THE STANDING COMMITTEES. The Mayor moved that the standing committees be re-appointed. . . Cr. Healy moved, as an amendment, that the Works Committee consist of the whole Council. During bis two years on the Works Committee he had seen on numerous occasions that the recommendations of the few councillors who formed the Works Committee were scouted, the whole business pulled to pieces, and often referred back to the committee. Cr. Saugster seconded.

Cr. Ward opposed the motion, as a committee of the whole would be too unwieldy.

Cr. Paget: What is Tour motion. Mr. Mayor? The Mayor: That the committees be re-elected as last vear—

Cr. Paget: Putting yourself in the place of Mr. Gully T mean. Mr. Masters (loud smiling). Cr. Heal.v moved that Crs. King, Paget and Ward be the Works Committee.

The Mayor's motion was carried. The Mayor moved that each committee appoint a chairman, who shall be responsible to the Council to bring down a monthly signed report.—Carried. Mrs. Helen Brown, lessee of a portion nf the Municipal Buildings, wrote asking for compensation for improvements effected by her during her tenancy, these improvements including the ikitchen which she erected, and the existence of which was responsible for the increased rental the Council would derive from the new tenant,---Ttefcrred to the Reserves Committee.

Mr. T. H. Perm has been appointed by the BoTough Council to act as member of the Assessment Conrt in connection with the re-valuation of the borough. It is not certain yet that the Assessment Court v. ill be required to sit in connection with the re-valuation of the

borough. The Mavor and Cr. King were appointed a committee to confer with the Rev. W. A. Butler "-oi'tmnster, in the matter of his api>''-vt'nn for permission to construct a miniature rifle ran?" on tie

vicarage grounds for the use of the Boy Scouts. ; On the motion of the Mayor, it -was decided to engage an architect to report on the condition of the municipal buildings and on suggested alterations. The Mayor and Crs. King and Paget were appointed a committee to meet the architect. It was decided to obtain an estimate of the cost of continuing the Hamlet street footpath from Mr. Thomson's to Celia street. GENERAL. Cr. gangster mentioned at Monday night's meeting that several suspension bridges in the district had collapsed. Bridges like that in King Edward Park, with wire ropes attached to anchors underground, needed overhauling, and as this bridge had been up for about ten years it should be attended to, or there might be a very serious accident there. The matter will be mentioned to the Domain Board.

The Mayor has been deputed by the Borough Council to attend the ceremony of the unveiling of the cairn in the Waihi Cemetery and the monument in Victoria Park, Normatiby, erected to commemorate the memory of soldiers who fell in the Maori wars in the locality. The unveiling takes place on May 29. In the event of the Mayor being unable to go, Cr. Healy is to represent the Council. PUBBLIC WORKS OFFICES. There appears now some hope that the unpretentious-looking cottage situated in Broadway north away from the business portion of the town, which has done duty for the Public Works offices for some years past, will shortly be replaced by a suitable building on the more central site purchased by the Department alongside the Club in Juliet street some time ago, and that Engineer McKenzie and staff will then be able to work in comfort. On the recent visit of the Minister of Public Works (Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) to Stratford a deputation consisting of the Mayor and councillors, waited upon him and impressed the necessity of pushing on with the- matter, particularly as a sum of money had been allocated for the purpose on the estimates. Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., also interviewed the Minister on the same subject. The Minister has not delayed long, for yesterday both the Mayor and Mr. Hine received telegrams from the Minister stating that the plans for public buildings in Stratford are well under way, and should be completed very shortly. As soon as they are approved tenders will be called for the work.

SKINNER ROAD PIT. The Skinner road ballast pit. which a few months ago was a veritable hive of industry, gangs of men being engaged making concrete blocks for the tunnels on the Stratford-Main Trunk railway, whilst other gangs were engaged in obtaining mullock for ballasting, is now practically a deserted spot. The manufacture of the concrete blocks is finished for some time, at all events, whilst ballast is being obtained from Mt. Egmont, and the welcome tootle of the ballast engine's whistle no longer reverberates through the pit. In all about half-a-dozen men are still employed at the pit, but one of these, Mr. A. Cameron, has received notice to move forward, and with his wife and family will remove to the vicinity of Whangamomona next week. Tt| is also rumored that the other men are to be sent to the front in a few weeks' time.

