STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Wednesday. The monthly meeting of the above Council was held to-day. Present: W. Hathaway (chairman), Crs. Coleman, Christoffel, Anderson, Smith, Baskin, Worthington, Walter, and Were. CORRESPONDENCE. The Taumarunui Patriotic Carnival Committee wrote asking the Council to endorse a resolution passed by them urging the Government not to enforce the Gaming Ac!, so as to enable art unions, to be drawn provided the funds obtained are for patriotic purposes,— Received. The secretary of the Patriotic Committees asked the Council to appoint a repesentative to the general committee. —Cr. Coleman was elected. The 'Under-Secretary for 'Public Works requested a draft license in respect of the Stratford Electrical Company's license. It was decided that the clerk write to the Under-Secretary for further particulars.

The Department of Agriculture notified that goat's rue (galega, officina'.lis), has been added to the schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act. The chairman moved that the Department be asked to supply the Council with a specimen, as it k unknown in this district; seconded by Cr. Walter and carried. The Commissioner of Crown Lands drew attention to the exemption of Government officers from toll gate levies. E. Lyford, Denbigh Road, asked leave to remove about fceo yards of earth from the side cf Denbigh Road Engineo..-" to inspect and report at next meeting.

The Undersecretary of Public Works sctifleJ; re Wa.ipuku toll gate, the Order-;.': Couti.:;.; consenting to toll gate had been ecnt forward for the signature of His Excellen.-y Ihe Governor. S Jr.oben,=on, H. Gray, and J, L.' Neilsen notified that on account of the high price of hcrse feed they were compelled to raise rate cf carting for teams from 30s to 40s per dsy.—The chairman said if the Council had to pay the increase a lot of wcj-k would Slave to be cut down. Cr. Walter raid the inireaac was unreasonable. Horse hiC 3aii certainiy gone up, and w.fjc-s ana shoeing had increased, he. wa;- ir, iVvo; *,' raeeting the men half way, and movt-j iust the Council offer them 35s per cUv.- -'..ax-vied. W. P.. Bredow '"Trot* asking for a few yards of metal to ?l;e aim &eccs3 to his motor shed.—Request acceded to. The Inspector of Weeds asked the Council to have gorse cleared on the county reserve adjoining the Waitara Rber on the Douglas Road.—The engineer was instructed to get the gorse clewed. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. W, », Lnaiieij. County Engineer, reported as follows:--

North Riding: A start was made with the metalling of Kelly Street, but, owing to wet weather, the work has been cancelled and the metal is being wished for maintenance on the Mountain and ether roads. While the crusher i :i in this district I would suggest a few trucks of metal to Huiroa, Douglas and Gordon Road stations to make good the dajnago done by the recent floods.

South Riding: The crusher has spent i most of the month fa thi-s ridiw* bavin" crushed 178 cubic yaTds on the Robson Road, 224 on the Waibapa Road, 2-16 on the Warwick Road, and 98 on the Bird Road, and the roller kna worked after the crusher en Ustse ,-<jads. and is now engaged on tea Skinner Road, after which we wiil scarify and rc-roll the south Md of the Mountain Road. Bast Riding: General surface work ha* been done on the. different road? throughout the riding. A larije wooden culvert near the school on the Toko Road east lias collapsed, and 3/! concrete pipes have been sent out to re:uw saire Douglas Ridit-R: Foreman R«gera and his gang are still engaged with "the s'ips and damage done in fhia riding b* the recent floods. Concrete pipiu have"bean sent to Te Wer a to repair damage (lone on the Ohur* mi Maliee Rj.id.! Huiroa Riding; Foreman Atkiiis and' gang are doing good work renewing culvert*, eta. There "a •}•■] "g lot of work necessary to Ti\zitite'&m. ! of the roads. On Douglas IW r.c-t'a ' I would recommend the disiam'iii'* ofi the bridge by Air. Raker's nrw.oW levelling the timber in the #«ye a-ld filling it over with scrub mi «;rti> xbh i may last for a a few -.cars, or.d i-ruld i obviate any chance of the bridge b'.'ii.jf! destroyed by ill e. ' S <

Maiigaelm Riding: Foremaa Suva;.,, has at last been able to secure good men, and is now pushing on iv'i'h the work, and with the assistant' "l fl'e bridge gang should have all t), e important roads opened again by the wool «eason.

