STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 234, 21 February 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

I (From our Incident R.poi'ttr). [ At the monthly mooting ot' the ritratford County Council on Wednesday, all the members were present. Mr. W. llathawav, chairman, presided. ENGINEER'S. REPORT. The engineer, Mr. E. C. Robinson, reported that the Mangaehu Road metal ling contract was progressing- slowly but the contractor had been much hamp ercd liy slioi'tagc of labor, and was d-; ing liis best miller the circumstances. Tlie Waiwiri road metalling was well in hand, and should be completed in about a fortnight. The contract for cleaning and straightening the Makuri stream was Hearing completion. A start had been made with the boulder supply contracts on Palmer and Pembroke Roads. The Parclav Road tunnel and filling hnd been completed at about the amount authorised. The renewal of the Finnerty Uoad bridge. West Hiding, was in hand. Rock was unexpectedly struck in the foundations, rendering pile-driving impracticable, and he was therefore having two small concrete piers erected. The piles would be used elsewhere. During the month the grader had been doing useful work in dressing up Pukengahu. Wingrove and Mountain Roiids (South Riding) and Monmouth, Stanley. Makori, Salisbury, and Croydon Roads (North Riding). At present it was engaged in milking a side track 1 along a portion of the Salisbury Road.| and when this was finished the graderwould be sent to the Mountain Road to trim up and bank the metalled length. The roller had been (Engaged in rolling new metal on Mountain. Salisbury, and Beaconsfield Roads. Tt would next go to the West Riding. The stone-crushing plant was engaged in the West Riding The cost of renewing Maiigaotukn bridge on the Tutuawa Road would be about £4OO. The cost of renewing the deck of the Gentle Annie bridge. Cardiff Road, would be about £l2. The bridge, however, was unsound, and a renewal throughout would shortly be necessary. This, in reinforced concrete, would be about £1.")0. Pipes for replacing a small bridge on Cardiff Road had been ordered. Application had been made for the £.lO grant to York Road, and it would shortly be paid over to the Council. Two small bridges, one on P.eaconsfield Road l and one on the Aliuroa Road West were in a very unsound condition, and rerpiircd renewal. Tie thought large eoncrele culverts would snll'ice. •''The T!caconsfi.dd Road in the East Riding." continned Mr. Robinson. "is in a worn-out condition. Tt has been reported as being so at periodical limes during the !a-t six years, and the need of re-metal-; I in.:: urged. The fact that it has not J broken up altogether might be eonsid-) etvi! us an argument against the neces-1 Biiy for renewal, lint during the period! in question the cost of attempting to j maintain this road has been exorbitant,? and Hie results mainly fulile inasmuch n- ibe road during ( lie greater portion { of the vear is in nothing short of a (lis-» pra.-eful conidibion. «The adoption .of! the system of renewing a certain por-1 lion each year, such as is in vogue in) other purls of the country, is the only! Win in which satisfactory results will be) obtained. Timber hud been ordered for j i'e decking a small bridge on Opunake) Road near Mahoe. an.3 was now com-) ing to hand. J

A loan will bo applied for to renew the Mantraotuku bridge on the Tutntawa Hoad. cost £4OO. decking on fiontlo Annie bridge will be renewed, bridges on Beaoonsficld anil Alnioii "Roads lo be repaired.

Mr. Xash will be notified Hint bis ereck was blocking a culvert on the Bird Koad. f!E\*ERAT.. ! Mr. Henry Witt son objected to pay the Maknri drainage rafe. because in his opinion it msis not in accordance with the proposal submitted to the ratepay-! ers. am' was not. as promised, a differ-1 ential ]\\i\ The work done did not bene- j iit Hie section.—Ors. Marfell and Waller explained that it had been found impossible to make a. differential rate, and that no (jne had been misled.—Air. Watson will be informed that all proper steps were taken, and that Hie rate must be paid. }lr. !!. San.-on asked thai Hie Ahniroa Hoad lie properly metalled.—Already authorised, and will be done as soon as practicable. Mr. Olson asked why the Esk Road inctallin'f had not been completed.—To be resinned if Mr. ! (lsen will pay half ■ costs.

Mr. .loseph Merinnjriiiro wrote (hat he was (akini: over Derby Urn*.' sawmill on tin' Stanley l!rm.i. ami offered to pay any reasonable rovallv for carUntr on Hie road,. They pointed out )li:it'~riiniiinj; a. sawmill iiihli']- i Ik> conditions at Stanley "Road was different to having a mil! where there wa* plenty of tiniI'ev c!o-=e to ih- railway. The mill had Hut paid, and wa» merely lieiiejf run on account of bcine; bound by agreements. He «•;;=. however, fitllv aware of the damage whi<di was bound to occur through timber carting. -Inferred to the ridiii'.' members, Vr. -las. Va'm a-l ;,! for grading and i!'"!allinL' the --ul lings on the -milli cud of the llnna'd 1!,,a,1. and. if possible, form (he balance of the road, the south end of which was impassable in winter. —l!o f eiTed to engineer and riding member- for report.