FOOTBALL. Though the Stratford seniors have no match to play on Thursday afternoon, they do not intend to let the time pass without some practice, and to this end a seven-a-side tournament will be played, for which teams have been chosen as follows:—A team: Bonnor, Sullivan, Whitt ; ngton. Wood, Crawshaw, Kivell, ind Tones. B team: Fearon (2), Young, Boon. Dud Cameron, Anderson and Stewart. The second juniors journey to Tnglewood. leaving by the mid-day train.

N TERRITORIALS AND FOOTBALL. \ I At the last meeting of the Rugby I 1 Union Management Committee reference j was made to the fact that the Second . Wellington Mounted Rifles were going , into camp at Waverley this week, and j that that would probably interfere with several teams in the Southern division, principally Okaiawa and Waimate juniors. The union, however, decided to let the matches be played. That the authorities have no intention of running counter to sport if it can possibly be avoided is shown by the reply which Mr. Phil Skoglund has received from Captain Adjutant D. E. Cardale, in response to a, query as to whether it would be possible to obtain leave for the footballers to assist their various clubs. The reply states that Saturday, May 18, at the camp will be devoted mainly to sport, and that any men who play football will be able to get leave. He also asked to be furnished with the names of those who are required to play and where. They will then be warned to attend in time.

BERNARD'S PICTURES. A good all-round programme was submitted at Bernard's Picture Theatre, Stratford, last night. "Won by Wireless" unfolded an intensely exciting drama, which, incidentally, demonstrated the important part that ethergvams can play in love affairs. Memories of the stirring days of Crimea were recalled by the screening of a dramatic and in-terest-compelling film in the shape of "The Price of Victory," a tale of the Balaclava charge. The industrial side was well represented by a picture dealing with "The Industrial Blind," while the programme was rounded off with that ever popular series, Pathe's Australian Gazette.

GENERAL NEWS The work of reconstructing the bridge' over the Patea river on the Toko line is making good progress under Foreman George Barrett and siis staff of men. The bridge is being reconstructed with stronger materials, so as to enable it to carry the much heavier type of engine necessary to cope with the traffic on the line. The rails have been all laid with heavier metal, and the completion of the bridge will enable the necessary engine to run on the line. To effect this transformation, and at the same time not interfere with the present working timetable, is not an easy task, and is one that considerably retards rapid progress. ' Prompt action on the part of the enI gine driver of the north-bound mid-day ['train in smartly pulling up his engine at I a level crossing half a mile north of the [town this morning, averted a collision /with a horse and trap, and possibly a I serious accident.

There was quite an influx of country people into the town yesterday, the dual attraction being the fine weather and the cattle sale.

Bro. J. Grant, Grand Secretary for New Zealand for the Druids Lodge, arrived in Stratford by the mail tain, and paid a visit to the Stafford Lodge. Mr. D. J. Malone, who is one of the delegates to represent the Taranaki Rugby Union at the annual meeting of the N.Z.R.U. at Wellington on Thursday, left by the mail train this morning. The other delegate is Mr. M. J. Crombie, formerly of Inglewood, but now of Wellington.

The local Scouts are very keen and are very eager to become proficient and secure the various badges. On Saturday several of the Scouts went up for their cooking tests at the camp fires. Sergeant Black and Scouts Sharrock and Johnston secured their cooks' badges, while several others obtained second class badges. On Monday various other Scouts qualified in other useful branches and four obtained the Pathfinders' badge, two the ambulance, two the poultry farmers, one the life saving, and four the cyclist badges. Scouts will be given further opportunities to-day.