STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1918, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING lie Stratford .County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. E. Walter (chairman), F. J. Mackay, L. Baskin, 11. Worthington, W. H. Were, E. W. Han cock, J. O'JJeill, and T. B. Anderson. An apology was received for the absence of Cr. Cliristollel, w)io was absent from the district. VOTES OF SYMPATHY. Before commencing business, the chairman stated that since last meeting an ex-chairman of the council (Mr. Mackay) had died. Deceased was a man who had bee n associated with public works for many years, and was what one would call "a decent man, a white man." He moved that a vote of sympathy be passed to the relatives. Seconded bv Cr. Were and carried in silence. The chairman also stated that one of the county foremen (Mr. Sogers) had also suffered a bereavement in the death through injury of a son. A vote of sympathy, seconded by Cr. Worthington, was also carried in silence. TRAMWAY WANTED. Regarding the application before the council for permission to run a tramline from the lime deposits to Toko station, the chairman stated that he, Cr. Were, and the engineer had gone over the suggested route, and there was no reason to place any hindrance in the way of the company, hut, to protect the council, they had certain proposals to make. The committee suggested that they should be notified when the company intended commencing work, whilst the owners of property should be protected- A small sum should also be charged for the use of the road. It would not affect the road, as the tram would be 10ft from its centre. Should the company shut down at any time, all material, excepting metal, should be removed. On the motion of Crs. Mackay and Were, it was decided: —"'That a letter be forwarded asking the company if it was agreeable to the solicitor embodying certain conditions of lease, and contract of construction to be completed within I'2 months of letting."—Carried. ENGINEER'S REPORT. W. J. Lopdell, engineer, reported as under: — North Riding.—The crushing plant has completed J. Neilson's 200 yds contract on the Croydon Road west, also 20 cubic yards for Mr. Adlam. Pork Road: 174 cubic yards of boulders have been crushed and rolled where required; the Waipuku portion has been made safe with screenings, and will receive attention till the summer, when it will be necessary to roll in heavy crushed shingle when the road is soft. I was instructed to order pipes for the Midhirst factory and Mr. Harkness, but refrained from doing so owing to the fact that after the inlet had been cleaned the pipes had no difficulty in carrying the water after the exceptional heavy rain 1 which fell durijg the early part of the month. The cost of the pipes to the council would he £lB 7s 0:1. and to the company a similar amount for laying same. The Mangaotea Road is in a' pretty rough condition. South Riding.—A great deal of time has been spent during the month clearing away slins of the previous month, which are continuing to come down with the wet weather- The corners on the Wingrove road have been cut back, and this has greatly improved the view. The jarrah beams for the Climie Road bridge are now on the site. The No. 2 bridge gang are now making good progress with the Robson Road bridge. They had considerable difficulty in getting in the foundations, which hindered progress during the early stages of the work. East Riding—Ahuroa Road: 2-24 cubic yards of boulders have been crushed on this road, refacing aibo'it 14 chains, also 14 cubic yards for the Midhirst Dairy Factory, on the Beaconsfield Road. The three fillings on the road have been refaced and rolled with metal from ti-e East Road. The small concrete bridge on this road, which was affected by the flood some weeks back, has lost the south upstream wing. The plant has gone out to the Waiwiri Road to crush" some shell-rock, which is quarried on a private road which the owner is wanting to use. West Riding.—The Collectt plant has finished the Ronald and Poto Road contract, which crushed out at 328 cubic yards, and distributed as follows: —Ronald Road 208 cubic yards, Poto Road 100 cubic yards. Opilnake No. 2, 20 cubic yards. While at this work the roller brdke a pinion, and had to be taken to town for repairs. The Collett plant wa s hired to the Cardiff Dairy Company crush some boulders for their factory, and had the misfortune to break the Pitman, and will be out of commission' for some time. The contract for removing the corner on the Waingongoro P.oad has been let to Mr- W. Hawke, and will | be started immediately. Mangaehu Riding.—The bridge gang will complete Mlachlan's bridge this month. A statement of the Kaitieke Road is on the table. General road work and minor slip-clearing has been carried out during the month. I have let the squaring of the bridge repairs timber to A Volzki of the York Road, and will have it sent in as soon as possible. General.—As authorised, I have procured a quantity of No. 1 tar, and have from the company an offer for No. 2 tar, ' which, I consider, we should procure. Quotations are coming in for concrete batch-mixtures. I would recommend calling tenders for 2500 cubic yards of boulders at Midhirst, to be procured before November. The engineer's report was adopted. On the motion of Crs. and Baskin, it was resolved to call tenders for 2500 yards of bouldors and 400 yards of shingle. FOREMEN'S REPORT. F. Carter, North Riding, reported that I the bank at the .corner of Monmouth , Road had been taik"e n down at a cost of £3 14s. He required Sin pipes, stock lying low. —.Received. . ' W. Atkins, Mangaehu Riding, reported that remetalling near the tunnel had to . '.he abandoned owing to the clay road . : '"-nokincr badly. Four fillings had , been re-metalled on the Beaconsfield I'mad. He requested that drain pipes be . . procured to take awav overflow water 1 I from the county cottage. Toko, and t j for fencing-—(Pipes and posts re--1 quired left in the hands of the engineer. 1 ] S. Rogers. Toko Riding, stated that he i had lost five davn' work through be- ; i>l Tiic fnmilv.—Resolved that r foreman be paid for five days' lost time. R. E. Plews. West Riding. stated that

