STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1916, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Resident Reporter). [Messages: or instructions.left care cl H. J, Hopkins, Bookseller and Stationer. Broadway, will receive prompt atten- < tion.] , STRATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL, i Straftord, Nov. 13. The monthly meeting of the Council will be neld at tht. Council Chambers to-night. Included in the business to be dealt with are the following:—

WORKS COMMITTEE. Cordelia an J Orlando streets. —Estimate for forming and gravelling a path in this locality is £32 ss. In view of the estimated cost -the committee cannot recommend that the work be done. The committee, having considered the question of collection of rubbish do not consider the time opportune to extend this work beyond its present limits. Mr. Sullivan, borough engineer, has } applied for an increase in salary, and we recommend that it be increased to .£250 per annum. The application of the workmen for an increase of la per day we have left to thd Council meeting. We recommend that Pickering governors for the engine be obtained. The engineer's estimate of same is

ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Hi: T. D. Sullivan' reports as follows: Grass edges have been attended to in several streets. A six-inch concrete pipe culvert lias been put in on Opunake road at its junction with Portia street. Two 12-ft culverts had been inserted under footpath:, in Miranda street and one at corner Opunake-Portia street. Metal patching had been done at Broadway north and south, Juliet and Regan street;. 1021 cubic yards of shingle had been crushed. The crushing' plant had been set up on the Flint road and crushing operations commenced on the 6th. Repairs to Broadway ntrth would be put in hand immediately after Flint road metalling is completed. Three water services had been put in during the month. Twenty-three permits under sanitary by-laws have been issued. BESERVES COMMITTEE

llr. G. T. Walters' offer to lease tlie vacant shop on the south s'de of the Municipal buildings at the usual rental, provided the Council reimbursed him the cost of fixturei up to £35, has been accepted by the committee, who request Council to confirm its sanction. Mr. W. | Hodge's oiler, on behalf of Mr. Lonergan, to lease the four upstairs rooms at £1 las, provided the Council put in a water service, was declined, as the sum mentioned is under the upset price. The committee consider that as there are still a dozen chairs to come from Mr. Wilson, the seating accommodation in the chambers is ample. The Inspector for Fire Underwriters' Association has written pointing out certain defects in the electric light installation of the Municipal Buildings. We recommend that the Council request ths contractor to give effect to the inspector's instruc tions. Council's tenants should be notified to cut jioxious weeds on the properties leased by them.

T.IGHTJXG COMMIT! EE. The lighting committee announced that acting In accordance with instructions from the Council, they had completed the taking over of the Electrical Supply Company's undertaking. The final adjustment work is as follows: Values award, £15,237 Os 4d; adjustment of stock, £l4l IDs 3d; adjustment of rates, rents, insurances, etc., t £2i 4s 2d; total £15,400 3s 9d. LIBRARY AND READING ROOD'S. Details of the cost per annum of library papers su;d magazines showed the totai at £!) 4s lOd, whilst the cost of papers to the reading room was £l2 9s. GENERAL. There ivss a large attendance at the railway station.this morning to farewell the Stratford contingent for the 23rd Reinforcements. Considerable interest was taken in the fa-Tewelling, quite a number of country residents mingling with the throng present to wish the Taranaki boys "Farewell, and good lu'tk." The ilayor (Mr. J. \V. Boon) and the Rev. Howard delivered brief but interesting addresses to ( the departing soldiers. 'The Mayoress, on behalf of the Ladies' iPatriotic Committee, presented each volunteer with a suitable gift.

The takings at the shop run dt the Stratford Ladies' Patriotic Committee oh Saturday for the Wounded Soldiers' Fund exceeded £ll, and the tea rooms, in the same building, yielded over £5 to the Lady Liverpool Fund. The Southern express this morning was something in the nature of a troop train. Quite a number of the Twentieths, up on final leave, were returning to camp, and these, with the soldiers in mufti, made each station present a very busy appearance.

The railway authorities deserve commendation for their promptness in the work of strengthening the bridge spanning the Manganui River. On Wednesday till Saturday it was a case of get out and walk, but each day saw good work accomplished. On Saturday evening two immense ironbark piles were driven each side of the pillar, which had been previously packed and plastered (cement). This morning the train went over very slowly, and now the Department are running right up to time-table.

Farewells have been going on m this district during the p.ist few days. At Pohokura on Friday the schoolroom was crowded, when Private A. Buckley was the recipient of a wristlet watch. The chairman (Mr. D. Pitcaithlv) made the presentation, and in his speech trusted the departing soldier would return safe in health and sound in limb.

The importance of Stratford as a | business centre may be appreciated when "Your Own" states that on Saturday afternoon he counted 22 motor-ears and eight motor-eveles in Broadway, and in a side street lie observed 20 gigs, buggies, ete. The etcetera included a few "caravans" that had seen many days' service, arid afforded a striking contrast to the spick and span motors a few yards away. Sergeant-Xlajor Jin honey informs me that those entraining at Stratford this morning were:—ll. 11. Hendry, T. 11. f.ioocn, McKinley, W. I'. Clarris, F. J. Ralph, B. Hume, C. W. Frank. V. W. Kevins, and 0. Ferguson. .T. F. Mcl.oughlin will leave for Wellington to-morrow. Other enlistments are: ' McCarthy and Ross (Whangnmomona) • and E. Rawles and A. Richardson (Stratford). The last two mentioned ,nre in business here. They ivill proceed (to camp some time in January, j The monthly meeting of tli.e Borough

Council tli is evening promises to be a lengthy one, as several -matters of importance to the borough- are to be brought up for discussion. The Concert Party (formerly known as the Anzac Minstrels) have made two ! appearances at Toko, and they are very popular in that locality. They have acceded to a request that another concert should be given there, and will go out again shortly. The patriotic fluids should benefit as a result of ti—=» efforts. | - i- !