STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 51, 21 July 1914, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

f 10M OUR REPORTER. Office i-(ul Job Piinting Works: York Chambers (upstairs) Telephone No. 113.

THE ROADING QUESTION.

In view (if the attention which is being given to the subject of roading, tflie views of tlie Wanganui County Council iiiemhi r ; , on what they saw at Elt-haiu • houhl be of interest: —"Much has been heard of Elthams good roads, and among the latest enthusiasts on tlie subject are the members of the Machinery Committee of the Wanganui County Council, who recently paid a visit- of inspection to Eltham County. Mr. W. J. Poison, Wanganui County chairman, said lie allowed that the methods the council employed were a most expensive process. Mr. Poison said there wag no doubt that once the road was laid, after given the treatment of too-dressing, the council obtained something that was not on.y lasting, hut something that gave an infinitely better road surface than the bulk of the counties possessed. The party were conveyed over a road o,' papa formation, Mangamingi he thought was the name of it. In it there were steep gradients, deep cuttings and sidings. It must have been a costly road to make. One hill was over four and a -half miles' long. Although it waj raining and wet at the time, the surface of the road was as smooth as the surface of the table before them. There was nothing like it in the Wanganui county. With the weather as it then was, it would have taken a staunch horse to ge't through the Wanganui county roads". It was a revelation for him to discover that shell roek roads could be maintained in ruc'W perfect order. The 'Eitham Council laid roads 1 down in broken metal, then rolled it in, and then top-dressed it with tar preparation. The visiters saw roads that had been laid down two and .1 half years. Mr. Basham told them that to redress these roads would cost 30s. per chain. On some roads, it would cost lfH' per chain. The sum of los. per chain every three years was practically all the roads required to keep them in a great deal belter order than any roa.l in the Wanganui county. The fir-t dressing, Mr. Poison went on, made a good smooth road. It was expensive to put down the foundation. T'lus dreeing did not seem to be costly. Mr. Basham, he said, gave the committee some startling figures. The rate that 'had been levied in the past was asi high as .'id., and the roads were villainous. Under the new system the rate was l'/jd., and the ratepayers had first-Aiss roads. This -was no small achievement, Mr. Poison said, in a country lyit.-,; near Mount Egmonl and subject to continual wet. The machinery used was not over-expensive. The committee estimated the co-t of plant at something like £2COO, including a road-roller, moUir-Mjriy, tar-sprinkler, crusher, and ei«ryuing necessary.

CARNIVAL QUEEN CONTEST. AN ENTHUSIASTIC. START. <X)MMITTKES WARD AT WORK. Matters in connection with the Carnival Queen contest lire progressing most satisfactorily. On vSaturday good business wus done in selling tickets, and the enthusiasm shown by the workers for the various candidates is likely :<? become a mighty force ae the weeks roll by. The executive held a meeting on Saturday night, when delegates from the various committees were present to di.i- <■««(■■ the best method of dealing with the tickets, so as to facilitate the weekly courting of votes. It wa.s decided to alter the present system and to assign a number to each candidate, the tickets is-ned to each 'of tfco committees to bear thu candidate's number, which will also be placed on the butt, so that each butt will jepresent six votes. This plan will facilitate botli the check on the cash and the counting of the votes. Thfc voting box is to be opened and contents sorted and counted every Friday ('.veiling, and the candidate who receives: the largest number cadi week will receive 101 l votes as a bonus. A me .ting of the executive committee will brliehl this evening. For tin l present there will be only one scrutineer at tile counting, and the executive will make this appointment, but as tin 1 cuni-.-t nears its close. eaeh committee will Le asked to nominate a scrutineer. So far tin: demand for books of tickets has iMKMvled all expectation! s , anil some of the sellers got through quite a number of books on Saturday. The "On l k 'J.-jWli'' brigade made t'.ie town Ihely on Saturday evening, and siH'ceedc! in coli'cting over C 4 for the lire brigade candidate. There will be.d so?ial on Thursday night at the Forester.3' Hall in aid o>' Miss Hart's candidjinrv. The sports committee- are starting a vigorous campaign V>r their candidate. A meeting of ladies was Jicld yesteid.iy and a strong eomiuitr.ce formed, .Misses I). Paget and A. Friday undertaking the duties of nccrctai'i 'S. The "Country Oirl" committee, c.d v'ery good work for ti;i ■ v <:aildidate C 1 Mturday, and met last night to a>range for various ways of iiiisint' mi> _ put. Due of the entertainments wit be boxing and wiestling. '1 lie Fire Brigade, meet this evening to i inniilate their plan of .-action. The Friendly Societies -met 011 Safn'ilnv 1 venin■' and aiyangcil lor a. euchre part* t„ he held at tb'e Foresters' Had oil \Ve.liiesday evening, a danoo on Mondnv next, another cik'mi'c party on the following evening. an(i a fam'.v dress football match at Victoria i'ark ,-,>n August. -Jo, I'orest.ers v. ccnibined lodges. They iil-o appointed e<j!iuniU..-es for aiTan'-'ing for sports. t unvai-sii'!-*-Iw'ieV eat- .'ing.

GENERAL. - T!ir borough by-hnv relative to th.> storage of (binioTOHS COOtls is to l)(r strictlv enforced. iin.l applications for ii'-i li■ -i 111 n-t lie l-nl;:''il with the to*'" clerk iiv Monday next. Mr. it. de \V. Vatighan. who has a»tncil universal esteem white a"ting ha ;i'"i Dimtnt at the I'nion l'ank s Iw.tl branch. was entertained on Saturday night l.y the members of (he StraUo'd CI nil and presented wit-li a memento. .Messrs \Y. \r. l'aylv and Co., of Stintford, have been fortunate in vcuntu; tin." soli' Taranaki agency for the I'tnious "Kins'' fa''*- Every part of the passes the strictest, lest of bci'ore being assembled, and the result in (i car that is sold on an absolute guarl antee l>v the makers. It is one whicu, on account of its general features, should appeal to Taranaki motorists. The firm is also pushing with the greatest of confidence "Soourine," the greatest cleanser yet introduced for household

and dairy work. The land, produce, and stores departments are still vigorously conducted, and basic slag orders are speedily and satisfactorily filled. Your photograph will please tlem all —some of your friends have been expecting one for a long time —don't he satisfied with one taken years ago. Send them a fresh portrait, just as you are to-day, in your everyday attire. Having your portrait taken is as pleasant as an informal call on good friends. Make an appointment td-day with Mr McAllister, Stratford