STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1918, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our' Own Correspondent.) [AM communications, letters, etc., left with Mr. 11. J. Hopkins, bookseller, will receive prompt atteutiou.] Stratford, April JO. BOROUGH COUNCIL. A special meeting was held last evening. Present: The .Mayor (Mr. •!. W. McMillan | and Crs. W. McDonald, C. 11 Walsh, S. B. Hunter, T. Lawson. C. .lackson, .1. H. Thompson, I). .J. Malone, and .1. Masters. The first business was,the consideration of the estimates to March .'sl, 1!»1<<: (iuneral arrears .1:00, 10 per cent, additional on rates .120, water rates arrears .120, rents .11075, Government subsidy on rates 1 11)0, license fees £575, sanitation fees £350, water rates ISHK), extraordinary water supply £3!)0, refunds and sundries £420, general rates (3ld on ,121'),000) 13130; total, .17220. Expenditure : Salaries 1803, administration £175, general £7B, reserves £SBO. street lighting £025, fire prevention £V3O, water works and drainage 1810, streets £2659, Hospital Board £205, bank interest and charges £220, printing, etc., £65; total, £7050. The estimates were adopted after a little discussion.

Regarding street improvements, the Mayor said that the main thoroughfare would require first consideration, and nothing could be done in the back streets till Broadway was completed. Through the lighting committee, the engineer (Mr. Hollands) submitted a report stating that some improvement was necessary in the working of this department. In some instances the staff were poorly paid, and hours too long, the hydro staff working 50 hours a week with two days off in the month. At present youths were paid 255, with increases up to £2, and he suggested that the council should pay up to £2 10s, according to service and qualifications. He also recommended increased pay in regard to three of the staff, and regarding the others thought he should recommend the pay according to their worth. This view was not agreeable to Crs. Masters. Malone, Law-son and Jackson, who all believed that the pn.yments, or rate of pay, should be made by the council. To their minds, if they allowed the electrical engineer these privileges, the same consideration should apply to the borough engineer's staff. The Mayor disagreed. The electrical engineer required skilled labor to handle the valuable plant, whereas the borough engineer employed a fair amount of unskilled labor. ,Cr. Lawson suggested that the engineer should bring down a report embodying his suggested increased payments to the staff. The engineer reiterated that the staff was poorly paid, and to make the men comfortable the conditions under which they worked should be improved. Or. Masters moved: "That the latter portion of the engineer's report should be deleted," and this was carried, those opposing being the Mayor, Crs. Hunter and Macdonald.

The town clerk's salary was then increased by .i!SO, Miss Burrell (assistant) .CU, and the borough engineer (Mr. T. D. Sullivan) JC2.V The Mayor then moved: "That the previous resolution giving the picture company a flat rate of 3d per unit for electric lighting be rescinded, and in future the charge be 8d nett for lighting and 3d nett for power, from May 1." Cr. Hunter advised the council to stick to its agreement, or, as an alternative, to increase it by Id per unit, as was done in the case of the general public. In reply to Cr. Lawson, the Mayor stated that the County Hotel and others received a special discount 01 10 per cent, when using over 30 units. Cr. Thompson moved an amendment, deferring the matter to the next meeting, the engineer meanwhile to bring down an estimate of the amount consumed by the picture company in light and power.—This was carried, and the council adjourned.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS. Mr. J. W. Boon (chairman) presided at the annual meeting held last night. The attendance was very satisfactory, and considerable interest was shown in the election of the new committee. Several of the retiring members found themselves amongst the "also starteds." A ladyMrs. T. White—was amongst those elected, the new committee now being: Messrs J. YV. Boon (chairman), C. H. Lawn, \V. Pinkey, F. .T. McDonald, D. M. Clark, Tiehbon, Foster, D. McMillan and Mrs. T. White. D. McMillan tied with C. I). Sole, and a draw by the chairman favordd Mr. McMillan. Mr. Lamason drew attention to the school children in the district going to other towns for their education. He moved: "That householders protest against holders of scholarships being allowed to use their scholarships in private schools.—Seconded by Mr. S. Ward and carried. * A resolution supporting the New Zealand Teachers' Institute in urging upon the Government the necessity of introducing reforms in the educational system, was carried. Air. Boon was re-elected chairman, T. H. Penn, secretary, and H. Kivell caretaker. Tuna—W. Hathaway (chairman), Wellington, Latham, Goodwin and J. lvovaluski. Whangamomona.— H. W. Bovis (chairman), A. Agostinelli, F. Anderson, R Riddell and A. H. Norrie. Bird Road—J. Patterson, T. Old, A. K. Hann, J. W. Crowe, and E. Bocock. Cardiff.—W. Mander (chairman), T. Richards, J. Stewart, E. Bennett and V. Remnant. Pukengahu.—X. Brown (chairman), B. Cooper, J. Blackstock, Wilson and Mehrtens.

The long winter evenings are to hand. So those who find time tedious will be pleased to learn that Mr. C. K. James has just opened up some fine winter pastimes—games that will instruct the child and interest parent. Those who enjoy a gooil book can obtain great variety here, whilst if in search of a holiday, wedding, or christening gift, you will certainly find same amongst the many thousands of articles on sale at C. E- James's warehouse.