STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 317, 17 June 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

-.-. THE MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly, meeting of. (lie Stratford County Council was held yesterday, where those present were:— Oouneillora W. "-Hathaway (chairman) I. Coleman, J. Christoffell, T. B. A-ndor-son, J. Smith, E. Walter, W. 11. Were H. iB. Worthington and T. Baskin. ; : DENBIGH ROAD. 'Messrs. Wills and Cowl waited on the council, requesting a special order to raise a loan for the erection of two ■bridges on the Denbigh ami stating that they had presented'a petition ,containing the necessary number of s>- ! natures.—lt was unanimously decided- to grant the request. ~ .The chairman announced that the engineer considered that an expenditure of £77 was absolutely necessary en the Denbigh Road, while they were at present £BB in, debt,,and their income would only' be £75. He suggested that they raise a separate rate of Id. Mr. Mills suggested that the chairman, riding member and engineer should visit the district, and hojd a-.nieeting there. The chairman said he would suggest that the" council should subsidise the amount of the rate £ for £.

The council agreed to this, and it was decided to endeavor to got this work done.

ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE.

The engineer placed suggested estimates of expenditure for the ensuing year bftfore the council, the following being the totals for the various ridings: North Riding - £3170 10s,; South Biding £2318, East Riding £4317 10s, West Biding £-2951 18s, Mangaehu Riding £l6ll.

In the course of the discussion on the estimates, the chairman stated that if the amounts suggested -were spent there wpnld be a considerable deficiency. The position in the various ridings would be as follows:—North Riding £6 Is id in credit, East Riding £458 10s <sd debit, South Eiding £©Bl 4s Id debit, West Riding £5Bl ;-Gs debit, and Mangaehu Eiding £886,«5. fid debit, a total deficiency of £IO6O 7s Id. This was a matter that should receive the careful consideration'of the members.

, ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer's report stated.—During the monih we' have completed the last of- the crushed Sietal -contracts, and there now remains only the boulder contracts to ibe completed. The new crusher is doing good work, and should prove a big saving to the county. Good progress is •'being made with the forming of the Wailiapa Road. Owing to the lateness of the season, I would suggest ihat the building of the Stanley Road "bridge'should be left oyer .until the spring, and that the metal available be crushed for maintenance of the Stanley Road. The Te Popo bridge is ■nearihg completion, the dock having been put on. It should be open for light traffic in a fortnight. At the conclusion of this work, it is my intention to proceed with the Cardiff Road bridge over the Patea River. After a careful inspection of the roads and bridges, it appears to me that an increased rate will he necessary to meet the extra deI mands of expenditure. Tenders have been called for 300 cubic yards of shell rock on'the Gordon 1 Roatd and 100 cubic yards of gravel on the Chcal Road. The report was received. GENERAL. The tender of Mr. MoPhee for 300 yards of shell rock for the Gordqn Road was accepted, and for 100 yards of shingle for Cheal Road Messrs. Gray and Wellington's tender waß accepted.

The Stratford Chamber of Commerce wrote, requesting the council's support of . the following resolution: —That it is advisable in the opinion of this chamber that in all contracts for local bodies for works a provision should be inserted as follows: that except where expressly provided herein allgoods and material for ÜBe on this contract shall be of British or British-colonial manufacture—Rreecived.

A; E. Clifford wrote, resigning, his position as road foreman at Cardiff. Cr. Anderson said he had not time to go into the matter of the iPalmer Road bridge, and it was decided to leave it over for a month.

Mr. R. Spcnce waited on the council, requesting that a portion of the rates levied on the property of Mrs. Stockley, of Kiore, be remitted, as awing to an error in valuation the unimproved value had been assessed at £2779, instead of £1530. This had been <paid for five years, but Mr Stockley had paid the last year's rates under protest, and ho should, in common justice, be remitted the excesß for one year. —It was decided that the chairman obtain a legal opinion and report, at the next meeting.

A special meeting of tho touneil passed a special ordor, making a separate, rate of 13-lM in th.A £\ for the pur- ? os ." or erecting a .ierr6-c6*fctc bridge on the Stanley Road.