West Riding: Good work is Iwiii" done in this riding, the water tables and culverts being now In .-rood 'and the gung are now engaged on the approaches to the Pa tea bridqe, Cardiff Road. While on the Duiigias Road north, I had the misfortune (.„ ■put the our over a bank a distance of about 100 ft. There was considerable damage done, but it is now ready for use again. The bridge gang will finish the Pa tea bridge to-day, nnd they have made a very creditable job of it. I recommend that the gang should proceed to the Mangaeli.il Hiding to assist with the wash-outs and bridges in this district. I have prepared the cost of the To Papa bridge. The plans for the Stanley Koad bridge have been approved by the''Public Works engineer; also specifications for the metalling of the Pembroke Koad, between Barclay Road and Radius Road. The metal pit on the Ohura Road seems to improve the deeper one goes, there seems to be ample metal to complete this work. The cut on the Bcaeonslield Road has been opened up. There is a good outcrop of stone, but it being education reserve there may be diflicultv about getting the metal. ' ] think the time has arrived when the North Riding should procure a horse and drav for .foreman Kovaleski, his work 'belli" much hampered for want of same. GENERAL. In regard to the engineer's suggestion that a horse and dray be procured for! the North Riding, the chairman said it was necessary to purchase a small piece of land, and build a shed for the horse and dray—lt was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the riding members to report at next meeting. The matter of trees overhanging t ne roads and shading same, was again brought up, and It was decided to give all owners notice that the trees must be "topped" iminediatelv. Mention was made by Cr. Were of the trees, obscuring the view of the Kahouri bridge, and it was resolved to give the owner notice to have them cut down. The chairman reported that one of the foremen had allowed a settler to take six loads of earth, and he Dclieved the settler had taken quite forty yards, He certainly believed the foreman, had al-

lowed the man to take the earth in ignorance. Cr. Baskin said they liad advertised, warning people about taking earth, and the Council should prosecute their foreman or "sack him." The chairman said he did not quite agree with that. People had only begun to take newspapers since the war started. He moved that it be an instruction to all employees that they arc not to allow settlers to take earth from the County i&ads.

The chairman said he thought the time had come when a Works Committee should be appointed. It would save hours of time at the Council table, and would mean an improvement. Cr. Srcith supported the proposal, and said it was absolutely necessary to keep an eye on the finances. He Instanced an item of £SO for pipes purchased from a local firm. Why were these not purchased direct from the works? The enginer said every account was checked. With regard to pipes purchased from a local firm, they cost no more than getting them from the works direct, and it was much more convenient.

Or. WeTe said they had an engineer who was doing his best, and he did not see any need for a commitee. Cr. Walter said he believed in everything coming before the Council,' and would certainly vote against the idea. Cr. Worthington said lie was at first inebned to favor a Works Committee, but he could see difficulties; lie certainly thought a Finance Committee would be useful. The chairman moved that a Works Committee be appointed, and Cr. Smith seconded the motion. Cr. Walter said he expected the chairman to point out to them the advantages, but had failed to do so. How could they meet and discuss matters without the other riding members being present, and did not know what was required in their ridings? Besides, the wholesale question was a matter of finance.

The moion was carried. Noes: Crs. Coleman, Anderson, Were, and Walter; ayes: Crs. Christoffel, Worthington, Smith, Baskin, and Hathaway. Crs. Hathaway, Christoffel, and Worthington were appointed a committee. It was decided to call for tenders for metal required in the different ridings. Accounts amounting to £1241 were passed for payment. HOSPITAL BOARD. At to-day's meeting of the Hospital Board, the secretary was instructed to write to the Auditor-General, asking him to" assess what he thinks a fair Amount for actual travelling expenses for the members of the Board in the matter in dispute.

~The Sanitary Inspector reported that two cases ,of scarlet fever were investigated in Stratford, both cf which were isolated at home, and precautions were taken against the spread of the disease. One suspected case of scarlet fever was visited. Toko school was disinfected after an epidemie of meales. Bread was weighed at four bakers' shop in Stratford Borough, and at one shop in Stratford County. Various food shops were viaited.—Adopted. The names of Francis Alice Cramer, Dorothy Wicksteed (Stratford), and Beatrice M. Patterson (Oharui), who applied for positions as probationers were placed on the Board's books. During last month 17 patients were admitted, 18 discharged, and one died. Five operations were performed under anaesthetics. Nineteen remained in hospital at the end of the month. There were no cases in the isolation ward.