STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1917, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Council met on Wednesday. Present: Crs. W. .Ilathaway (chairman), T. Coleman, J. ChristofTel. T. Anderson, J. Smith, W. H. Were,' K. Waiter. 11. | Worthington, and L. Baskin. THE TOLL-GATES, The chairman related at length the results of the visits of the various delegates from county councils regarding the toll-gates, etc. At Wellington they had interviewed the Minister For Public Works. The latter assured them there was little likelihood of the proposed Abolition of Toll-gates Bill being passed this session. The Minister 'would not s-iy he was against the proposal, because lie had not made himself conversant with the Bill. He threw out a hint that there was a possibility of enlarging the counties and absorbing some of the smaller bodies and curtailing expenses. Cr. ChristofTel'said it certainly indicated that there was a prospect of some councils losing their identity.

Cr. Anderson said the opinion preI vailed that the Bill would not go through this session. The chairman said that counties in the Wairarapa were beginning to realise that toll-gates were necessary to keep the roads in good order. It looked as if there was going to be a 'big change of public opinion in favor of toll-gates. Cr. Smith said he had perused Mr. Wilkinson's Bill, and he thought it a very fair proposition. He was rather surprised to read in cold print that the chairman had stated he was in favor of abolishing gates. He wanted to know how Cr. Hathaway reconciled his dual position. The chairman admitted lie was not in favor of toll-gates. Xo one wished to have"toll-gates, but there appeared to be no other commensurate meairs of deriving equitable revenue. Cr. Anderson agreed. Ratepayers paid fates and then had special and extra rates piled on top, and the toll-gates seemed to be necessary to ease the rates. STANLEY ROAD BRIDGE. The chairman stated that 'whilst in Wellington they iiad seen the Minister regarding the Stanley Road bridge. The Minister said the Department would not hold itself responsible for any accident occurring through the bridge collapsing or the wings giving way. and would not assist in repairs. Bridges had been

-reeled in oiikr counties that had departed slightly from the instructions, and the Department was going to put a stop to this and refuse any grants. In regard to the Stanley Road bridge the Department admitted they got ' good value for their monev.

Cr. Smith congratulated the chairman on his diplomacy in connection with the matte, - .

Tr. Walter said the deputation had accomplished good work as delegates to Wellington, and he moved that the expenses of the delegates be paid.—Seconded bv Cr. Were and carried.

A resolution was passed agreeing to make no claim on the Government op the payment of the £250 grant if the bridge should suffer any damage in the future. ENGINEEU'S RE PORT. W. J. Lopdell, engineer, submitted the following report of work done during the month:—• North Riding.—General surface work has been carried out on most of the roads .in this riding- those that are at all weak have sutl'ered considerably owing to the continuous wet weather—this, of course, applies throughout the county. The Stanley Road is in a bad condition; orders have been given to have it done up immediately. Mountain Road: A start has been made scarifying and rolling between Midhirst and Stratford. The culvert near the Monmouth Road has had 'the inlet attended to, and all growtli has been cleared away. A start has been made with the boulders for the Konini stream bridge and Barclay Road metalling Cardiff Road will be scarified and remetalled as far as the metal will go, when the plant finishes the Mountain I Road.

South Riding.—The Mountain Road has been scarified and rolled, and is now in fair order. The Bird and-Wingrove Roads are being attended to. Estimates ['have been prepared for the. Waihapa «oad.

East Riding.—General surface work, metal patching, aiid water-tabling has been proceeding during the month. The bridge gang are making good progress with the Waitara river suspension bridge, considering they have been working short handed. I have been unable to get them any assistance, and the -work is of too heavy a nature to be carried out expeditiously by two men.

West Riding.—The .crushing plant has completed the work for this winter, having crushed 32 cubic yards for the Ronald Road, 220 cubic yards for the Poto Road, 72 cubic yards for the llastie Road and 234 cubic yards for Opunake No. 1 and No. 2. Attention will be given to the Brooks Road immediately. IMangaehu Riding.—This riding has suffered slightly from slips during the month, which has engaged the time of our permanent men. For this and other reasons I would recommend letting the formation of the Kaitieke road by piece work. General.—The Acme stone-crusher has been put in good order, also the Burrell engine. This plant has been hired to Mr. A. Douch to crush about 400 cubic yards of shingle at eight-pence per yard. The Collett plant is being overhauled and put in good repair for the coining season. The old traction engine is also undergoing repairs, the work being carried out principally by our own men. 1 have ordered from the Restar Company 29,000 gallons of Australian Gas Company's I tar, which is prepared to specific gravity 230, which is equal to restar at Sy 2 d f.o.j). New Plymouth, including \The engineer was instructed to attend to the Kaitieke Road.

