STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 22 April 1918, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The council met on Saturday- Present: Crs. E. Walter (chairman), i'. Mackay, L. Baskiu, H. Wortliington, W, H. Were, E. W. Hancock, f. E. Anderson, J- Christoffel, and J. O'Neill. ENGINEER'S REPORT.. W. J. Loptlell, engineer, reported:— North Hiding. The crushing of Roberts and Bell's shell-rock, on tlie Stanley road is completed, and crushed out at 593y 2 . The contractors are prepared to carry on the contract at the same price providing they receive progress payments A* the roller was urgently required on the Radnor road, it was neecssary to leave a lot of this road unfiinshed. Stanley, Cross, and Croydon roads, 115 cubic yards of metal has been crushed and distributed for maintenance. A 'washout occurred on the Cross road owing to the heavy flood, and much damage would have taken place had it not been for the timely assistance of settlers. Contractors have procured between 50 and 60 cubie yards of shell-rock for 'Ackland road. The crusher is engaged on the Radnor road, and should finish this week. The Derby and Surrey roads' settlers have completed their work on these roads, and have made a very good job for the money expended. I have inspected Normanby street, Midhirst, and find the gully is 40ft across, and estimate the cost of a cheap xoott>ridge at £4' 10s. Tha 4ft pipes, for the culvert on York road are on the site and will be put in, their places as soon as the gang are available. The bridge over the Kahouri stream, on Esk road, has suffered considerably owing to the recent floodTemporary repairs will be put in hand at once.

South Riding.—The Collett crusher completed tV» Cheal road stone, which crushed out at 324 cubic yards. This road, with many more in the South Riding, Ims suffered considerably owing to the storm water on the 9th inst. It will bo advisable in the future to tar seal all such places as are subject to floods, as there is a considerable loss of metal caused through flood water crossing the roads. The second bridge on the Climie road has suffered through & collapse of the approach, which has been temporarily repaired. The bridge on the Robson road is decaying fast, and will 1.-uve to De renewed at an early date. East Riding. The stone on the Ohura. road at the four-mile peg lias been completed, and crushed out at 570 cubic yards. This metal has been tarred and is now receiving its second coat- I have measured the stone for W. Stock's, on Finoham's Flat, which worKs out at 410 cubic yards. Ohura road, Douglas, has been tar-painted for a distance of about 90 chains. I liavo measured the shell-rock on Waiwiri roatl, and owing to the undulating formatioa it is impossible to get an accurate measurement. The school ground at Toko had a small portion tarred when the plant was passing through. A scour took place at the small concrete bridge near Mr- Shaw's property on Beaconsiield lend, and the prompt attention given by Messrs Shaw and Chard saved the situation. The suspension bridge leading to the Bird road has again suffered

sitgntiy.. West Riding, Tlis Collett plant has finished the Finnerty road contract, which has exceeded the 1000 cubic yard?. Mr. Patterson consents to the council taking all the land required to make a good job of the corner on Waingongoro road, subject to usual conditions. Mangaehu Riding. I have arranged with the contractors to erect the bridge ever the small jftmy in place of the proposed tunnel. The bridge gang are pushing on with the piers of M'Lachlan's bridge; all the bolts and steel plates, etc., have been placed on order. Messrs. Roberts and Bell were granted progress payments for work in the North Riding. Messrs. Shaw and Chard axe to be thanked for thijjr action begarding the scour on the Beaconsfield road. The engineer's report was then adopted. FOREMEN'S REPORTS.

J. Hatclier, Xorth Riding, reported that 494% yards shell-rock had been placed on Stanley road, and a small wash-out fixed up. S. Parker (South Riding), reported Wingrove, Wailrapa, and Robaon roads were blocked through slips, Si'ttlers had lent willing hands, but there was still a good deal of earth to shift before the roads would be properly clear. He suggested lix 9-inch pipes being used to carry the water away and save further slipping A culvert near Wingrove road faetorv required repairing, and Robson Toad bridge is in % had state. The approach to the second bridge on the Climie road had been washed out, and the public should be advised of fame- —Pipes to be procured for surface water on Waipapa road. Eugineer to attend to approach to Climie road bridge. W. Atkins, Toko, reported:—On the Mangaehu road a small retaining wall collapsed at the southern approach to the Mangaehu stream, tout this and the necessary filling ITad been attended to. Hunger's suspension bridge across the Patea river was considerably damaged, planks, deck beams, and hangers being missing. There was also a sag in the cables.

