STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1916, Page 3

STRATFORD.

TARANAKI VVAI! RELIEF ASSOCIATION. (From Oui Uv-u Correspondent.) Stratford, Yesterday. The lortnightly meeting; of the above Association was held here to-dav. Present: Messrs. W. P. Kirkwood (chairman), W. K. Percival (lnglewood), Beekbessinger (YVaitara), J. McPhillips (Manaia), ft. Dunn (Farmers' Onion), F. Mills (Hawera), ,1. Fleming (Patea), and .).. W. McMillan (secretary). Apologies were received from Mr. Crump (Eltham), and Mr J. 15. Wilson (New Plymouth), who is attending the Advisory Board at AVellington. Mr. J. K. Wilson wrote resigning his position as a Taranaki member of the Advisory Board, owing to pressure of w,rk.—Mr. W. P. Kirkwood was elected a member of the Board to represent Taranaki, in place of Mr. J. E. Wilson, it being understood that if he was unable to attend every meeting of the board some other delegate would undertake to take his place. It was decided to write the Minister of Defence asking him whether soldiers who enlist as single and get married while on leave, are recognised by the Department as 1 married men, as regards pensions and allowances.

Messrs. Tweedie Bros., of Awakino, wrote regarding a reutrned ssldiei who was in their employ for three weeks, and who needed six months' furlough! also expressing tho opinion that the Association should endeavor to procure a pension foi him. As a mark of their sympathy, they agreed to contribute in order to show their sympathy with the soldiers, 10s per week, for six months, towards his assistance.—The thanks of the Association were accorded them for their generous donation.—The matter of procuring a pension, and further assistunco was left in the hand; of Messrs. J. E. Wilson and Beekbessinger. It was decided to assist a returned soldier with a loan of £3OO for three years, to enable him to complete the purchase of a farm. Mr. Mills (Hawera) read letters from R. 11. Nolan and U. McCarthy, now in England asking for mjilitary assistance towards the War Contingenters Hospital and Hostels Association, in England that had been opened for New Zealand soldiers.—The delegates, while expressing every sympathy with the objects and work of the Association, decided to point out to the applicants that the primary objects of the Relief Association was to assist wounded and returned soldier?, and seeing that Taranaki is contributing .£IX3 per month towards comforts for soldiers at the front, they could not grant any further assistance.

A list of properties which the Association considered suitable or cutting up or land for returned soldiers authorised to be forwarded to the Lauds Purchase Board for consideration. Most of this land is suitable for dairying purposes, but in many instances is now only being used for grazing. Tile delegates expressed the opinion that it was essential that the Government should purchase some of this land, otherwise the objects of the Association in putting returned men in the land could not be carried out. The proposal of the Government to pay by debentures for the value of the hind purchased was felt by the meeting to be a detriment to the success of the sehoine.

Mr. Fleming moved: That this Association barns .with regret of the decision of the Government requiring vendors of land to be acquired for tho purpose of settling discharged soldiers to accept payment of same in debentures, for th;; reason that •such action is calculated to have a detrimental effect on the proposal, and strongly recommends that the matter be re-opened with a viewto its being optional for the vendor to accept payment in debentures, in cash, or its equivalent,—The motion was seconded by Mr. MiPhillips and carried. The secretary reported that the following amounts were held by the different committees in the districts: I.iglewood £452 os, Manaia, £IS44 10s Sd, Hawera £7501 14s, New Plymouth £4704 14s 3d, Patea £3030 lis'id, Eltham £3710 lis lOd, Egmont £1332, North Taranaki .fII.VIO, Stratford £7198 O3 3d. Grand total £30,423 ISs lOd. Aocounts were passed for payment and the meeting adjourned. STRATiriiiD'S WATER SUPPLY.

Tliu m:\ttiT of improving the water supply of llio borough is one that slioulcl leecive tlie urgent attention of the local Council. On Tuesday morning residents on the higher levels were without water, and the pressure throughout the town was down to less than 10lb per square inch. The cause of this was a blockage at the heudworks, caused by shingle and leaves wn-hing down the river. What ii required is a concrete weir, because the present stone groin may wash away at any time with Hoods, and tho town supply would be cut off. A properly constructed intake should also be made, because the present intake is not sufficiently : protcctod~ to prevent leaves and shingle causing a block. There is no system of filtration whatever, -he water running direct from the river through a tunnel into the pipes; consequently the supply is at times muddy, and a large quantity of silt fin-"" - its way into the pipes, causing leak: ges in lire plugs, taps, etc. Some four years ago the borough engineer, Mr. T. 1). Sullivan, pioposed a scheme providing for a concrete weir across the river, and the con- I strueJion of r. concrete reservoir of half a million gallons capacity, his contention being that, by building the latter, the water would be ■purilied by sedimentation and aeration, l'rovision was also made in connection with the intake to ensure that in Hood time none of the dirty water would find its way into the rcseivoir time securing a clean water supply. Mr. Sullivan designed and constructed works of a similar nature in Ilawke's i!ay, which proved a success. Unfortunately, the land at the intake is privately owned, and the Council have no legal right to construct any new works on it, but have only access to the land to maintain the present works. For the improvements suggested by the borough engineer about six acres of land would be required, and the Council would he taking a wise course to secure this land, either by mutual arrangement or under the Public Works Act. The total cost of the works outlined would be roughly ;C:>()00, and it is certain the ratepayers would sanction the scheme, if only to get a good clean water supply. In any case, the most urgent need is to have the caretaker's cottage at the head-works connected by telephone, because if o serious fire had broken out on Tuesday morning, with no water supply, there is no telling what the consequences would have been. The matter is urgent and the responsibility rests oil the Council. GENERAL.

At the Catholic Church this morning Miss Winnie Fitzgerald, daughter of Mr.