STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1922, Page 6

STRATFORD.

DAILY NEWS AGENCY. Advertisements and items of news for publication in the Taranaki Daily News should be left at the office of our local representatative. Mr. W. H. Humphrey, Broadway, Stratford. Orders for papers may also be left with him. THE TOWN BRIDGE. A NEW ARRANGEMENT. Augu.st 22. Since the Public Works Department engineers condemned the two old abutments in the town bridge, thus necessitating the expenditure of an extra €2OOO to provide new abutments, the Borough Council has been negotiating with the department with the object of coming to some arrangement to cover the increased cost. The Mayor visited Wellington last week and interviewed the Minister and departmental officers in the matter.

The Public Works Department has since written to the Mayor as follows: Referring to your interview this morning with the Minister of Public Works, lelative to the bridge, and to your subsequent interview with the Controller and Auditor-General regarding authority for the extra money required in connection with the bridge, over and above the authority already obtained from the ratepayers, the Audit Department holds that the procedure which it was suggested should be adopted is not altogether advisable. In order to get over the difficulty, however, I would suggest the following course: Financial arrangements and the letting of the eon-, tract have already been agreed upon be-*’ tween the department and the council, and it is now proposed to obtain a Governors warr nt. under section 119 of the Public V» .>rks Act, formally authorising the department to construct the bridge and placing the Stratford Borough Council in the position of a contributing authority. If you will formally agree to this course steps will immediately be taken to procure the Governor’s warrant, and it will then be unnecessary for the council to exercise the authority given by the ratepayers to raise a loan, as the Governor’s warrant will then constitute the council’s authority for raising any additional money that may be necessary. The Mayor reported at last night’s meeting of the council having interviewed the Minister of Public Works and the Controller and Auditor-General with regard to the bridge. He had not been successful in getting any more money from the Government; they would not shift one iota. They said the council had more money already than they were entitled to. as they were allowed free supervision of the work, etc. He told th? Minister that the mistake regarding the old Abutments was made by the public works engineers and they should admit it. even if they did not give any more money.

Mr. R. Masters, M.P., had promised t<\ further communicate with the Minister and would telegraph the results. The position with regard to the taking of another poll to raise more money was that the council could not go to the ratepayers until they had expended all the available money. It was all very well for people to be wise after the event, but he was satisfied that it was not the fault of the council that the}’ had to spend more money. He moved that the council fall in with the department’s suggestion and allow them to build the bridge, the council to become a contributing authority. He at first added to the motion that the council’s expenditure he limited to £12.000 —this, he thought, would cover the council’s share, three-quarters of the cost of the bridge—but later withdrew the limiting provision from the motion. After considerable discussion the motion was carried.

The Mayor was accorded a vote of thanks for the part he had taken in interviewing the Wellington authorities, several councillors speaking appreciatively of what he had done.

THE DOMAIN BOARD. NEW TENNIS COURTS. The Domain Board met last night. Present: Messrs. J. W. McMillan. E. S. Rutherford, S. Ward, A. Stewart, W. Mclnnes. P. Thomson, C. Jackson, C. B. Walsh. R. H. Cameron, and T. Lawson. Messrs. Lightband and Laurence, representatives of the *Stratford Tennis Club waited on the council urging upon the board the necessity of pushing on the new tennis courts to completion. Having raised nearly £5OO the tennis club was becoming seriously embarrassed by the delay. They also asked permission to move the hand rotunda into Victoria Park to use it as a tenma pavilion. The tenn ; « club wished the board to reconsider the matter of an entrance fee. The club's intent "on was to admit past and present members of the club free of charge, because they had already contributed largely toward? the assets of the club. They thought outsiders should pay an entrance fee, so that they too would contribute towards the' club’s assets. They suggested a modest fee of about 10s 6d. Tn answer to Mr. Cameron, the deputation stated that they looked upon the band rotunda as a temporary expedient, and they hoped later to get a permanent building. They would be quite willing for the band to use the rotunda in the evenings if it was moved to the tennis courts.

Mr. Thomson suggested that if an entrance fee were charged it should be earmarked for th? purpose of making permanent improvements. The deputation expressed their willingness that this should be so. They said it might not be necessary to charge the entrance fee. but they wished to reserve the right to charge it if necessary. They were spendirtg a good deal of money, and would find it hard to finance affairs.