NORTH v. SOOTH RIDINGS. When the question of getting Messrs. Roberts and Bell to continue vrork in the North Riding, was discussed, the South Riding members en**red an emphatic protest that their riding was being neglected. The chairman pointed out that it was a question of wortring tho plant to the best advantage.

GENERAL. The chairman read a statement of the present indebtedness of the several ridings, compared with last year, as under, 1917 figures being given first:—■ North Riding, £3979 fls 4d ( £3SIS 10s lOd); South Riding, £l7Bl 15s -Id (£1490 17 s 2d); East Riding, £4004 7s (id ( £3322 13s 9d); West Riding, £2S7fi ;5h !)d ( £3533 5 S *M); Mangaehu Riding, £730 13s 4d (£1609 13s 4dj. The county ranger was instructed to take action agaiuisc persons trying to evade payment of the dog tax.

The engineer was instructed to have two dangerous bends on Wingrove rosid improved, the horseshoe bend at £O, and another at

Regarding the shell-rock at Waiwiri road, Cr. Baslkm asked ;r was not possible to have a light '* mway run into t'he deposit, whicf ivaß only 15 (.frying from the road.—Were assured

the council that it would be too costly, the 15 chains including a valley. It would, however, be a fine thing if the deposit was opened up by private owners. Iha council could then be able to purchase metal at a cheaper rate than now obtaining. Mr. Thomson, farmer, waited on the council and drew attention to the dangerous state of the cutting at the junction of the Monmouth and Mountain Roads.—Engineer to attend to the matter. A. V. Sims, president of the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, forwarded circular letter re urging on the Government to make better arrangements for education in the Dominion.—Received. Application was made on behalf of Wm. Lorigan, Te Kuiti, for a license to construct a private tramway along the Waiwiri Road. On the motion of Cr. Were a previous resolution agreeing, provided the regulations were complied with, was rescinded. A. C. Roch, district engineer of the railway department, stated that he could not recommend the department to contribute any portion of the cost re a aiding at Midhirst, and cattle-yards are not required there. The total cost of the siding would be £looo.—flfeceived.

CORRESPONDENCE. Taranaki Education Board notified that they agreed to lease the Mahoe gravel reserve for 21 years on the conditions announced by the council.—Cr. Anderson stated the Mangatoki Dairy Co. had agreed to surrendering their lease of this portion.—Letter received.

A. Richmond, Midhirst, notified the council that he repudiated any responsibility for blockage of the culvert on the Salisbury Road. —Left to the chairman and engineer, with power to act. Wliangamomona County Council wrote that several ratepayers occupying sections fronting Ohura Road, at Strathmore, were included in the Stratford County, and desired that in future the rates from their sections, as well as those collected since the formation of the Whanspmomona Council, should be transferred to it. —The chairman said the area implicated was 116 acres, and all the money raised had been expended on the road. The Wliangamomona people used the road. He had no objection to altering the boundaries, but could not see his way to pay back rates, and a motion to this effect was carried. Frank Lane, Cloton Road, pound-

keeper, wrote that the county ranker had impounded three horsea in the county, and when offered by auction no bids were received. He eventually sold one to a farmer for ss, and for the other two ho received 5s and 15s, and from these amounts he had to pay 2s commission for selling. He thought the council should guarantee him against loss, and desired a salary of £1 a month as insurance against loss. Since befoming poundkeeper fie was £lO to £ls out of pocket through horses impounded on the county roads.—The chairman said these old horses must have owners who were dodging their reobligations. He did not think they could legally meet Mr. Lane's request, although they sympathised with him.— Cr. Baskin moved that the letter be received and the writer informed that the council cannot make the payments asked for.—Carried.

Messrs Malone and King, solicitors, desired a resolution from the council to the effect "that being satisfied a piece of land (purchased from W. H. Were by the Stratford Dairy Co., for cheese factory at Toko, and comprising quarter of an acre of land) is not intended to be used for the erection of a dwelM ing-house, the provsions of the Public Works Act, 1908, shall not apply in this particular case." —The resolution was passed as desired. The Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, desired the council to observe Anzac Day, Thursday, April 25, as a public holiday.—No action was taken, a councillor remarking that giving the men a holiday generally meant them coming into town when they would he better employed in the country. Mrs. I?. Green, Ahuroa Road, petitioned the council to instruct neighbors to clean their creeks out properly. Five ratepayers on the Derby and Upper Surrey Roads thanked the council for grants to help to metal portions of the above roads, and asked for another grant next year to finish metalling the Derby Road. They also desired to appreciate the efforts made by the engineer on behalf of the ratepayers in the baekblocks.—Received.