STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1919, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETNO, , . The Stratford County Council met on; Saturday, Piesent: trs. K. Walter (chairman.)., J. O'Neill, T B. Anderson, 15, W. Hancock, \V. H. Were, H. B: j Worthington, L. Baskin, l'\ J. Mackay, J. Chriatoffcll. i 005S0EU3TI5 MlXifiß. 1 The engineer reported on the results, of his inspection of several makes o£ and recommended tho ..purchase id- one at £2l3o.—Adopted. ENGINEER'S REPORT. j W. J. Lopdell, county engineer, reported ar under:— North Riding.—The eontract on the Denbigh Road is completed, using 17!) cubic yards of metal. This road was j worked from the Midhirst Reserve. A start has been made Unking up the tarred portions of the Mountain Bead, near Midhirst,

South Riding.—A good job lias been made of the Cornwall Road culvert The boulder stone contract ou this road is also finished. Cheal Road. —The stone for this road will be out by tile end of this week. The eontract for the supply of boulders on the Lower .Bird Road will be completed this week, when the same contractors will start tliij' Robgon Road contract. I have instructed Grimmer and Chamberlain to ;rj ure about 40 cubic yards of suitable shingle, which is now available for the Mountain Road, Xgaere. East Riding.—About 379 cubic yards of boulders havo been railed out to Douglas ready for crushing for tb® Ohura and Mangatuku Roads. 1 would recommend crushing about 100 cubic yards of metal at Midhirst ami railing same out to Huiroa if trucks can be obtained If it is your intention to raise a portion of the Mohakau Road, it would be wise to make a start early to enable the road to set down before winter A truck of bridge decking has been sent to Gordon Road.

West Riding.—About 21S cubic yards of boulder stone has been, crushed on the Waingongoro Road.The plant broke down while (rushing at Cardiff, and is at present at a standstill. I hope to have it going again in a few days. The borough engineer kindly Tent me the u.3e of their roller for a few days to replace our own on the Cardiff Road.

Mangaehu Riding.—Preparations were being made for the building of the concrete bridac at Tututawa, but owing to the bridge foreman resigning to take a more lucrative position with a neighbor•ng county the work was brought to a climax. No applications were Teeeived for a suitable tar man. —Adopted. The council approved of the engineer securing shingle for Mountain Road, Ngaere. LABOR COMPETITION. Labor continui.-? scarcer. The chairman remarked that although they ollVred his a day for a tar-sprayer, no applications had been received It «;'.s also remarked that ouo of ih? couiity employee* had left their employ and joined a neighboring county Sonu- of the councils thought this unfair in view of the County Conference decision' but it wag pointed out that casual or ordinary laborers were able to suit themselves, the council being more concerned over the skilled men.

The chairman renu a petition from employees de-iring an improvement in the wages prevailing owing to the cost of living •

It was stated that the wsses ware: Tar-mc-n. 15s: foreman. 13s, rolier driver, 14s: assistant driven- 13s; surfnceinan, ).2s. It wa? rci=o!ve<? that t!ie head-men (foremen, roller and ci'iisber driver^' 1 che'i'd receive an advanf of If per day, and tile roolor drivrr .-0-t pfr vrerV and that other iinprovemi'r.r- : n th- rat» of the other? I>6 left to tlie .nr.'ineer, nwl the question further reviewed in May. CORT!ESrOXr>EyCK. A request by theMidhirst Co-operative Dairy Company for t.J>« of tlio crushing plant to crush SO varila oi uouiders was declined. C Coley, county employee, thanked the county for consideration shewn him in iiis illiics* by epidemic.—Deceived ' The Minister of Public Health wrote stating that lie would again loo" into the question of control oi incurable tuberculosis patients.—Received.

TEXDHS3 Tenders were dealt with as under for the folluwing contracts:— 200 cubic yurds sheil-rock, ]>huigaeb:i. ■WO cubic jitrds boulders, blandish Eoad.—Left to East Hiding members. liiH) cubir. yards boulders, Kaupauhu Road.—Left to Kast Hiding members ftiid engineer ISO yards boulders, IJasiis Ko.-.d.—E. A. ai:u C. (ihatd

*2OO yards boulders, York Ec-ad.-—-Sa tab one.

200 varus, Salisbury Eoad.—Swindlehurst and Be.'ieSeUl.

200 yards boulders, C.oyilca Bos.il M. Aldridge. 175 yards xir.iiMcrs, Croydon Head West.'—Sped; and Fergnraon-

300 yards boulders, Brook's Bead—J. I* Murphy. -100 yards shd'-rost, Stanley Eoad.—■ R Wilson.

Tenders are to he coiled for supply of

lOOuvavda boulder-; tu he placed on trie river-bed for Ihp Pukeiigain! Hoad, i South Riding. ! Applieations am to '•tie failed for bridse foreman for West Hiding at L"s per day .APPOINTMENT OF EXOINKER. Tile chairman slated that ninctce" application* bad been received.After considering th*» qualifications of application::. the seleetinn was sallowed down to three—o H- Lawn, J W. Spcnce, and J P Church.—At tlie close of the ordinary business, the council went into p committee to further consider the appointment, and. on resuming, announced that the selection bad fallen on J. W. Sponoe, engineer to tha Sumner Borough Council A rcipiest Iry Pnnlwliakn settlers for [metalling four "mall raitings at » cost of not mors than ,€2<X> was granted, provided {lie work bo eommor.eeil. after March 31. Accounts totalling £44G3 2s s<l were passed for payment.