STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 52, 19 July 1912, Page 6

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. Tlie ordinary monthly meeting of t ■Stratford County Council was held . at the County Chambers on Wediu day, when there were present: Crs. V Hathaway (chairman), W. Rogers, E. Walter, E. Marfell, Jas. Thomson, C. Christoffe], T. R. Anderson, and W. Smith. WAIPUKU BRIDGE. The chairman reported 011 the Waipuku bridge, and the engineer (Mr. C. E. liobinson) expressed the opinion that the bridge perfectly sound and that there was nothing in the allegations that had been made to the effect that there was a dangerous crack in the concrete arch.

The engineer's explanation was considered satisfactory. It was resolved to sell the old bridge by auction. SEPARATE RATES.

The levying of the following separate rates for repairing roads for the ensuing year was confirmed:—Cardiffuaingongoro, %d; Radntir road, Id; lork Road, 2'/ s d; Monmouth Road West, Id; Stanley Road, Id; Denbigh l( l, 1<1; Salisbury, y s d; Salisbury road. '4d; Waiwori road, l'/„d; BrookesBrecon road, y z d; Gordon road, Id; Toko road west (one-half of rate paid by Ifuinga settlers to be spent 011 that part of the road from the end of metal near I Mr. Marfell's house towards the new [ M'nsaeliu river bridge). y z d; Hastings road, J/,d; South Douglas road, d; Boaeonsiield and Xorth Mountain road Vs<l

GENERAL RATES. _ The general rates, struck at last meeting, for the ensuing year, were formally confirmed as follows:—North ridin" 2'/,(l; South riding, East riding, -<l; West riding, 2'/ 4 d; Mangaehu riding, 3d. ENGINEER'S REPORT. _ The engineer reported that the continuous wet weather was having a bad effect on the roads generally, and both metalled and unmetalled ones were alike cutting up freely. As a consequence, much more maintenance metal was being used for repairs than usual,.even at this time of the year. The west pier of the Ahuroa stream bridge, Stanley road, had give out, letting in part of the filling and blocking traffic. Repairs had been effected and the road was again open, but steps should be taken without delay to arrange for the renewal of the whole bridge, as it was becoming very unsound. As instructed, the necessary proposals for expenditure of thirds had been sub-

J mitteel to the Land Board for approval. I The construction of the bridge over { the Puniwhakau stream at Mr? Pung's J was in progress, but some difficulty had been experienced in obtaining the necessary timber. He had agreed with the Taranaki country bridge foreman to leave the Waipuku bridge for three months, and if it then still showed no defect he would plaster in the cuts he had made. Some trolley wheels and

scoop had been purchased* at a cost of £5.

The engineer's report was adopted. It was resolved that the report on the Stanley road bridge be submitted to the settlers interested for their consideration.

The engineer is to submit at next meeting an estimate of the cost of opening Waihapa road from the end of the metal to Wingrove road.

The engineer was empowered to procure 2000 ft of bridge decking for the Mangaehu riding.

FOREMEN'S REPORTS. The engineer submitted a precis of the foremen's reports as follows: North riding (west) —The roads were in fair order except York and Derby which he would attend to as soon as the weather permitted. He had repaired the Mountain, Radnor, York and Barclay (north and west) roads. The constant wet weather had caused the roads to keep up breaking, and metal was getting very low. Where he had boulders ho could not get men to break them. In fact, it was hard to get a man of any kind since the Mi". Egmont works started.

Noitli riding (east). —General repairs! had been carried out on the various? roads. The patching of Stanley road? was about finished, |ilso (repairs to I bridge. The picking up, breaking and J re-laying of portion of Stanley ° road east was in hand. * , South riding—All the roads were in fair order. Seven chains of Mountain road had been re-metalled.

