STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1920, Page 2

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held on Saturday. Present: Crs. E. Walter (chairman), S. Pitt, T. E. Coleman, W. H. Were, H. B. Worthington, T. R. Anderson, J. B. O'Neill and L. Buskin. Cr. Coleman reported that a conferenca had been held between himself, the engineer and Cr. O'Neill, and the chairman (Cr. Belcher), Cr. Smith and the engineer of the Eltham County Council relative to adjusting the boundary between the two Councils ou the Wlngrove Bond. The Stratford delegates hud decided that they could not recommend the Council to tato In the proposed area from the Sltham County until the rood had been put in order, tl'o engineer having estimated the cost of putting the Toad in order at £240. The twenty-four chains of the road In the Stratford County hod now been put In good order, and the Eltham Council had decided to put Its portion of the road In order it an early date. The Eltham delegates had been satisfied with the attitude of the Stratford delegates in deciding not to do anything tmtU the wtole of the road was In letter order.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. J. W. Spenee) reported as follows: North Biding (East) .—During the past month .general road repair work had been carried out on the Cross, Stanley, Salisbury, Ackland and Beaconsßeld Hoads. The drains on the Stanley Road have been cleaned. It will be necessary to obtain further metal for maintenance on the Stanlej and Adtland Roads. North Hiding (West).—General maintenance work has bepn carried out on the Denbigh, York, !&d Radnor Roads. Portions of the Mountain "Road have beeu scarified and teavily blinded with crushed screening. The chip crushed has been given a trial, about 50 yards of % to 1-in. metal have Ueen crushed and delivered on the sides of the Mountain Itoad for light patching. The. crusher appears to be working quite satisfactorily.. A further request has been forwarded to Chrlstchurch In connection with tho delivery of the Austin Cruster. South Riding.—The broken weather interfered with the work on the Wingrove Road, which has been now completed; 38 yards of pit metal being used to repair the twentyfoul' chains of the above road Immediately north of the Eltham County boundary. A small amount of repair work in the way of crowning up and water-tabling on the Maruarua Road, six yards of pit metal were placed at tte approaches to the small bridge on this road. The roller and teani3 have Just completed the refaclng of a short stretch on the Skinner Road, the metal used on the work being collected from the road side heaps on the Cheal Road. Sets of 9-inch pipes have been placed in the Wlngrovp and Walhapa Roada. East Riding (Tolco).—The wot weather during tho montb found tho weak portions of the various roads, and almost continuous patching bad to bo resorted to on the Ohura, Ahuroa East and West, Raupahu and Mangaehu Roads. The metal portion of the last-named road has where necessary received attention, the immetalled portion being watertabled and crowned up, It was necessary to put a set of 12-in. pipes, where owing to a slip, the original culvert had become blocked. Some timber repairs are necessary for strengthening tte coal shed at Toko. East Riding (Douglas) .—Maintenance work las been carried out on the Ohura, OhuraMangnehu, Douglas, Taihore and Crown Roads. The work in connection with the Gordon Road sbellroek pit Is nenring completion, if the weather allows crushing will be commenced In about a week's time. East Riding (Hulroa).—On the Makuri P.oad to Hulroa, water-tabling, patching and blinding work has been dono. On the Makuri (East) water-tabling and metal Winding, Douglas North and South water-tib'.ing, and rn tte Mohakau Road general works nave been carried out. Forty 0-inch pipei have been railed to Iluiroa. The grty horse from Tututawa has been handed our t) this riding, spring cart harness is required to "omplete tho outfit. \Vest R),ding.—More or less heavy r.atrtii.ng has been necessary on the Waingongoro, Opunalce No. 1, Hastings, Palmer and tl'.j portions of Opunake No. 2 and 3 whle.i have nqt recently been refaced. Water-tabling has been carried out on tie Manala Road South. The Palmer Road through the ct'.t'.ing at the ford has been trimmed up. When teams are available a few yards of shlr.g!<t will be placed on this portion of tho road. The crusher has gone out to the Manaia Road North where general repair work will be carried out, the greater part of tHs road will require to be refaced to put it In good order. A set of 9-inch pipes on the Walngongoro Road which have from time to time given trouble, have been taken out and replaced with 12-Inch. Mangaehu Riding.—Tho past: month has been occupied In water-tabling, metal patching and slip clearing. The Brewer-Taihoro and Taltore Roads are reported to be in fair order. On the Mangaehu Road near the property of Mr. Norrls a fairly largo slip will have to be cleared away, the foremf,n is securing extra labor for this work. The work carried out under contract on the Manga and Whaka Roads has been Inspected, results aro quite satisfactory. Tho contractor for the filling near Mr. Godkln's reports that he has completed tho contract. The horse recently purchased was taken out to Tututawa wtere it appears to be glrlng every satisfaction. The engineer stated that tho Austin crusher would leave Chrlstchurch on October 22. Willi reference to the Upper Manaia Road, Cr. Pitt pointed out that the road was mainly used by tourists and not by the ratepayers of the county. Ho imoved that the Tourist Department be approached for a subsidy towards tho upkeep of the last mile of tte road.

