STRATFOHD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1920, Page 2

STRATFOHD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The first meeting of Hie newly-elected Stratford County Council was held on Saturday. Present: G'rs. E. Waller (chairman), S. Pitt, M. Davis, J. Jacobsen, W. H. Were, J. T. Belcher, T. R. Anderson, .1. H. Thomas. The chairman extended a welcome to the i new members, Crs. Davis, Jacobsen, Belcher, and Thomas. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The County engineer (Mr. .1. W. Spencc) reported as follows: North Hiding (East).—During the imat period several slips took place on Ilia Stanley Read, but most of these were of minor proportions coming from the upper side of the road. In two other cases the outside of the road slipped Into the stream. Temporary fences had been erected in these places. In order to maintain the ordinary road width, it will bo necessary to cut hack Into the papa bank. The clay portion of the Cross Road has received some attention. Field tiles have been placed under the road to divert the spring water, wlich was finding Its way into the centre of the road. A considerable amount of maintenance shell rock has been distributed on the Stanley and Croydon Roads. General maintenance work has been carried nut on the Kahourl, Salisbury and Beaconsfleld Roads. The Ackland Road is getting into a very weak ttnte did will require a considerable amount of metal The ditch on the Beaconsfleld Road in front of air. Shotter's property has been cleaned out. North Riding (West). General surface work has been carried out on tho Upper and Lower Pembroke, Cardiff, Minimum)', York and Denbigh Itouds also on part of Regan Street. The portion of the Mountain Road between Midhirst and the Kahouri Stream has been scarified, reblinded with crusher screenings and rolled. The chip crusher has been put into commission at tho Manganui depot. About 120 yards of Te Popo sand has been distributed along the Mountain Road for tar work. South Riding—About ten chains of ll'c lower Skinner Road has been refaeert 'with metal taken from heaps at the side of the. tarred portion of C'henl Road. A cpnstdorable amount of banking up has been ,done <.n the tarred portion of the Mountain Road South and where necessary shingle has been used lor side tracking on the N'gaere and Eltham boundary Mils. When the teams are afaln available further stretches of this work will be carried out. The work on the Finnerty Road bridge is progressing very satisfactorily, given fine weather 'lt should only be a matter of a few weeks before the work will be completed. East Riding (Toko).—Several portions of the Riiupahu Road broke up badly during tho wet weather. These have been attended to, there being sufficient metal quarried at the Huluga Tit to do tho work. Further supplies of pit metal will be required for maintenance purposes on this and the Toko (East) Road. The Mahgnehu Road with tlte exception of about two chains at the junction of the Rnupahu Road has been crowned up. On the Ohura Road portions have been blind ed, and the whole of this road through the riding has been metal patched. The Ahuroa (east and west) and Station Roads have received attention. East Riding (Douglas).—Several slips have been cleared on the Strathraore Saddle, and a set of 9-Inch pipes put in to replace ,1,1 old wooden culvert. Water-tabling and general repair work has been carried out on the Ohura and Ohura-Mangaelm Roads. At the Gordon Road sheilrock pit crushing fas been commenced, and the metal used to race up the track between the bins and the road East Riding (Hulroa).--On the Douglas (North) Road, water-tabling, slip clearing and repair work has been curried out. The fllllng near Mr. Fraser's wool shed has again" given trouble. Metal patching has been done on the Makuri Road (to Huironi and genera! surface work on the Akama Road and metal blinding and water-tabling on the Makuri East. On the Douglas South Sad lie, during tho heavy rain a large hole made its appearance In the formation, urn' this has been attended to. The worst places on both sides of this saddle Have been faced up with shellrnek found near the rood. Neither the quantity nor quality of this metal will warrant extensive operations being carried out In these pits. West Riding. The Hastings, Ronald, Brecon, and Brooks Roads have h?en repaired. The south approach to the Knpunl Stream, Palmer Road, has been crowned up and coated with river shingle. work of refaclng the Upper Manaia Road has been considerably delayed through broken neither and the shortage of labor, given flue weather tlie refaclng work will soon be completed Tl-e ! application to the Tourist Department for j assistance on the upper mile of this road lies I been refused. This coition *j very utile used by the ratepayers, the traffic being practically all tourist, and under the c'r-' "iMistances I would ask the direction of Hie Council as to the amount of work to be done on this length. Mnngaehu Riding.-The heavy rains ver* responsible for a number of slips throughoutout this riding, the most of these have been cleared away. Water-tabling and general repiir work have been carried out on the MangaehUj ManrXctulhi, Tulurawn, and Pnniwhakau Roads. Sixty 9-inct pipes have been delivered at Tulut/iwa and Punlwhakati. ROAD TO DAWSON'S PALLS. With regard to the Council's application for a grant towards the cost of repairs on the upper Manaia Road, leading to Dawson's Falls, the Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister in Charge of Tourist and Health Resorts, wrote stating that as far as the Tourist Department was concerned, no revenue whatever was derived from the Egraont National Park, which was under the control of a board i«i which the Council was represented. Tho board,had, however, received an annual subsidy for some years from the Department to assist in Hie maintenance of the roads, tracks, and huts within the park, but l-o regretted that the Department had not : ny funds available towards the cost of maintenanto of roads outside the boundaries of the park. While he did not doubt that the Council's statement that the particular mile- of road to which the Council