STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1916, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting was held on Wednesday. Present: Crs. Walter;; (chairman), 11. Wurthiiigton, W. Were, J Smith, I!. Anderson, J. Christotl'cl and A. E. Coleman. Owing to shearing operations, the chairman (Cr. Hathaway) was unavoidably absent. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr. D. McDonald, Puniwhakau, notified the Council of the transference of his lease of his stove there to Mr. Cope-land.—-Received.

Mr Wm. Rogers, 'Pembroke road, thanked the Council for electing him as their representative on the Stratford Hospital Board.—Received. The Petone Borough Council requested the co-operation of the Council in an endeavor to have single men of tin; Motor Boat. Patrol Service placed on the same footing as single men in the Expeditionary Forces. —Received. The Inspector of Rabbits and Noxious Weeds notified the Council that the owner of the property adjoining Ttmuno road will clear same of gorse as requested by the Council. The Inspector requested the Council to clear foxglove 011 their reserve, Akarama road, Huiroa. —To be attended to.

Messrs. E. Marfell and C. Bayly wrote, undertaking to defray cost of making ■lO chains on Toko Road with shcllrock, from end of gravel at Marfeil's wool£hed eastwards, up to £3oo.—The offer was accepted. James S. Holmes, Wellington, wrote relative to the state of Derby and Sur-' rey Roads.—Received.

The Radnor School Committee applied for drain-pipes to allow an approach to the gates 011 the main road, the charge to be made to the Education Board.— Drains to be supplied. Mrs. M. S. Reed, Toko, applied to have her rent reduced to £5 per year during the remainder of the Vase.— Approved. A deputation, consisting of Messrs. Moore, Saywell, and another, waited on the Council, and requested certain improaements on the Surrey Road. After a brief discussion, it was resolved that the Chairman, Cr. Baskin, and the engineer visit the locality,' interview the settlers, and report to next meeting. ( Accounts totalling £2175 were passed for payment, and the Council rose.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. W. J. Lopdell, engineer, reported as follows: — Xortli Riding.—Three hundred ami fifty-four cubic yards of boulders liar, been crushed on the-York road, besides scarifying and rolling of a further portion. Denbigh road has been rolled, and is now in good order. I have inspected the culvert up at'the top end, and consider it would be money wasted until such time as the fall is brought up to J take the water. The road requires forming, it being lower than the water tables and ditches in some places. As this place is about half-a-milo above the new work it is absolutely impossible for the storm water to come down ami damage the new metal. Surrey Road: I have inspected this road, and would recommend the expenditure of about .€3O in forming and metalling a few of the soft places. I understand that ?. deputation of settlers are to wait upon the Council to-day re this and the Derby road. Esk road: The recent flood has scoured the foundations from under the sills of the Kahouri bridge, allowing it to subside. Temporary repairs have been effected to make it safe for a year or two. Salisbury road contract is completed. About lij chains of road has been refaced and a tilling lifted. Ratapiko road: The hill beyond Mr. flair's house has been regraded, and the contractor is engaged getting out the necessary boulders for metalling same, If satisfactory ararngements can be arrived at 'with the Moa Road Board, 1 would recommend that they be asked to crush and roll this metal, as it' means a lot of lost time travelling round from here.

■South Riding.—The surfacemen are engaged with e!ay blinding and general, surface work. The Rohson road bridge will be attended to before the holidays. I have received a reasonable tender for the supply of shingle for the rebuilding of this bridge in ferro-concrete. East Riding.—The Toko road east contract is now completed, using lni> cubic yards of metal. The roller will lie out to roll the Toko road east and Huinga road this week. h. Wilson has taken the contract of quarrying shellrock for the continuation of Toko road ,>ast. The crusher is now engaged on the Gordon road contract. Waiwm road: E. Wilson is engaged on the la»t hundred yards of shell-rock for th's load. The Ohura road has suffered again from flood damage both on .the Saddle and at the 17-mile peg, where there- is a possibility of the road subsiding. Twenty-one and a-half chains of ditch has been cleaned out oil the Standish road. West Riding.—The filling at Mr. Hooper's has been made safe for trafl'v till such time as the crusher is finished in this ridina, when the work will be completed. 'The CTmiie and Opunake north road metal has been crushed. The plant is now engaged on the Cardiff road, near Mr. Marehant's, where the road has been regraded prior t-i metalling. Brooh's -road will be the next to receive attention.

Huiroa Riding.-Oneral surfare work lias been attended to during tlie month The creek referred to by Foreman Atkins is in a bad condition, lops being tlic principal trouble. Until it is cleaned out tbe low-lying »oad near tile Heao •o'ld will be subject to floods. Tntutawa Riding Again the recent >avy rain in the early part of the .nth was responsible for more slips

.ii.l wash-outs. However, the ffirema '.rgaiused labor, and has all the road open for cither bridle or wheel traffic.

General.—Hardwood timber has been ordered for the Waitara river, MeCool's an® Hodder's suspension bridges. < ] have not had time to bring down a proposal for a weir at the Manganui river bridge, but will do so during the month Re holidays: I propose closing down the plants from Saturday, 23rd, till .January 2. but can provide any with work who wish to do so during that period.