Mr. Thomson pointed out that it was suggested that the band .rotunda should bemused by a bagpipe instructor for practice and by the domains’ caretaker for housing his tools. The deputation said they would oe willing that this should continue if necessary. The Mayor explained how the delay in the construction of the courts was caused. The board was anxious to have the best possible job made of the courts. Regarding the band rotunda, he aid he had told the old band committee Uat if wauld pet rup a band

he would do all in his power to have the rotunda moved. As soon as the suggestion was made that the rotunda should be shifted the committee were up ,in arms.

Mr. Ward moved that a special meeting of the board be called to consider .these matters, as the tennis club had pointed out that it was essential that no time should be lost. The motion was carried.

Mr. Rutherfurd moved that the tennis club’s request with regard to the band rotunda be not acceded to.

Mr. Ward moved as an amendment that the works committee confer with the band committee regarding Hie rotunda. Mr. Jackson seconded the amendment. He said the rotunda was in the wrong place and was only rotting away under the trees. The amendment was carried. Mr. Rijtherfurd moved that the club be given permission to charge an entrance fee of 10s provided the proceeds were earmarked for permanent improvements. Mr. Lawson moved as an amendment that the matter be left over for consideration by the special meeting and. the motion was carried. The mayor said he had pleasure in stating that the conditions had been signed by the tennis club. A NURSERY SUGGESTED. In a report to the board the domains’ caretaker suggested that he be allowed to open a small nursery to raise plants required in his work and a small glasshouse for raising seeds. He also asked permission to purchase seeds and plants required. The suggestions were agreed to. Mr. Ward expressed the hope that in time they would be able to raise trees and plant the streets, as was done with considerable success in Wanganui. The matter of finding a site for the nursery and the ways and means of providing funds was left to the works committee. THE RUGBY UNION LOAN. The Mayor said that Mr. J. McLeod had promised to go into the matter of the loan from the Rugby Union for the purpose of laying down a football field in Victoria Park, with a view to obtaining the money as soon as possible. Mr. Jackson protested against the delay in the negotiations with the Rugby Union. He moved that Mr. R. Masters, M.P., be telegraphed to look into the matter. Mr. Masters was jlist as keen on football as Mr. McLeod. More so as far as Stratford was concerned.

The motion was carried... and it was decided to communicate with Mr. McLeod at the same time.

The town clerk (Mr. P. Skoglund) received a wire to-day from Mr. J. McLeod (chairman of the Taranaki Rugby Union Management Committee) stating that the loan of £5OO from the New Zealand Rugby Union to the Stratford Borough Council for expenditure cn Victoria Park football arena, had been definitely secured.

A MUNICIPAL LEASE. At their last meeting the Borough Council decided, in committee, that the request of Mr. T. E. Bridger’s solicitor that he be allowed to present his case regarding the lease of his rooms in the municipal buildings to the council be not acceded to. When the report came up for confirmation last night, Cr. Jackson moved that the word “not” be deleted from the clause relating to the solicitor’s request. The Mayor said that after the letter Mr. Bridger had written to the council they should not allow him to present his case. If Mr. Bridger had written to any of the council in private life h 6 would be told to go “somewhere.” He could not understand how they could stand such treatment as councillors. Cr. Jackson’s motion was lost. • GENERAL ITEMS. On the motion of Cr. Ward, it was decided at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council to instruct the inspector to take action against anyone crossing the Swansea Road bridge with vehicle loads exceeding 1$ tons. Cr. Walsh pointed out that traffic was being diverted from the Broadway bridge to the Swansea bridge. On behalf of the Tahora Settlers’ Association. Cr. W. McL. Kennedy said at the Whangamomona County Council meeting on Monday, that as general tenders were being called for carrying mails, application should be made to the Postmaster-General asking him to call tenders for the carrying of mails from Tahora to Tatu, so that the branch mads could be served throughout the district. At present, said Cr. Kennedy, letters for Tatu have to go by the Main Trunk line, and this means that several days are wasted. In this connection, it was mentioned that the service had been discontinued for fourteen years, when a mailman was drowned while crossing the Tangarakau river. Mi. Kennedy urged that representation should be made to the Government as soon as possible. —It was resolved to apnroach the Postmaster-General on the subject.