STRATFORD

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1922, Page 7

STRATFORD

Mt: t-TTUB OF THE COUNCIL., \ PAST MONTH’S WORK. The Stratford County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. E. Walter (chairman), W. H. Were, J. Jacobsen, M. Davis, S. Pitt, J. H. Thomas, J. O’Neill, T. R. Andersen, J. T. Belcher. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. J. W. Spence) reported: — North Riding.—During the past period the Ackland, Salisbury, Croydon and Stanley Roads have received attention in the way of patching, etc. Sixtytwo yards of broken metal have been distributed on the Ackland Road and fifty-three yards on the Croydon (Ackland) Road. Sixteen yards of shellrock have been taken out of Mr. Oldridges pit and placed On the Stanley Road.

South Riding.—The regrading and refaeing of a portion of the lower Finnerty Road has been completed. The tarring of the Finnerty Road from the Ngaere corner to the first bridge has been done. At present the tarring of the Mountain Road from the Eltham Boundary is in hand. East Riding (Toko). —The refacing and banking up of the Ohura Road have •been completed to the Kahouri bridge. The work of re facing on the Raupuha Road has been delayed. East Riding (Douglas).—General repair work has been done on the Gordon, Douglas South, Ohura, Ohura-Mangaehu, and Crown Roads.

East Riding (Huiroa). —General maintenance work. In connection with the new bridge on the Makuri Road, the work is well in hand, and the earth cut necessary to divert the stream is also being put in. West Riding.—The tar-sealing has been completed for a total distance of 6 miles 28 chains on the following roads: Manaia Road North 97 chains, Manaia South 64 chains, Opunake No. 111. 225 chains, Opunake No. 11. 81 chains, and Opunake No. I. 41 chains. The bridge over the Konini stream is in a very bad state and extensive repairs will be necessary, when the temporary seta are removed. Mangaehu Riding.—Repairs have been carried out on a number of the wooden bridges on the Pnnrwhakau, Taihore, and Taurakawa and Kaitieki Roads. The large wooden culvert on the Manga Road has again been repaired. The report was adopted. GENTLE ANNIE BRIDGE.

C. P. Wicksteed, Cardiff Road, asked the council to erect a temporary bridge to replace the Gentle Annie bridge, a collapsed structure on the Cardiff Road. The settlers would be prepared to find the labor for a cheap and speedy bridge and Mr. MacDonald had granted permission to cut stringers from his property. It was decided to notify the ratepayers concerned that the council was prepared to go on with the erection of a new bridge provided the settlers find one-third of the cost ( £l5O, by special loan, the council to provide the remaining £3OO.

BITUMEN FOR ROADS. Discussing the tar-sealing policy the chairman said he thought it Would be a good idea to instruct the engineer to try bitumen for tarring roads next year. The engineer said there was no doubt the life of bitumen was much longer than that of the tar at present in use. The engineer was asked to keep in touch with tarring work with bitumen. The engineer said bitumen was only a surface coating and did not penetrate. The chairman - said that if their present machinery would handle bitumen he thought they should try it. The engineer was instructed to inspect bitumen tar works elsewhere at a favorable opportunity and report to a future meeting.

GENERAL. The chairman reported that a satisfactory adjustment of accounts as between the Inglewood County Council and the north riding of the Stratford County had been arranged. A committee consisting of the Chairman and Crs. Thomas. O’Neill, Anderson, Belcher, and Pitt was set up to go into the matter of the adjustment of boundaries between the Eltham and Stratford Counties and to attend the I sitting of the boundaries commission on ! Mav 2.

The chairman said the time was now coming for the preparation of the estimates, and members of the council should go round their ridings to see what special work was required. Ratepayers requiring special works should notify their riding members.

On the motion of Or. Pitt it wus resolved to extinguish the council’s antecedent liability by seven annual instalments. The alternative provided in the Act is to extinguish the liability by special loan. The resident Public Works engineer notified that the department had approved of the expenditure of whatever portion of the subsidy on the metalling of the Strathmore Saddle the council could lift up to £6OO. Tn the event of the council being able to provide additional funds the Minister was agreeable to subsidise up to the full amount of the vote.

R. W. Dingwall and L. W. Sutton, Makuri Road, asked the council to do something towards putting their road in order. The engineer was authorised to spend up to £5 on the road. The Inglewood County Council wrote asking the concurrence of the Stratford Council in a proposal to submit a petition, jointly between the two councils, to the settlers on the Derby Road to take the necessary steps to raise a loan for the rebuilding of a bridge on the road at an estimated cost of £5OO. — Agreed to.

The Inglewood County Council asked for a remission of toll-gate fees amounting to £6 charged on the Inglewood County’s engine when it was necessary to send it to the Stratford foundry fur repairs.—Granted.

The Taranaki Education Board wrote stating that the hoard was prepared to exchange an equal area of land at the junction of the Palmer and Opunake Roads for 2i acres at Mahoe, provided the council pays half the cost of survey and erects the boundary fence between the divided land.—On the motion of Cr. Anderson it was decided to inform the board that the council understood the exchange was 3 acres for 2J, the expenses to be equally shared. The engineer was instructed to erect n bridge over the Konini stream on the Cardiff Road.

Caskey Bros.’ tenders for draining work, on the Douglas Road at 3/9 per Ichain and at 1/3 on the Orura Road. | were accepted. No tender for quarry- . ing boulders for the Strathmore Saddle was accepted