Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 129, 18 October 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

From uur Resident Reporter. STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. MONTHLY MEETING. th^S^lT 7 f° ntlll y meeti "g of the. Stialford County Council on Wednesday, there were present: Crs Hatha--ay (chairman), Thomson, ChriSSd Anderson, Smith, Marfell, Walter, Youn* iind Rosers. ' °

REPORT. I lie county engineer (Mr. E. C. Robinson) reported for the month:— As there appeared to be no chance or getting stone from the mountain quarrics tins year f Ol - reinstating portions of tlie roads, he recommended that tenders be invited for the supply. The erection of the cottage at Toko and the engineshed at Stratford had been put in hand. Arrangements had been made for the supply of broadleaf posts for the Opunake road. Crushing operations had been completed on the Ohura road, and the plant moved to the Manganui crushing ' S)tß >. where the supply for the easter* portion of the north riding was being crushed. The work of re-metalling the North Mountain road was proceeding steadily. In company with the Taranaki oouaty inspector he had inspected the Waipulcu bridge, with the result that after the three months agreed upon the arch was found to be perfectly sound He had accordingly instructed'the contractor to plaster the cuts made and the final payments would then be paid out. West riding stone contracts were proceeding satisfactorily. Timber for redecking the Manganui bridge on the Mountain road was now coming to hand. The road roller should be landed in Stratford in a few days. The survey of a cottage site on tlie Manaia road was completed. The very heavy rains ex- 1 perienced a few weeks ago had damaged the wings of the Puniwhakau bridge, irat he had had the structure repaired! Gives fine weather, Young's bridge should be completed, except the decking, in about a week. Timber had been ordered for re-deeking Finnerty road bridge,, near Ngaere. Timber for renewing Finnerty road bridge near Lowgarth was coming to hand. A pile-driving derrick and scallolding had been delivered of] the site, and the work would be put in hand at the earliest possible opportunity.

ADJUSTMENT OF LOANS. Mr. W. J. Tristram-, the clerk of the Eltham County Council, wrote askinj that the Council support that Council's resolution to endeavor to secure an. amendment of the law to enable an apportionment to be made of loans raised years ago by the Hawera county over areas now wholly or partly merged in the Eltham countv. —Agreed to. WAGES STAND. A motion to raise the workmen's wages by a shilling a day was met by an amendment that only the foremen's wages be so raised. Both were defeated, the chairman exercising his casting vote in each instance. TENDERS. The tender of F. AV. Green, for metalling one mile on the Waiwiri road, was accepted. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr. R, Rogers' application for permis--sion to remove earth from the side of Pembroke road was referred to the engineer.

The engineer reported unsatisfactorily concerning the arrangement made for settlers to repair the Denbigh road. He said there seemed to be no one responsible, and "even-body's business was nobody's business," The road will be again placed under the foreman's control. Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., forwarded the written assurance of the. Minister for Public Works that the Council's application for a £ for £ subsidy of £3OO for metalling Makuri road through Huiroa would receive consideration.

The clerk of the Taranaki County Council wrote that his Council had approved the Waipuku bridge, and was entirely satisfied with it in every way. An application for some metalling on Lower Palmer road was referred to the engineer for report at next meeting. On the motion of Crs. Smith and Anderson, it was decided to rescind a former resolution, authorising the construction of a bridge on Barclay road, conditionally upon the settlers"finding half the cost. The Council will now spend £SO, the settlers to provide a third of the cost.

A letter from Mr. Chas. Watchorn, Puniwhakau, asking the Council to assist him' in building a bridge over the Piumvhakau stream near its junction with. the Mangaehu river.—Referred to the engineer and Cr. Young. It was decided to agree to a renewal of the lease of a gravel reserve at Midhirst on present terms. The Inspector of Noxious Weeds requested the Council to give instructions to have broom cleared on county re; serve on Mangamri stream.—lnstructions given. Mr. .T. S. Hamlin asked what the Council would pay for boulders delivered on the roadside 011 Upper Rowan road.— Referred to the engineer. The clerk of .the Wanganui County Council asked the Council's support of a resolution urging the Government to grant lessees of small grazing runs the right of converting to freehold, as lessees were suffering an injustice in rating under the present system."—To be acknowledged. On the motion of Crs. Young and Walter, it was decided to call tenders for the supply of maintenance metal for the Mangaehu road.

ouft REGIMENT The Stratford Dramatic Society, who lwvp Wn rclicitrsins the llirpc-act military comedy. "Our llegimcnt," for some weeks past, have decided to "raise the curtain" at the Town Hall on Wednesday and Thursday, the 30th and 31st hist. The play itself is an exceedingly clever one, and well within the scope of the ca-st selected. The costumes and the full dress uniforms will be one of the many features of the performance. The scenery is now being painted by Mr. Will Diamond at the Town Hall, and one may rest assured that the stage setting will be exceedingly good. Captain Stevens has been selected to fill the part of Mr. Dobbinson, a severely squashed and henpecked old man. Mr. Budd will play the part of the jovial, happy old man, Mr. Ellaby. Mr. Geo. Bond lias been happily cast in the part of the frivolous curate, the Rev. John Talbot. Mr. Hugh Cameron and Captain Lampin will act the parts of the two officers, Captain Veatherstone and Lieut. Warrener, respectively. The part of Batters, the butler, has been alloted to Mr. Lonergan. The three happy girls, all desperately in love with soldiers and curates, will be Mrs. Lampin, Mrs. Hogg and Miss Cameron. Mrs. Dobbinson, who delights in suppressing her husband, and encouraging the girls in their love affairs of the military, is in the capable hands of Mrs. Uniacke.

STRAY PARAGRAPHS. Anniversary services at the Primitive Methodist Church on Sunday. Synod next week in the Primitive Methodist Schoolroom. No sign of cricket yet. Unless a start is made soon, some of the cricketers will be persuaded to play bowls.

At the Stmt ford yards on Tuesday the New Zealand Limn and Mercantile Agency Company, in conjunction with Messrs. W. 11. 11. Young & Co., will offer over six hundred head of cattle, including choie'e springing heifers and dairy cows. THE PICTURES. To-night's programme is exceptionally strong in scenics and in drama?. '"Glimpses of Canada" and "Kerka Falls" are very fine films. "Captain King's Rescue" unfolds a stirring story as follows:—Two troops of cavalry in command of Captain King are ordered to Douglas, Arizona, oil the Mexican border. As they approach the town the captain halts his column and goes to the ranch home seeking directions. Ho finds .standing at the gate the owner of the ranch, his wife and daughter Pearl, a charming young girl of eighteen, and a stave young Mexican evidently in love with the daughter. The captain invites the family to visit the camp. This they do, and the gallant officer quickly succumbs to the charms of the girl. Later the Captain rescues a poor Indian who is being illtreated by the Mexican. The ranchman witnesses the scene, and orders Pedro from the place. The Mexican, for revenge, waylays the soldier and knocks him senseless. He then proceeds to the house and finds Pearl alone. The Indian has witnessed the assault, and speedily gets aid from the camp. The soldiers find and restore their captain, and reach the ranch house just in time to save the girl from the dutches of the Mexican. "The Eye that Never Sleeps" is an interesting drama and an excellently produced picture. Matinees are discontinued until further notice.