referred, was used a!nio:n entirely by visitors to the park, he was given to understand that the "iiajcril.v of fise visitors Were regents either within tho Stratford County or Uljoinlng counties (also represented on the Board), and as far as visitors fro-n outside Taranaki were concerned, the majority of these would be conveyed in vehie'es owned by local business people who must derive considerable benefit from the tourist traffic. In these circumstances, it appeared to be unreasonable for any local authority to expect monetary assistance from a Department which already grants substantial financial aid towards tho development of scenic attractions in the district. Cr. Anderson, the Council's representative on the Egmont Park Board, said that as regards visitors to tho Dawson's Fails, more than three-quarters were from outside Taranaki and more than haif of them used their own cars. The position at present was that the licard received £2OO from the Department towards the maintenance of its huts and tracks, which was very little considering that then- were three mountain houses. He still maintained Hint the Government should iniike some contribution towards tho road. He suggesed that the road should be metalled only as far as the gate of the last ratepayer's property. The engineer was instructed to carry out Cr. Anderson's suggestion. CORRESPONDENCE. The Under-Secretary for Public Works warded a copy of an Order-in-Council, up. proving the term of the license granted to William Loiigan by the Stratford County Council for a private tramway along Waiwar!. Ahuroa, am! Ohura Roads.—The chairman said that *ns far as the Council was concerned every precaution had been taken so that the tramway should not interfere with tlic roads.—The letter was received. Mr, it. Wells, Huiroa, wrote slating! thai the Minister of Public Works had refused a grant for his track at Tututawa, and asking the Council's assistance in obtaining a grant. —lt was decided to reply stating that an application would be sent to' the Government for ,i grant next session. 1 Tt» DBf»nce Office. Haw»ra, wrot* O ou.

Arming the allocation of war trophies as agreed upon, at the Group Committee jneetlr.g held at Hawcra on October 14.—The lettsc was received, and Cr. Were was unpointed the Council's representative on the local committee to take charge ol th& trophies. Mr. 11. Masters, Ml 1 ., wrote stating that in reply to the representations made by him on behalf of the Council that relief be afforded tho Council in the matter of rates on property taken over by tl'o Crown f„r so:dier settlements, he had received a reply the Minister of Lands stating that the Information available in Wellington rsgardlng tho rates was not sufficient to enable him to give the matter full cosideratlon. He had asked the Commissioner of Crown Lands, of New Plymouth, to supply him with additional particulars. Upon receipt of llic Caoiinasioner's report he would advise Xi. Masters of the position.—deceived. Messrs. It. H. ninghvall and H. .1. Freeman. Makurt Road, wrote asking the Council to take some steps' towards Improving tie state of the road.—The matter Was left in the hands of the engineer to see what could, be. done to improve the road. Mr. It. Masters, M.P., wrote asking the Council to advise him If it desired to discuss any matters In connection with the proposed Electric Power Board, with Mr. 1.. Birks, chief electrical engineer to the Public Works Department, during his forthcoming visit to Taranakl—The chairman and Cr. Anderson were appointed to Interview Mr. Blrkn. The Secretary of tho Taranakl Prepress League notified that the council had been elected a member of the league.-Jteceived. PREMIUM BONDS. The Glsborne Borough Council mote forwarding a copy of a/' resolution it had adopted, urging the introduction and adoption of a system of premium bonds In respect of local bodies loans, as a means of overcoming the difficulty at present attending the raising of loans by local bodies, and at. the same time offering an attractive investment to the. public. Tile investor would be guaranteed 4 per cent, for his money, and 1% per,cent, would be allowed to accumulate and would be ballotted for amongst the Investors, big prizes being given to the winners of the ballot.—Tie letter was received. WAIPUKU BRIDGE. The Inglewood County Council wrote with reference to the Stratford Council's letter intimating that it was prepared to pay a share of tie cost of the Waipuku bridge at Derby Road, stating that as the Stratford Council expressed the opinion that the bridge should be re-bulit out. of loan to be raised, supplemented by a £ for £ subsidy from the Government, the Inglewood Council was not quite clear what Stratford was prepared to pay. Further, that as tho Derby Road continued past the bridge into the Stratford County, the Inglewood Council wished to know If It was Stratford's intention to pay a share of the cost in cash or to raise a loan over a portion of the area affected in the Stratford County.—lt "was decided to reply slating* that it was tlier council's intenlon to raise a loan over the area affected in the Stratford County and to pay half tho cost. GENERAL. Tho engineer was instructed to widen tre Stanley Road, near the Te Popo factory, where tho recent slip took place. It was decided to call for tenders for 1000 yards of boulders on the Climle Road. The action of the chairman In sending a telegram to the Minister of Public Works, protesting against the stoppage of work at the Tahnrn end of the Stratford railway, was conflmed. A petition was received from a number of settlers on the Ronald Road, asking that the road be metalled.—lt was decided' to reply stating tiiat the work would be done as soon as tte loan money was available. The resolutions passed at the meeting of tho council on October 9, adopting the joint by-laws for the counties of Stratford, Elthnm Hawcra, Waimate West, Inglewood, Clifton, and Egmon,, were confirmed. The new bylaws will come into force on December 20 1820. It was decided that the dog tax should be the same as last year, 2s lid for ..orklng dogs and Ids for non-working dogs. The tender of M. C. Aagard for dog collars was accepted.