STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1918, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. j lie Stratford County Council met mi Saturday. Present: Ors. E. Walter (chairman), J. O'Neill, T. 11. Anderson, l'J. \V. Hancock, VV. H. Were, H. B. Worthingtoii, au<l L. Raskin. Apologies were received from Crs. Christoffel and Mackay. MAINTENANCE AND OTHER WORK. The chairman brought up the question as to what should be done with the lorries regarding maintenance or carting stones, etc. The engineer desired a lead from the council as to which class of work should have the preference. Personally, 'he did not think the lorries t.hoiild be monopolised in stone work, and thought that maintenance work s*ould get the first call. Cr. Hancock moved —"That the lorries be kept at maintenance work as mi.ch as possible." Tliey could thus yet ahead of general work and, when the busy seaton for crushing arrived, tiie lorries would be available. Cr. Anderson seconded tlie motion, which was carried. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

W. J. Lopdell, pngineer, reported:— North Riding.—The stable at Midhirst has been shifted, and will be a decided improvement. A culvert has been extended on the Mountain Road, near the Manganui. and the metal backed lip. Kent Terrace.—There is a culvert near the Beaeonsfield Read which requites extending, and the road widened at. this place. A. Volzke 'lias tendered his resignation after six years' fciunml service on the Stratford County and sixteen years on the Manganui Road Board. South Riding.—One of the surfacemen lias left and his place has been filled The Robson Road bridge has been completed, and the approaches built up by the foreman and staff. East Riding.—The shell-rock on the Waiwiri Road has been crushed, and measured out at 545 cubic yards, most or which has been used re-metalling from the top of the saddle to the foot of the hill. About 150 cubic yards has been dumped on the Makuri Road for maintenance. E. Wilson's shell-rock worked out at OS cubic yards. The roller, in returning from this road, broke one or two beams 011 the small bridge. Repairs will be efiected as early as possible. Douglas.—The plant has been sent to -ru9h the s!iell-rock now on the roadside near Douglas, also on the l;ouglas Road. All the piants have bean disorganised during the latter part of this week, owing to the Inspector of Machinery making his annual inspection dsiuic our busy season starts. Huiroa Riding.—Most of the month, Foreman Massev and his man have been on the Waiwiri and Makuri Roads, helping with the metalling and patching. Foreman Massey lifts tendered hi'- resignation, having been called up for military service. I have filled liia place in the meantime with his assistant, whom. I think, will do good work if a bit. The timber for the Toko bridge is going out to-day. West Riding.—Scarcity of metal in some places lias kept the men busy. The Collett plant is set up ready for n start on the Opunake No. 1, and will make a start on Monday. A -tart has been made with the bank 011 the Waingogoro Road. Mangaehu Riding.—The approaches to M'Lachlan's bridge have i,>een completed, also the retaining wall at Taurakawp. The bridge gang are now at the sma'! bridge by the waterfall on the Puniwhakau Road. After completing this bridge, they well repair the Pum linage on the same road.

General.—'The Straker waggon was railed for Christchurch an the Bth. having been sold to the Electrical Tramway Companv. A further supply ot tar has been ordered. Tenders have been called for three contracts, returnable to-day. A start has been made with the concrete benzine abed, 15 by ft.—Report adopted. The action of the chairman and engineer in selling the Straker waggon was confirmed. The reports of tho riding foremen were read. CORRESPONDENCE. Hokianga County Council desired support in urging amendment to the Rutins Amendment Act, 1913, so that in the case of Native land having no title in the offices of tlic District Land Registrar or Registrar of Deeds, the lien for unpaid rates should be registered against the tifje in the Native Land,-: Court. Such a provision would make unpaid rates an asset regardless of the length of time rates on Native lands may be in arrear —Request complied with. Waitomo County Council desired support in amending the Counties Act, to have rolls compiled showing European electors in each riding, and also all Native electors, so that the Natives may elect a councillor to represent tliem — Resolution endorsed. :>[. H Wat', district health officer, reported a case of diphtheria at l-rowan, and recommended certain improvements. —Recommendations to be carried out.

FembroUe Co-op. Dairy Company desired permission to remove portion of the bank on the Cardiff Road to permit of road-making.—Granted. Henry Milne, Waiwiri Road, Toko, desired permission to alter his gateway, and to remove earth from the bank opposit", in order to level the approach to the gateway.—Granted. John West. Toko, drew attention to what he considered a dangerous practice of allowing vehicles to stand in the street day and night In the wheelwright'-. As the street was not lighteu at night, the vehicles were a danger and nuisance to traffic. lie also asked tin.' council to give more attention to the sid»walks of Toko, and stated that the crossings also required improving.—The wheelwright to be instructed to keep vehicles olf the road. The other complaints will be inquired into. The New Zealand Counties' Association forwarded a lentrtby circular containing suggestions by the executive committee.—Received. GENER/.L, The engineer was instructed to report on the need of a dam on North Palmer Road, also lo make a footbridge beyond Rowan Road safe for iraflic. Messrs Kccly and Madewick's tender "or supply of 500 yards of shingle and ■'neck and Ferguson's for GOD yards of Vll-iO'-k were accented. Cr. Baskin desired that Denmark Trri'.re. 7\ri'!!i'r.-t, should lie widened. He oinplained that provision for this had nit been made wh:-:i the estimates were ;'hw considered. Tho chairman agreed that the -oad would be better for the •videning. but money was necessary for this, and he did not need to have the same amount of worrying over finances is had been the case during the past few years.