STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 21 October 1918, Page 7

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. Cr. E. Waiter presided ut the usual meeting of the Stratford County Council, lie? 3 on Saturday, there being ;»lso present; Crs. F. J. Ma.ekay, L. Buskin, H. JJ. Worthnigton, \V. 11. Were, E. W. Hancock, T. R. Anderson, J. Christofl'ell and J. O'Neill. SUGGESTED MOA COUKTV. Messrs Corkill and Stewart, representing the Moa Road Hoard, waited uu tlio council. The ii.xiuor stated that efforts were being made to form the district into a county, and some oi the settlers oil the Salisbury, Mangaotea and Surrey Roads desired to come in. The hind waa in the Stratford County, but the outlet was in the hoard's district, and the settlers had no community of interest with Stratford. The chairman admitted thai tluit was the position. Cr. Mnckay was favorable to tin; change. To carry out county work they had to ftend their plant many miles to do a little work. After a short discussion, the chairman and Crs. Maekay, Raskin and Christotfeil were appointed to meet the board and discuss the question, with power to act. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (W. J. Lopdel l ) reported: [North Itiding.—Kehely anu Madgwick have delivered about 800 <i.y. of boulders oil tiio reserve at tile Manganui, ready for the Mountain Road and a few other roads which can be worked from this depot. Denmark Terrace. —The' old bridge on this road lias Hen replaced with 20 feet of 4ft pipes, leaving a roadway of 15 feet. K this : road is metalled at any time It will be necessary to extend the culvert by one pipe at each ; end.

York Road. —A small bridge on this road between the Derby Road and the Mountain Reserve requires redeeming, I have let the contract of sawing deckiug to A. Volzki. Denbigh lload: Mr. Pcdeison has about HO cubic yards of boulder stone quarried on his property. I hu>e arranged for him to cart if on to this road at a satisfactory price. A portion ol the Mountain Road has been banked up as time would permit. The pipes applied for by Mr. Neiison have been supplied.

South Riding.—-The heavy roller lias been engaged rolling and scarifying the Mountain Road. This road is very thin, nnd requires refacing with metal. A pip-'; culvert is required under the Mountain Road, by the Nash Road, to carry away' storm water that at present flows into Mr. Witt's property, causing damage io his drive.

Climie Road: The bridge pang Inia made a start with the end spans to the Climie bridge. We have put in concrete sills and piles, finding it necessary to do so to get a foundation. Cornwall ltoad: I have arranged with Grimmer and Cft. to cart shlhgle to the Cornwall Road culvert, preparatory to erecting the new concrete culvert;

Einnerty Road llridgc: I would like to draw tho attention of the council to the fact that this bridco cannot last mucli longer, and should receive immediate attention. East Riding.—The motor lorry has b*en engaged hauling metal, from the Huinga pit to the Toko Xload East and MangaehU No. 1. In connection wjth tho loan proposal for the latter road. Councillor Were and I measured up the road, which is 108 chuins. We decided that the river metal would bh too expensive, and authorised the opening up of a faco of pit metal on Mr. Neilson's property. I think ample pit metal can be obtained at a considerable reduction in cost.

Douglas and Huinga Ridings*.—Kehely and Co. have about 300 cubic yards of boulders carted to the Midhirst riding. Weather permitting, wa will be able to start this contract during the next fottnifcht. West Hiding.—Foreman Hope asked to be relieved of the fcremanship, and his. place, has been filled by Mr. C. Beven, who will reside in the Cardiff cottage. The weather has prevented satisfactory progress being made with crushing operations at Cardiff. There is about. 100 cubic yards of boulders ou the Cardiff Road, near the WalngongorO Road. I would recommend raising ihe hollow and crushing this metal before thb bu°y season starts. The bridgfe gang has started the erection of a wash house and tank in concrete at the Manaia Road , cottage. Tii: I'OL has been sent out for the footbridge at Rowan. I hope to be able to get the Upper Palmer Road put in good order during thonexl few weeks.

