STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1920, Page 3

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. Tho monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held on Saturday. Presant: Councillors E. -Walter (chairman), T. Coleman, J. O'Neill, T. K. Anderson, E. W. Hancock, W. H. Were, H. B. Worthingtoa, L. B;i3kht, and F. J. Msckay. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Tho engineer (Sir. J. to". Spence) reported as follows: NortJi Riding (East).—The following roads have received attention: Esk, Kahourl, Salisbury, Ackland, and Beaeoasiieid, in the way of patching, water-tabling, and clay-blinding. Small slips on the Ackkuul, Cross and Manganui roads have been removed. A wash-out occurred at tha small bridge on. the Croydon West Koad. A now cap was placed in the bridge, and a portion of tho approach which was carried away has been replaced. The repairs on this bridge must only bo looked on as tompctrary, as jt is only a matter of time when it will bo necessary to renew the whole structure. , North Biding (Wast).—About 600 cubic yards of boulders a;id 150 cubic yards of sand have been taken out of tho Manganul and Te l'opo streams. The heavy rain near tho end of the last month caused one of tho bridges on tho Derby Koad to collapse. On examination tho timber was found to bo unfit for reerection, and in tho meantime temporary repairs are being effected. South Riding.—Tho work of rotating a portion of the Waihapa Road will he put in hand as soon as the stone on the Palmer Koad (West Hiding) has been crushed. The southern end of the Pukongahu, about 11% chains in length, has been reformed preparatory to receiving a coat of pit metal. The Mountain iioad has been dressed with clay scfveral tir-ies this summer. Sand from tho Finnerty Road has been placed on the sides of the Wmgroro and Cheal roads, where the work of redressing with tar is being carried out. East Hiding (Toko) .—About 27 chains of the Y/aiwirl Koad have been refaced and a further 5 chains remain to be done. This work will be carried out as soon as the necessary shelirock, has been quarried. The raisins; of tlie foot, suspension bridgo (Hunger) over the patea River is in hand, a portion of (he decking requiring to bo renewed. East Riding (Huiroai— A considerable «mount of metal patching has been done on the Makurl Road, and overhanging fern on ■this, and the Douglas North and South end Akama roads, lias been cut. Temporary repairs have been ejected on one cf the bridges on tlie Mohakau Road. Sli sets of 9-inch pipes have been forwarded to Huiroa. West Riding.—A little over 300 yards of boulders have been taken out of tho Mangatoki stream which, when crushed, will bo used on the Hastings Road. A further 150 yards of boulders have beeu added to the boulders on tho Palmer Road. Tho work of crushing tho boulders for refaciug a portion of the Opunake No. 11l is at present in hand. M;mgae!m •Riding.—Arrangements have been made io hp.vo the slip near tho head of the Manga Road cleared oh". Old wooden culverts on tho Mangcahn and Brewer Tahora roads have been replaced by sets of 0-inch pipes. On tho Puniwhakau Road a set of 9-Inch pipes which wera too small to oarry tho water were replaced with IS-inch pipes

CORRESPONDENCE. The Westporb District Citizens' Committee wrote suggesting that tho Council ask the local member of ParUiument to vlait Westport ami beconio personally acquainted witii the coal resource? of tho district. —Received. The Stratford Hospital cad Charitable. Aid Board applied lor a contribution towards the purchase of an X-ray outfit for the hospital. --Decided to reply that tho councillors individually would do all they could to help the fund. Tho Under-Secretary for Public Works motied that the Minister had agreed to contribute £2,500 (£1 lor £1) towards the ccst of Punhvhakatt Komi.-—Decided that tho engineer prepare plans and estimates for the work required, for submission to tho Public Work!) Department. The conveners of a, public meeting held at Feilding on •February 4, for the purposo of discussing the meat requisition, forwarded copies of tho resolutions passed at the meeting, and suggested that they should ho en* dorsed by tiio Council.—Decided to endorse the resolutions and to writo to the Primo Minister with regard to the matter. Messrs Spence and Stanford, tho County solicitors, wrote notifying several changes in their firm. —It was decided to re-appoint tho firm as tho Council's solicitors, and to agree to Uie suggestion that Mr. Coleman should attend to tho Council's work. Six settlers on Darby Road, wrote stating that they wcro willing to give labor free if tho Council wouid metal a few chains of Derby Koad at tho York Road end, which they stated was usually very bad in tho winter and spring.—Decided to ask tho writers to attend the next meaning of the Council. The Council's foreman at Midhirst wrote asking if the Council could socura him a suitable dwelling.—Left In the hands of the member for tho riding wiut power to act. SALARIES AND WAGES. The chairman moved that the salary of the engmeor should bo increased by £SO per annum, bringing it up to £451). He stated that the engineer had 'been with the Council twelve months and during that time had given the umost satisfaction to the Council and to the ratepayers. Tho motion was seconded by Cr. Mackay and carried unanimously, after several councillors had spoken eulogist ieally of the engineer's work. A similar increase was granted to the County clerk, bringing his salary from £350 to £4OO per annum. The chairman said that Mr. Penn had been with tho Council for many years and had always deno his work well and to the complete satisfaction of tho Council. The Council went into committed for the purpose of considering the question of increasing the wages of the Council's etmployees. On resuming in open council. It was reported that It had been decided to pay the Council's foremen 16s a day and the surfacemen and casuals 14s a day.

GENERAL. The Council went into committee to consider tenders, and, on resuming, it was reported that no tender had been accepted for cleaning drains in, the East Biding (Douglas), and aono had been received for the work on the Moha'sau Road. Tho tender of Messrs. Candy and Thompson was accepted for delivery of houlder stone for 1000 yards of tho Ohura Road. It was decided that the rent of the Council's cottages in the East and West Ridings should bo raised to 8s per week. It was decided that no firewood should he allowed to he stacked on the sides of the roads in the West Riding for it longer period than a fortnight from May 1 to September 1. On the motion of Cr. Hancock, the engineer was instructed to call tenders for 200 yards of boulders for the Brooks Road, and :iO yards for the Brcckeu Road. Accounts amounting to £2,640 14s 3d were passed for payment. Cr. Mnekay gave notice of motion for tho next meeting: "That tho district Mist of the Mountain Road bo known as the North Riding and west of the Mountain Road as the Mountain Riding."