Regarding the tar, Cr. Were said they | used over 40,000 gallons last year. The engineer said that purchasing Australian gas tar meant saving £IBS in freight by shipping direct from Sydney to New Plymouth, payment to be deferred till January. HEAVY TRAFFIC. Cr. Anderson drew attention to the extraordinary traffic going over the county roads (west riding). He believed the weight would be well over five tons. The chairman moved that the Kaupokonui factory's attention be drawn to the heavy traffic passing over the county roads. Cr. Smith seconded, stating that the traffic had been very heavy for some months. The chairman said the by-laws allowed 13cwt. on each wheel, Cr. Anderson remarking that the lorries weighed three tons empty. _ _ t ,_^_

Cr. Walter said they would have to bring in Stratford arid Midhirst factories, as these companies 'appeared to be using heavy vehicles. The motion 'was carried, MORE METAL. | Mr. A. Lehmann, of Brooks Road, | waited on the Council to request that a j little more metal be placed on the road Ito his property. He understood the south riding had made provision for metal, and he desired that the gap of 23 yards between the south and west ridings should be attended to. | Cr. Smith moved that the request be ■acceded Id. —Carried. AFTER A SUBSIDY. Some discussion ensued on the question of subsidies required for two ! bridges. The Council went into commitj tee, and on resuming appointed a committee consisting of the chairman and Walter and Worthington to wait on Mr. Sharp, engineer, regarding the subsidy on McLaclilan's bridge. TOLL-GATES AGAIN. C. A. Wilkinson, MP., notified the •Council that he would not oppose the Abolition of Toll-gates Bill. Further, he suggested that the toll-gate erected by : the county was the most objectionable i 'ln Taranaki. Discussion ensued, some councillors objecting to tlie tone of the letter; which finally was "received." CORRESPONDENCE. Eltham County Council notified that although alterations had been made in boundaries they had levied rates for this year, and presumed the Stratford Council would levy as though no alteration had taken place, and an adjustment, if necessary, could be made later.—Received, the Council quite agreeable. H. H. Sharp, resident engineer, forwarded copy of the verbatim report of the recent conference between Mr. Okey, M.P., Mr, Sharp, and the Council, on the Ahuroa stream bridge, Stanley Road.—» Received.

Mr. H. Okey, .M.P., notified the Council that the matter of a grant for the Stanley Road bridge bad been settled by arrangement with the Minister of Public Works. He suggested the Council should notify the Department that should any damage happen to the bridge the Government will not be called upon to assist in reinstating same.—Resolution carried as suggested. Members expressed appreciation of the great assistance afforded the Council, and a resolution was passed thanking Mr. Okey for his efforts. C. P. Baker wrote offering to do the reinforced concrete work in connection with the usggested bridge over the Patea river in, the Pukengahu district, either by day or fixed price terms. He was about to start a concrete job in that locality, and would have all the necessary material available.—Engineer to reply-

The New Zealand Counties Association forwarded lengthy report of the business transacted by the executive committee at the meeting held on July 25. J. J. Hills, Palmerston North, applied to the Council to have a road made to his section, part of the Strathmore estate.—Cr. Walter said it was an out-of-the-way place, and should be attended to.—Left to the engineer to attend to. C. P. Baker requested permission to lay a drain across the Robson Road in connection with the erection of a cheese factory there.—Permission granted, the company to take all responsibility.

The executive of the Stratford Model Dairy Farm notified that the road formation was encroaching on their frontage of sub-section 3, block 2, Ngaere, and requesting that no further encroachments occur. Cr. Were remarked that the Council had removed spoil from a cutting and the walls were crumbling. Thechairjnan said they could not undermine a ■man's property.—Letter received. Cr. Were requested the Council to k make a 9in. culvert to remove the water adjacent to the Model Dairy Farm.— Request granted. BOYS FOR THE FRONT. Cr. Smith said he wished to propose the following motion: "That this Council strongly protests against the age limit under the Military Service Act being reduced to 10 years, and considers it nothing short of criminal so to do." Cr. Were seconded the motion, which was carriedj the same to be forwardedto the Minister for Defence.

Accounts totalling £940 19s 3d were passed for payment, and the Council rose.