STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 305, 21 June 1912, Page 8

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. All members attended the ordinary monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council on Wednesday. Cr. Hathaway (chairman) presided. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The county engineer, Mr. E. C. Robinson, reported that the To Popo bridge at Midhirst had had to be under-strut-ted. It was now safe for ordinary traffic, but must be renewed before long. Denbigh road repairs were in hand. The Pembroke road was in such a state that it could be treated satisfactorily only by scarifying, breaking the large stones, re-forming to a proper camber, and then a light coat of metal. The Barclay road had been coated with rather sandy material, but required a coat of good metal, and this would be done as soon as they could get into the river. The sandy material would be useful in forming a foundation over a rather wet ! place. Repairs to Monmouth road were in hand. He strongly supported the foreman's recommendation to pick up, break and re-lay the metal on Lower Stanley road. This would save a lot of re-patching. The portion of the road recently treated ill this way was standing well.

East riding—Renewal of small bridge on Douglas road had been completed, and repairs made to bridges on the Tanupo road. The weather had made it impossible to do anything further at present with the Makuri Valley drainage contract. West riding—The I; .laid road was being picked up and re-laid as weather permitted. He proposed ordering timber for renewing small bridge on the Finnerty road as soon as Young's and Mc•Cool's bridges were completed. At the request of Cr. Smith, he had inspected the Barclay road, with a view of carrying the formation over the first stream. This could be best done by a tunnel and filling in preference to bridges, Mangaehu riding—The Mangaotuku stream bridge on the Tututawa road had had to be temporarily repaired, and would probably require to be renewed next season. The weather breaking up had 'effectually put a stop to metalling open-iions on the Mangaehu road until next season. The contractor had, however, gone on with stripping and quarrying metal. Negotiations had practically reached a head in connection with the s'ale of a motor waggon. The engineer recommended the purchase of 'the set of truck wheels offered to the Council by Mr. Green. RATES.

General -rates were struck as follows : North -riding, 2y»d in the £; South riding, iy 2 d in the £; East riding, 2d in the £; West riding, 2y 4 d in the £; Mangaehu riding, 3d in the £. Special orders will be instituted levying separate rates as follows: North Tiding—Salisbury road, No. 2 loan area, with the exception of portion of Cross road north, yTd ; Salisbury road, No. 4 loan area, and Cross .road, No. 4 loan area, %d in the £; Cross road north, No. 1 rating area, y 4 d; Monmouth road west, Id; Radnor road, Id; Denbigh road, Id; York road, 2y 2 d; Stanley, Cross and Croyden roads, Id; and a special rate of y 3 d in the £on all sections abutting on the Mountain and Beaconsfield roads, but not liable for any other separate rate. East .riding—Waiwiri road, iy 2 d; Gordon road, Id; Toko road west, Id; Douglas drainage area, %d. West riding Cardiff-Waingongoro, %d; Hastings road, north and south, %d; Brooks-Brecon; road area, V 2 d. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr. McPhee, contractor, waited on the Council, and asked for a progress payment of £IOO on his Mangaehu road metalling contract. —After discussion, the Council agreed to vote a lesser amount.

A deputation from the settlers oa the Toko road west, appointed at a meeting of ratepayers, approached the Council asking for a special grant of £250 from the county special fund. In the discussion it was stated that the whole of the settlers' traffic from Ruapuha, Mangaehu district (No. 1) and Toko road east, came down this road, direct into Toko, without contributing to the upkeep of this section of tke road. H If of the rates collected on the land served by the road was spent on the Main East road, whereas their outlet was by way of the Toko road, and not by the East road. It waß practically a main road. There was considerable discussion on the motion of Crs. Thomson and Young to refer the matter back to the settlers for further consideration, Crs. Marfell and TWMters pointing out that this was waste of time. If a separate rate had to he collected it must be struck that day. The chairman said that the members of the deputation could consider themselves lucky. Thero would be half a dozen separate rates levied that day in the north riding.—Nothing had been decided when the deputation retired, but they requested that if a special rate were levied it should be levied over the whole of the district using the road. Mr. D. S. Maxwell waited on the Council and asked for the erection of a street light in the Toko township, the formation of footpatlis, and the general improvement of the streets of the town.— The chairman said that as the Council collected a large amount of rates in the township the people should get a little consideration. He suggested making a tfpeoiiil rating district of the township.— Or. Marfell suggested a canvass of the townspeople to raise funds for the im-i provements mentioned. It was decided to strictly enforce the heavy traffic by-laws. The clerk was instructed to place unpaid rates in the hands of the county solicitor for collection.