■ Mansaoliu EltUnff. —A bridle track has been made to the top of the Talhdro F'tddle, froiii the Ohura side. Another truck of bridge docking has como to hand, and been carted out by motor lorry to the Puniwhakau bridge. General.—The benzlno shed lias been completed, and would he the bettor for a coat of piaster,, Xjecommena calling tender#, fcityseveral hew contracti. I had to send the motor lorry to fiawera to get new tyres on the back wheels.

A culvert is to be placed near Mr. Witt's property. Regarding liia condition of the South Riding, it was stated that the road between Ngaere nud the borough boundary required Immediate attention, probably requiring 250 yards of metal. Cr. Hancock slated that U was strange that in preparing the estimates Cheal and other roads wore considered and tlio main road was lost sight of. He would oppose auy wows not mentioned in the estimates. *

Cr. Christoffeil said all .he South Riding desired was the same proportion of the overdraft.

Cr. Anderson was agreeable to this, provided they paid a special ratis. Cr. Chiistoffell objected. Some ridings had a credit and others lind an overdraft. They were prepared to And the money. Tho chairman said it was absolutely necessary that they should stick close to the esti» mates: otherwise they would not know where they stood.

Cr. ChristoiTell considered that they might Ret a little moro done. Why block one particular riding and allow other ridings to run over the amount?

The chairman said the fault lay in riding members setting careless over the estimates. A resolution was carried that the South Riding members be reouested to report at next meeting as to which road they can transfer to make up the cost of 250 yards metal L o the South mountain Road. Tho Eltimm County Council's attention is to I>o drawn to the state of the Finnerty Road bridge, in which it. Is interested. The engineer's Tcport was then adopted. .WAGES AND SUBSIDIES. The Minister fcr Public .TVorls, in replying to a letter from tho cfmnril regard i'.;; ; resolution passed as to the decision of tho Go - er'iment nfft to pay sub-idy f.n wrges over 1 ts per day, stated that the council surely did not mean that each lr~al body should have the right to pay such v.iges as it pleased when being entrusted with the expenditure of Government grants. The council might do that wllli its own money, but he could not agree io such an arrangement where Government <;-.oney was concerned. The alternative, if forced upon him, would bo that the Government engineers would have to expend the grant themselves. The limit of lis pet day only referred to ordinary labor. With regard to skilled labor for bridge-building or employment of vehicles for carting metal, the rate must lie arranged with tho district engineer. There must be a fixed standard of wages for all ordinary labor throughout the Dominion, where. the expenditure, of Government grants was concerned; otherwise there would be competition for labor between tho soveral districts, anil confusion and waste would ensue. He admitted that where excessive rainfall caused slips and bridges were carried away, the lis per day wage would not apply. In all such cases ho realised that tho rate of wages paid was a secondary consideration.—Received. CORRESPONDENCE. The Midliirst Dairy Co. complained of the somewhat bad state of road, part of Kent Terrace.—Left to the engineer. Tho Minister- of Lands regretted that lie could not give the council any help regarding rates due on sections trtkeu tip by discharged soldier?, and subsequently forfeited. The chairman remarked that under these circumstances they could do nothing. L. 11. I'hilpott, engine driver, forwarded a claim for medical attention to an iiijury to his finger, which was crushed while working the council's motor lorry.—Account to be paid The Eltham County Council forwarded an invitation to send delegates to attend a conference at Eitliain on Tuesday, November 5 regavding the formulation of a uniform set OIJII--W rules—The chairman and Cr, Chtis.tcitell were appointed delegates. .Messrs. ,1. O'Neill, .V Phillips junior, and j,,, ratepayers at. Pnkengahu. asked £nl ,0 ta,[o stl, r> s t0 rai.se a loan for. I?,™ Si i " ,e m ' i,m WW** rates qh jiame —rile loan tQ be raised. ■ W°W are' to be granted a •holiday on the occasion nf the second day of and P ' ASSOI ' hU, Show