STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 240, 19 March 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. At the monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council held on- \\ cdnesday, there were prer-eiit —Councillors \\. llatliattav (chairman) T. Coleman, J. Christoll'el, T. It. Anderson, J. Sinitli, \Y. 11. Were, E. Walter. P. Worthington and L. liaskin. KNUINEEK'.S KEFOKT. (iooil 'progress lias liven made during the month. Julian and Bennetts' HastingsOpunake contract is now completed, taking 804 cubic' yards for the Hastings lioad and 878 cubic yards for the (Jpunake Road. A hill oil this road was regraded before metalling. D. J. Kehelv will lie ready to start crushing on liis Rowan Road contract in about a week's time, having most of the stone on the site. J. XeiUon has completed his Toko Road contract of KM! culiie yards, and is prepared to extend it by an additional lni.o yard> at an increase of 7d per yard. As the result of the meeting of Toko Road ratepayers, a deputation is to wait upon the council regarding this matter. A few hills have been reduced and fillings laid < which lias con- j siderahly improved tin.* grades on this road. The boulder stone contracts art» proceeding well throughout the county. As the result of a trip with the riding members over the Strathmore saddle, we were instrumental in letting a contract for the supply of 150 cubic yajds of shellrock at a satisfactory price. Councillor Worthington and myself were also successful in letting the Tututawa bridge, shellrod: at a 'price considerably under that of the lowest tender. The J-Teao Track is now completed, and looks very well from end to end. The Public Works | engineer (Mr Murray) and myself ' motored to the Ileao, Autawa t and Makuri Poads, also the Waiwiri and Manawaiviri bridges. All the works mentioned were approved. As re-fjiiv-ted. I have inspected the portion 1 in' (he main Mountain Uoad near Mr M. Payly's, and find that the road at the narrowest place is twenty-one feet, which cannot be considered, a dangerously narrow road. However. 1 reeoinmend that next year provision should be made for the extension of the tunnel and the road widening. A start has been made with the Iluianga Koa<! contract and this wi!i be completed in about one week. The Makuri stream i-; now about finished; the eight diains of enttini: have cut ofl' approximately a mile of water How. and has reduced th«' stream considerably. The bridge gang have finished Walter's bridge. and will start the Te Fopo iuimediately. Foreman Pohinsou reported on the need of purchasing another horse foi" the West Hiding, which 1 recommend should be taken in committee. Tenders have ' '"i■ ii e : i!!<•(] f ( »r the fonninir and inrtallin;-: of the Pembroke, lioad coiltrad', returnable to-day. The report was adopted, (Joiii;i:sp( i\ ])K\ck. Correspondence was received from P. i'.n iow < Doug la-). who wrote with regard to a, telephone line being erected on unused road.--The request WJI-5 aceedeil to. The re.-idcuL engineer, Public Works i >a rt m i-ill. wrote a.-king j particulars oi «ji:;nrie. under tie,- ci'md':; jari-die-lion. Mailer referred to the engineer. The Ndvious Weeds Inspector wrote in •■olHie. till! v-ith the (iV-eVe dai-y on property < -it Stanley lioad. and regarding Si d.ihi|\ wurt in Midhii>t, and denyiii'-' ihal I !lei'e were aefts of the weed at. Midhir-t.--It was revived to draw the inspector's attention to ragwort growing in the eoiinty. W. Dan-all stating that the drain at Iluiroa was too deep- ami asking* th:: * it should ]i<* lowered.--The engineer to inspect and report. The Punauga, Porough Council forwarded re-o]iij io?i regarding* the pri<-e of liMi.i-tnll's in the Dominion.- db"-olvod that the letter lie on the table. ■ I.ilut }) Vll i !),,| !L r; : i.) drew the attention of the council to the ('rains hi- pro! v, ii') j!,e Vol'!; dojn' w.i, u-e'e . Hide--; the f!nver»iu;eni was drained: also askim:' that the engineer should report on the matter. -Mailer referred to Councillor Walter to ;-ee what steps should be taken. The Sf rat ford Porough Council wrote. •■(.■■lirv f h:i i jh" ,('i| had 7' ■ i 1 < ] t ■ t' ;! mount I<< I e jo do vHi'!; on I'Tnf l!<»:'d in ue'.t ear'-o-tinwit'-. The c-tim;'.(ed eo-.t wa.s

.Clll. —It was decided that the question of paying half cost should be included ill next year's estimates. S. i'itt wrote, enclosing a petition iroia Stanley Fond ratepayers, asking the conned to strike a special rati! to raise ,l'7f> for the bridge.—Keceivcd. Ihe i'ublii- Works Department wrote regarding vote of C 1.10 for Autawa Road, t-.Vi of which had been expended, am submitting 'proposal for the expenditur. of the whole amount.—The engineer to sit.unit proposals for the expenditure of the balance. sV TOKO DEPUTATION. A deputation of Toko settlers, consating ol Messrs E. Marfall, C. Uavlv, E. Jones, W. Jlusack, J. I, Luccna, "ml \\. lluggins, waited upon the Council. Mi. Martell said that a meeting of •oko ratepayers had been held the other day, and had discussed Clie question of -he continuation of the present contract. They had heard that the work va 'l ' l,ei »K done at a reasonable price, '-"d "'us urgently required. A ; ratepayers they w t .r e willing to assist the .ouncil to a certain oxtcut. Thev thought they could provide the interest on the money needed. They were entitled to the expenditure, and thev pledged payment of interest for three years. Th e engineer had led them to Velievo that the contractor would camon the work on favorable terms. The Chairman said he was not opposed to doing what ], e could to assist. If the Council advanced £7OO, there would be a total indebtedness of £750. Mr. Marfell: I am prepared to pay next year's rates. He said further that the land in the district had a rateable value of .€1)7,000. Cr. Baskin moved, and Cr. Smith seconded, that the petitioners' request be acceded to. Crs. Walter and Were spoke in support of the motion, which was carried, CROYDON ROAD WEST. A deputation consisting (of Messrs Real and Ifaniblvn, settlers of Croydon Road West, waited on the Council to have their names deleted from e, petition to have certain re-grading work being done on bills on the road, on the ground that work which was required to be done so as to give them access to the factory was not "specified in the petition. The petition was for the raising of a loan of £.">oo for work on the road. An additional amount of from £7O to £Sf) was required to do the work which the petitioners wanted. Cr. Walters asked if other settlers were against having the £BO added on. Mr. ileid: They don't seem to be interested. On the motion of Cr. Anderson, seconded by Cr. Raskic, it wr.s decided tiiat no action be taken till a fresh petition was made. GENERA fj. Cr. Baskin moved the l'ccision of a inotiqn ipasseil at the last .monthly meeting that the removal of the bank of earth on Kent Road be left till the engineer required the earth. He said the work should be done right away.— On the engineer stating that, the bridge gang would soon start work on the bank, the motion was withdrawn. It was decided, on the motion of Cr. Wortliington, seconded by the chairman, that the engineer attend to the obstruction on TaiwTiari Uoad. Cr. Worthington moved, the chairman seconded, 111111" it was decided that the engineer be instructed to do something to open up the Taurakawa Road. Accounts totalling £1095 lis fid were passed for payment.—Abridged from Post.