Cr. Anderson seconded the motion. Hp stated Hint tlio last mllo of tlie road hod been formed in the first instance with the help of a Government subsidy, and this showed that the Government realised its responsibility In regard to the road. The motion was carried.

CORRESPONDENCE. Mrs. J. Bishop, Surrey Road, Tarlki, wroto statins that v.'HV reference to tho bridge over the Waipuku Rivor at Derby Road, which was in a dangerous state, ths settlers had been in communication with Mr. R. Masters, M.P., who stated in his reply that he had visited the road some .time ago in connection with the matter. He had discussed the m..tler with the District Engineer of tiro Public Works Department wiio stated that It was not possible to get the Government to grant more than a £ for £ subsidy, the local County Council having to find the balance of the money. It would bo necessary for tho Council to imake application stating that they were prepared to bear their proportion of the cost of construction. Upon tho County Council doing this he (Mr. Masters) would be only too pleased to assist in any direction ho could. In a. letter, Mr. Masters slated tl-at if the County Council conferred promptly with the Public Works Department and made application for a subsidy, he mijhi get tho application through tills session. Mrs. Bishop staled in her letter that the settlers would be pleased if the Council could see its way clear to arrange Willi the inglewood Coinily Council to build the new bridge. It was decided to write to the lug'.ewood County Council statins that tie Council considered that the bridge should be erected by means of a special loan, together with a fi Tor £ subsidy from the Government, and if tills was done by the tnglewood Council, the Stratford Council would bear its share of the cost. Tho M.'.dliirst School Committee wrote thanking the Council for the work dene on tl'O street leading from Mountain Ro:.<l to the School.—Received.

THE MACHINERY DEPOT. Mr llorner, a resident of Cella Street, ivafted on tlio Council with reference to the proposal to use a section of land at the corner of Cella and Cordelia Streets its ;t machinery rtcprt. Ho stated that the depot nottki he mere or less or a nuisance tn (he residents in the vicinity, ami he suEsesled that halt an acre of land further east wnul,! milt the Council's imrimse just as well, and vould not he (tetrimonlal to residential projeny.—Tl:e Council derided that it could not ■ i ' r 1 "> wit}' to accode to 'ifr ilcner's vsnuejf.

STANLEY AND MAICABA ROADS. Upon a recommendation from tho settlors In the district, the Council decided to take steps to rates a loan of £I7OO for the purpose of metalling the Stanley and Maltara Roads for a distance of 3% miles,—ln connection with the matter, Cr. Pitt stated that the settlers were practically all returned soldiers and application would be made for a £ for £ subsidy from the Government. The original intention was to raise a, loan of £750 and apply for a subsidy from the Government, but the settlers now wished the road to be metalled for a further distance.

WORK OF THE COUNCIL. The chairman, in remarking' ttat the meeting was tho final one before another election would be held, referred to tho work of the past year. He stated that the present Council had done the preliminary skirmishing in connection with tho expenditure of loan money and was leaving plenty of work for the new Council to carry through. The Council now liad good up-to-date maetlnery and they could look forward to the county having as good roads as any county in the Dominion In the near future. It may be Mid that they were late in starting tho work of Improving the county roads, but the Cdunijil had been doing steady work all along. On many points couneillars had held different opinions, but all matters were settled amicably and the councillors were the best of friends. In conclusion, Cr. Walter expressed his appreciation of the assistance, given to him by tfce other councillors and paid a high tribute to the work of the stafl and workmen while he had been chairman. Cr. CGlemsn congratulated tho chairman on tho able manner In which he had conducted the business of the Couftoll, and moved that tte chairman be accorded a hearty vote of appreciation for his services. This was seconded by Cr. Anderson and was also spoken to by Crs. Were, Worthlngton, O'Neill and Baskin, after which it was carried unanimously. llie chairman thanked the councillors for their words of appreciation. He felt he did not dejarve so much praise but he had done his best to deserve it. Personally, he was very anxious to see the loan monies expended In getting the roads all in order and if tie ratepayers wanted him to stand again for tho Council he would bo pleased to be a candidate.