V --is. Wiekham ?,ros. complained of ihe failure to give iiroper atlention to the Makuri Ttoad.- Referred to the en-

The lender of Mr. .T. Kerrisk was accepted for supply ~f -,„.1 c i„ Man gaelui Riding.

The Toko Tload West - "1 be gravelled for ten or twelve cha'- between the creamery and the foot o:' '■•■ hill. ■Mr. T. Mulree waited on ' • Council '•■■ in'' movements required on " >n Road. the v.ork. estimated l.v tic meer to eo.j about £lO. wiil he pu; '•. hand in due course.

Mr. Wolfe a scfllcr liv' -if, the top end of tlie Wiiiii'.'oncor;! -dill' Road, a-kod that •>',;, chains of m. 'ling should lip done so as (o yive liim cess to his properly. -Cranlcd. Mr. V.V'i'e to pav "iii'-tliir.! of (1,,, ~o,t. estimated at from n-j. to n:.

Mr. 1). S. MawK'll interviewed tho • oiiiiril ;U ,d a-kc'i: >;l!i!< (he unformed Ml. Humphrey's [load lie widened to —' v "** him access to nis properly in the Vnniwhakau.-The third.; available will be expended in this work.

STRATFORD GUN CLUB in tlie third shoot for the P.allistite (Up yesterday C. I). Hunter topped tlif -cure with :i7. and .Mar>li was second '•villi 2!i. (.'. I). MeKenzie made 2.~>. and '<< -I ill loading in (lie aggregate wifli 77. Seed I and Hunter are level for second with 74. 11. Cameron 7'2. Marsh and Lineham 70. The handicaps are sealed. The final shoot takes place in a fortnight's time.

Mr. Uobert Speight, of Christchurch, and Mr. Fedorowie/. recently visited the Stanley road and llniroa districts, in order to decide 'on sites for bores to be pul down by Ihe Consolidated Oilfield;) of Xew Zealand. The Iliiiroa site was chosen. It is stated that excellent ''indications-' exist on tin! bulk of the properties over which the company has secured options. Messr*. T. Nicholls and Don Watson were the men who engineered ihe dotation of this company, the. latter having prospected the country fullv.

PERSOKAL

I J The Rev. B. Mel son ha , iviitM- d from the conference. Miss Ella Jour.-. \v! o leaws l!;! morning for Titnaru. v.;i- jut-, utcd hj;. her associates iu lioiy Trinity (jlioa with a memento of her services to th» church. STRAY PARAGRAPHS . The garden fete at the l'resbyterian manse yesterday was well attended. Beautiful weather and pretty surroundings, with all the other necessary concomitants, made the function a success. The member for the district was present, and did his share. THE EASTER ATTRACTION Taranaki's recognised Easter attraction is now the (Ivmkhana promoted bv the Stratford A. &■ P. Association. The programme for this year's fixture is now being prepared, and there will be a big influx of visitors to Strafford on Easter Monday. Equestrian and military competitions will form the greater part of the programme.

STRATFORD HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Horticulturists everywhere are invited to send exhibits to the Stratford Horticultural Society's annual autumn show. Entries should reach the secretary, Mr. >S. Cato, by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, and the show takes place on the following Thursday and Friday. Stratford has some enthusiastic growers of sweet peas and dalilias, and also in the vegetahle line, but they are still willing to he beaten by anyone who can send in better exhibits than theirs. Nearly every cottage garden excels in something, and if every cottage gardener could be relied upon to send in even one exhibit, what a show we would have! Mr. Cato will he glad to send a schedule to any address. The prize money is on a liberal scale. BERNARD'S PICTURES

The present programme is enthusiastically received. There are more cinematograph marvels per minute on this list than on any yet shown. "Master and Pupil" is a subject of enthralling interest, and the work of the actors in the drama is on the very pyramid of excellence. The sketch work illustrating seme of Dickens'work is very fine. "Two Daughters of Eve" is a better drama than most, while the Luhin special, entitled "The Amateur Tceman." is a gem. Tn the industrial section we have two marine sets entitled "Herring Fishing oil Newfoundland" and "Harpooning Whales." A bird's eye view of "Gay Farce." from an aeroplane, is a feature of the programme, and a line set of views of Palestine is also very interesting. "Spoony Sam" is a screaming comic, and it has a place in a good set of laughter-makers.