East road (Toko) —Considering the amount of wet weather, the metalled roads., with the exception of the Ahuroa and the far end of the Waiwiri, were in fair order. They had been continually patching, with the result that maintenance metal was running short 011 the Waiwiri, Ahuroa and Toko roads. On the west end of the Ahuroa road they had none and could not repair the holes. East riding (Douglas)— All the metalled roads were in very fair order. The time had been taken up in patching the Ohura, Ohura-Mangaelm and Gordon roads, and in clearing slips, water-tabling and doing general road work. If the Council still kept a ranger it would be advisable to let him got out that way occasionally, as it would save a lot of trouble in burying dead stock. | East riding (Huiroa)—Ho had been working on the Malum (east and west) making general repairs. As soon as the weather improved he would make a start on the clay roads.

West riding—Repairs had been carried out on the Opunakc (Nos. 1, 2 and 3), Hastings south, Finnerty, Cardiff, Waingongoro, Manaia south, Palmer south, Duthie and Rowan north roads. This road required a lot of repairing owing to one of the settlers constantly carting firewood in wet weather. The Brookes-Brecon road had required constant attention. The Ronald road work was proceeding very slowly owing to the wet weather and the scarcity of labor. About 50 chains had been completed. Mangachu riding—General maintenance work had been carried out on the various roads. The broken weather had caused the unmetalled roads to cut up badly.

j DEPUTATION'S. Messrs McFadgen and David waited oil the Council and asked that they should be given access to their properties on the Barclay road south, beyond the Waingongoro road. They pointed out that it was difficult for their children to get to school.—lt was resolved that the Council expend up to £3O. provided the settlers find half the money. TELEPHONE TO THE MOUNTAIN". . •Mr. J. 15. Hine, M.P., forwarded a communication from the late PostmasterGeneral (Mr. 11. G. Ell), with reference l to extending the telephone line from Stratford to the mountain house, via Pembroke road, stating that the line would be erected and offices opened at Pembroke and the -Stratford mountainhouse on payment of a lump sum of £26 or a subsidy of £6 10s for five years and on suitable persons agreeing to act without salary until such time as the revenue of their respective offices reached ;ClO per annum. The Pembroke ofliee would bp npmed M.mgarangi and the mountain-house office Potaema. The matter was left in the hands of

the North riding members to report on at next meeting. GENERAL. It was resolved to support the Whakane County Council's resolution to the feet that the registration 'of dogs ;ould be vested in European local bodies ily. The Lowgarth Co-op. Dairy Co. were ,ranted permission to cart a four-ton boiler from the station to Lowgarth factory. Cr. Smith gave notice to move that the Upper and Lower Hastings, Duthie and Upper and Lower Rowan road accounts be joined. Mr. S. E. Tate wrote asking if the Council would metal nine or ten chains

of the Stratford-Opunake road from Mellow Bros, to the Mangawheroiti bridge. He pointed out. that the El-

tliam County Council had let a contract for metalling their portion of the road, and this nine or ten chains would complete the metalling around Mt. Egmont.—Referred to riding members, to report at next- meeting. Mr. A. Gray, sanitary inspector, report-

Ed on various sanitary defects in pre-

mises in the township of Toko, and recommended necessary improvements.—lt was resolved to forward a copy of the recommendations to the various owners of the premises, who will be asked to attend to them at once. The Council resolved to purchase s'/j acres of land at Toko, at a cost of £125, for a surfaceman's residence. The matter of securing a cottage for the West riding surfaceman was referred to the riding councillors, to report at next meeting. The engineer was 'empowered to inspect the Austin road grader, and if it is found suitable, to be empowered to purchase a similar one from Messrs Booth and MacDonahl. •Mr. T. F. Martin, counsel to the New Zealand Countits' Association, forwarded

J counsel's opinion as asked by the Whaka- | tane County Council, to tlie effect that ) there was no power to keep separate riding bank accounts. The Council was j required by its own book-keeping to | show what moneys were due to and were I expended for the separate ridings. The ranger reported that during the J month he had impounded two calves, eight cows and seventeen horses in various parts of the county, all of which had been released. Accounts to the amount of £3540 were passed for payment.