STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1921, Page 7

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The Stratford County Council met yesterday. Present: Crs. E. Walter (chairman), S. Pitt, M. Davis, W. H. Were, J. Jacobsen, J. T. Belcher, T. R. Anderson, J. O’Neill and J. H. Thomas. ENGINEER’S REPORT. Tte county engineer (Mr. J. W. Spence) reported:— North Riding (East). —During the month the Stanley, Kahouri and Esk Roads and Kent Terrace have received attention in the way of patching and water-tabiing. Thirtyeight yards of shell rock were placed on the Stanley Road for maintenance purposes. North Riding (West). —A considerable portion of the month has been taken up in widening the cuttings on the Mountain Road near Midhirst, tte spoil being placed on the same road, where several dangerous places existed. A start has been made with the tarring of the Mountain Road, but this work has been delayed by the wet weather. One of the new sprayers is being: used, and is doing very satisfactory work. South Riding.—The scarifying and rolling of the Mountain Road has been completed. The Sole Road has been clay blinded. East Riding (Toko). —Genera! repair work has been carried out on the Otura, Toko, Beasonsfleld, Standish and Waiwiri, Roads, and work has also been done on the paths and water-tables in the Toko township. The metalling on the Ohura Road has been considerably delayed with the weather. It is difficult to hold the portion which was lowered owing to tte small amount of metal on this length. The contractor has been making satisfactory progress with the Standish Road filling, which should soon be ready to receive a coat of shell rock. feast Riding (Douglas).—Repairs have been carried out on the Douglas South, Ohura-Man-gaehu, and Mangaotuku Roads The Strathmove and Tututawa Saddles have also been attended to.

East Riding (Huiroa) .—Practically the ?rhole of the month has been taken up in primming up the clay roads, particularly the Douglas North and South and the Mohakau. West Riding.—Metal raking and clay blinding have been done on the Hast’.e, Climie, Ronald, Brooks, Duthie, Rowan and Manaia Roads. About 27 chains of the Opunake Road No. 1 have oeen tar sealed. The Cardiff Read formation contract is almost completed. Mangaehu Riding—The shell rock from Mr. Ward's pit has been crushed, the greater part of which has been distributed along the road for maintenance, and the balance carted to the bride site at Tututawa. Two hundred and thirty yards of boulders were carted from Douglas Station yard and crush/d for the Tututawa Bridge. The wharves are being erected and the boxing timber carted preparatory to making a start with the erection of the bridge.

Jr Anderson stated that the Cardiff sad north near th®

in a bad state and would need something done to it before the winter.—The engineer said the road would be attended to as soon as possible. In reply to Cr. Thomas, the engineer said that after the work on the Mountain Road in the North Riding had been completed the tar-sprayer would be shifted to the South Riding, in order to put a fresh coat on the portion of Mountain Road which was at present tarred. The engineer’s- report was adopted. FINNERTY ROAD PETITION. It was decided that the West and South Riding members wait on the Mangatoki Riding members of the Eltham County Council with a view to endeavoring to come to an agreement in regard the petition of the Finnerty Road settlers asking that their properties be merged into the Eltham County. OVERDUE RATES. The clerk reported that there was still £lOOO of rates outstanding and asked the direction of the council as to what he should do in the matter. Cr.. Were said he thought the council should give every consideration to returned soldiers, but he thought old offenders should be prosecuted. It was decided to take steps to collect the outstanding rates. FIREWOOD CARTING. A deputation consisting of Messrs. R. H. Benefield, J. Dodunski, F. Potroy and C. Miller, settlers on the York Road, waited on the council and complained that motor lorries were cutting up the York Road carting firewood Mr. Benefield said the lorry owners were not ratepayers and the settlers were afraid they would be rated again in order to put the road in order. The principal offender was a New Plymouth firm, whose lorry came down the road with three or four cords of wood on it, doing great damage to the road. The chairman thought that the council did not have much control over the matter at present, provided the total weight did not exceed a certain weight, but the heavy traffic restrictions would .come into operation next month. Mr. Benefield said that the wood had been on the road for two years and the firms had left it until now to cart away. He considered it was the wrong time of the year '<> cart the wood. Cr. Pitt said the by-laws estimated the weight of a cord at a ton and a half, and he thought it was unreasonable to carry six tons on a lorry. The chairman: “There’s no doubt about that. We need an inspector badly.” If the engineer had seen the road before the carting had been commenced he equid assess the amount of the damage done. Mr. Benefield: They’re still carrying on. The chairman said the council would do its best to recover special damages from the lorry owner. Mr. Benefield: It will mean that we will have no road left if they continue to carry on as at present. They come .down the road at twenty miles an hour. After referring to the Act, the chairman said the council could recover damages for the extraordinary traffic on the road and would take the matter in hand right away. There was not a by-road in the ountry which could stand all that traffic.

It was decided that the engineer inspect the road and ascertain what damage was being done by the firewood carting and that the persons causing the damage be asked if they were willing to pay for the damage done. The chairman and the riding members were authorised to take whatever action was considered necessary in the matter. APPOINTMENT OF INSPECTOR.

The chairman reported that the bylaws committee had met and recommended that the council employ an inspector, the revenue to be derived from such an inspector being estimated as follows: Licence fees, 15 cars at £2, £3O; six lorries at £3, £18; twentyone drivers at 2s 6d, £2 12s 6d; heavy traffic clauses £10; re-registrations of ears, estimated at 8 cars a year, £4; hawkers’ licences, £10; a total of £74 12s Gd. There would also be other sources of revenue such as fines, etc., which could not be estimated. The committee thought it would be quite safe to put a man on for three months in order to see how the scheme worked and during that time to also utilise his services in conjunction with the engineer. It was decided to appoint an inspector for three months and to reconsider the matter at the end of that time. GENERAL. Mr. L. K. Tarrant, secretary of the Ngaere branch of the Farmers’ Union, wrote stating that at a recent meeting of the branch it was decided that the cUncil.be asked to keep the present boundaries within their jurisdiction. He also desired to biing under the notice of the council, the danger to the public caused by the stones on the north of the Ngaere railway station being placed right up to the tar and suggesting that the stones could be placed further back. —lt was decided to reply that, the council would endeavor to retain the present boundaries. > The secretary of the Douglas Hall Committee wrote asking if the council would do the Work of laying a drain in front of the Douglas Hall, if the committee paid for the pipes.—Decided to complv with the request. The* secretary of the Taranaki counties conference notified the formation of a Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association and invited the council to become a member, the subscription being fixed at £lO 10s. —it was decided to join the association, the members being of the opinion that the association would prove a very useful body. Dr. Monk, medical officer of health, Taianaki-Wanganui District, wrote confirming the council’s decision in regard to the employment of the department’s sanitary inspector and stating that he would'be pleased at all times to receive any reports or information concerning sanitary matters that may come uO the knowledge of the council and in which he could be of assistance. —Received. Mr. R. J. Einn wrote requesting the council to give Mr. Finchin, of Standish Road, Toko, fourteen days’ notice under section 62 of the Land Drainage Act, to lower the drains to get the water off his (Mr. Linn’s) place:—lt was decided to give notice to Mr. Finehin to clean out the drains and watercourse. It was decided to hold the next ordinary meeting on May 25, the statutory day set aside for the annual election of the chairman, and the chairman and Crs. Pitt and Thomas were appointed a committee to deal with the accounts in order that the workmen could be paid on May 20. . The dog tax collector was authorised to prosecute persons who were deliberately trying to avoid paying the dog