STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1919, Page 5

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

• MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting, of the Stratford County Council was held on Saturday. Present,— Councillors Walter (chairman), McKay, T. E. Coleman, 11. Worthington, L. Baskin, W. H. Were, E. W. Hancock, J. O'Neill and T. ii. Anderson. The engineer (Mr. J. W. Spenee) reported as follows: — North Riding (East).—The small slip nn the Manganui Road has been removed. During (lie short i.pell of dry weather the surfaces of the Ackland and Croydon. Roads broke up very badly. These roads have been cleared of loose stones, rolled, and clay blinded. The post and wire fence has been erected on the side of the Croydon Road alongside of the formation. This should have the effect of preserving metal on that portion which was being steadily carried over the side by the cattle travelling on the road. After'examining the southern end of Cambria Street, Midhirst, the estimated cost of grading and metalling 6J chains would be £62 10s. North Riding (West).—About 24 1 chains of the Mountain Road from the York Road to the top of the Waipuka Hill have been rcfaced, and should in a few months' time be in good order for tar sealing. It has been found necessary to sand dress a considerable portion of the tarred road between Waipuku Station and the toll gate. The tar and ,sand arc now on the road ready for repressing, between York Road gad the

Manganui Bridge. The teams are at' present getting boulders out of the To Popo stream, and as far as can be ascertained the cost of this work jriH prove satisfactory. South Riding.—The Climie Road, fronfjthe railway to the first bridge, has btea" banked up, and some of the corners fcivav been taken oft. The contractor has mads a start on the Pukengahu Road. He is making very good progress considering only one lorry is at present available.' Next week the necessary repairs should be completed, and the second lorry placed at his disposal. The portion of Warwick Koad complained of by the Postal Department has been attended to, in the way of patching, rolling, and clay blinding, and may now be considered to be in very fair order. East Riding (Toko).—- Where necessary clay blinding has been carried out on the Toko and Beaconsfield Roads. The metalled portion of the Raupahu Road has received a dressing of fine pit gravel. On the Ohura Road, from the top of Sangster's Hill, fine crusher screenings have been used, Along this road boundary a small drain has been cut, and the material taken out used in banking up the side of tiro metal. Deck repairs have been effected to a small bridge on the Waiwiri Road, also ontlieMakuristxeam bridge and the wooden culvert opposite Mr. Thomas' residence. When the contractor has sufficient shellrpck quarried, it is intended to have the rock crushed and placed on the Waiwiri Road to link tip the good portions on this road. East Riding (Douglas).—The Strath-

more Saddle and other portions of tho Ohura Road have been patched, and & dressing of sand placed on the tarred road near Douglas. East Riding (Huiroa).—The drains oa the Akama Road have been cleaned out and the road made up in places. The gorse on the Douglas North Road near the river has been cut, and some of the bad corners have been eased. The 'work of excavating on the cottage site at Huiroa has been completed. The contractor for the building is making good progress. An offer has been received for the erection of a post and wire fence round the Council's property, West Riding.—During the dry weather, particularly on the steeper grades, the road 3 have broken up a good deaL The worst portions have been raked and clay blinded. Water-tabling on the Upper Palmer Road is being earned out. About 400 yards of boulders have been taken out of the Kapuni stream and placed on tho Lower Palmer Road, this amount, together with the 400 yards previously taken out at the same place, making a total of 800 yards on the crushing site About 4SO yards have been taken out of tho same stream where it crosses the Opunake Road. On reading the Biding 1-oreman's report it will be found that the results have been very satisfactory.

Mangachu Riding.-The roads in. this Riding are reported to be in fair order. beveral of the pipes near Morris' Bluff were found to be badly broken. These have been renewed. General repair work has been carried out in the way of water-tabling, etc. Since a start was made on the repair work on Hooder*s bridge it has been found that the bridge is in a much worse state than at first op. peared, extra timber and labour being required to put it in good order. A tender of £l9 i og f or erecting a fence around the Council's property was accepted, and the report was adopted. The chairman, in speaking of the success of the loan proposal, said they had to thank the ratepayers for their expression of confidence in carrying the proposals. It was for the Council to see now that the money was expended wisely and well. There was a good deal of corimpendence in reference to the negotiatmg of the loan. He did not know whethw they were going to get the money for o per cent., but, if not, they would have to ask the Government to allow The Wellington Education Board had permission to pay 5J per cent. The Council then went into committee to consider correspondence on the

K. S. Walker wrote, complaining of the had state of the lower part of Flint Koad,--To bo referred to the Stratford Borough Council, . Mi-. J. S. Main applied for permission o place a gate across the Esk BoadConsent given. ■ wlrkc '^ Stric ! engineer for th 3 p «Wic t» i, ,? C "fv tme , nt Wlte etati "-' that head oll.ee had advised that they »m« not prepared to take any action whatever in the matter re the exchanw 1 fnvH d «M«* 'to Wait for a f«»tl»er report on the subject. K Mnrfell and C Bavlv Toko Rn»fl wrote asking that a at a certam part of the road—After hearing the engineer's report, it was deeded that the Riding members make some inquiries. Wilson and Son's tender was accented for the supply of dog collars. P * The Stratford Dairy Company was given permission to erect a short p7e" factory" W ° rk ° Ut9ide tt » *>»&* It was resolved that the engineer procure prices of improved tar sprayers and submit same to the next meeting He was also authorised to order tar required. ** The'dork was instructed to prepare a statement showing the proportion of toll gate revenue expended in the soutu A discussion arose a, to whether the officials and members of the Education Board should be allowed exemption from toll gate charges, and, after consulting the Act, the chairman said that these were not included in the exemptions named by the Act, which it was decided •to adhere to. In reply to a request from the Kltliam Council f or a delegate to bo anpointed to meet the Prime Minister at Lltliam on Thursday, Cr. Were was anpointed, the engineer to accompany him. J he engineer was asked to prepare a list■■ofContracts for boulders, etc., for which tendo/s should be called. The chairman said that now the year was over ho would like to thank members for their assistance. He also 1 hanked the clerk, the engineer, and the foremen. In thanking the press he eulogised the very fair manner in which the meetings had always been reported. the year's work had been held up by shortage of labor more than the shortage of cash. 9