extra heavy traffic on the Opunakc No. 1 Road had caused a severe strain, and would require further attention. He also forwarded his resignation through having passed the Medical Service Board, and would finish his service with the county on July 13, aifter 12 years' engagement, and hoped later on to be able to resume his" duties.—Resignation accepted with regret, and if they cannot give him same work on return, will give him similar employmentCORffIESPONDENCE. Ohinemuri County County urged support to a resolution urging the Government to take over the whole of the main arterial roads in tho North Island.—Received.

Wanganui County Council desired support in urging tile Government to fix county elections on the same date as municipal elections, also that no ratepayer be eligible to vote unless he has first paid his rates.—Received. Mr. H. Watt, district health officer, reported a ease of diphtheria in the county, and recommenced that the house should receive an overhaul, and certain repairs indicated attended to. —Received, and work named ta be carried out. Pembroke Cooperative Dairy Company, t<td., desired permission to remove the 'bank to the side of the Cardiff Road, which obstructs the proposed entrance to the factory.— Gran-ted, subject to engineer's report. Midhirst Dairy Company, Ltd., thanked the council for granting a supply of Bin pipes to drain Harkness and Co.'s property, and desired to know when the pipes would be available.—Received, the council deciding to wait to see if the pipes at present cleared would be aJble to carry off the storm water. A. C. KocK district railway engineer, wrote regarding suggested * siding at Mi'.hirst for the county metal depot, and v.-on U1 arrange to go into the matter with the council.—Committee appointed Koch next week. M'Donald Bros., Nash Road, Stratford, requested permission to move fence on the Auroa Road, at the first bridge off the Beaconsifield Road, to permit connecting their fence with the bridge. They also drew attention to the dangerous condition of a telegra-pLcposf on the jNasli Road and the necessity of attention to the drainage of Bird Road.— permission granted to move fence. Stratford Borough Council notified that the poundkeeper's request for poundage fees of stock on county, roads had been left to a deputation to wait, upon the county on the matter—Received, county ranger to draw up a report showing the numiber of horses impounded and losses incurred during ths past three years. "** GENERAL. Mr. Parkinson waited on the council and desired that attention be given to the drains on the TOaiwiri Road— The chairman promised the council 1» would look into the matter. The council considered the need for a better arrangement for storing benzine, oil. etc.. which, at present, were stored In the same building that sheltered the motor lorry, and was not satisfactory for safety of goods or lorry in the casei of fire.—The chairman suggested a separate shed for it.—Resolved, that a concrete shed, 30 x 15, be erected under the the chairman and the engineer.

The committee set up to consider the purchase of a concrete mixer reported that two mixers had been reported on by the engineer, but i n neither instance were the machines suitable. T]ie chairman said he recognised the mixers were great labor savers, and the council should make efforts to secure one.—On the motion of Crs- Hancock and Were, the cominittee was granted another month to make further inquiries. It was decided, on the motion of Cr. Raskin, that in future the name of a new bridge, the date of its erection, and the names of t'lio county chairman and engineer be placed on main bridges only, and that it be painted, not put on as a talbletThe question of heavy traffic cutting up the roads during the winter months was discusssed. On the motion of Cr. Were, it was decided to put the heavy traffic by-law into ©per at ion. The voting on the motion was even, and the chairman gave his casting vote in favor. Cr. O'Neill gave notice to move—"That this council take the necessary steps to raise a bridge loan for the South Riding." Accounts amounting to £2O-88 Is 4d were passed for payment-