STRATFORD COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1922, Page 7

STRATFORD COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. THE MONTH’S OPERATIONS. Tile monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held on Saturday. Present: Crs. E. Walter (chairman), S. Pitt, M. Davis, J. Jacobsen, W. H. Were, T. R. Anderson, J. O’Neill, and J. H. Thomas. An apology for absence was received from Cr. J. T. Belcher. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer, Mr. J. W. Spence, reported for the month as follows : North Riding (East). —The balance of the shellrock on the Stanley Road, obtained from Mr. Oldrldge’s pit, has been crushed and distributed on the Stanley and Ackland Roads. A portion of the Beaconsfield Road beyond the Midhirst township has been scarified, formed up and rolled. A considerable amount of re • pair work has been necessary on the clay poN tion of the Stanley Road and the part of th" Makara Road between the Stanley Road between the Stanley Road junction and Mr. Forbes’ property. North Riding (West). —The scarifying and rolling of the Radnor Road has been completed. Water-tabling and patching has been done on the Barclay Road. One hundred and thirtvfive yards of sand has been taken out of the I pit on the Denbigh Road and distributed on the Mountain Road, 40 yards being carted to the Ohura Road near the Kahourl Stream bridge. Where necessary tar-patching has been done on the Mountain Road, and the watertables have been attended to on this road. The concrete bridge over the Gentle Annie Stream, Cardiff Road, has been completed. The approaches will be. filled in as soon as the concrete has sufficiently set. South Riding.—Practically the whole of the past period has been occupied in scarifying, forming-up and rolling on the Skinner and Bird Roads. The top of the rise on the Mountain Road, near the Nash Road, has been lowered and coated with the old metal and a smalt quantity of new. The grader has been used on the Skinner, Bird, Robson, Wingrove, Cheat, Sole, Nash and Warwick Roads. The clay portions of the Brooks Road in this and the west riding have been re-formed and widened with the grader. East Riding (Toko). —Patching, water-tabling and culvert-cleaning have been done on the Waiwlri, Raupuha, Ohura and Toko Roads. The repairs to the bridge on the Skinner Road over the Patea Stream have been completed. Generally the timber was found to be in a very good condition. The concrete culvert on the Ahuroa Road, near Mr. Bretherton’s woolshed, has been put in, and only awaits the setting of the concrete to allow the traffic over it.

East Riding (Douglas).—The greater part of the Work has consisted of general repairs to the Ohura Road from the foot of the Strathmore Saddle to Strathmore. A considerable amount of willow and fern-cutting has been necessary to open up. the road. The contractors for the Strathmore Saddle shellrock are making good progress with the work. At the Gordon Road pit between 600 and 700 yards of rock have been quarried. East Riding (Huiroa).—Metai-raking, blinding, and banking have been done on the metal part of the Makuri Road. On this road, near the Huiroa railw&j’ station, the cutting has been widened. Water-tabling and crowning-, up has been done on Douglas North and South Roads. The loose metal on the Kota Road has been raked up. The foreman reports that this road requires a lot of work being done to keep it In order, and suggests that willowplanting should be resorted to to hold some of the fillings. West Riding.—General surface work has been carried out on the Hastings, Manaia, Opnnake, Brooks, Brecon. Palmer, Duthie and Cardiff Roads. Owing to the several freshes in the Kapuni Stream the work of carting nut sand and shingle has been considerably delayed. The sand, metal and steel reinforcing are now on the Cardiff Road near the Konini Stream. A start will be made with the erection of the bridge as soon as the one over the Gentle Annie Stream can be opened four traffic. Mangaehu Riding.—The track from the Mangaotuku Road to the first shellrock outcrop on Messrs. Arkwright and Johnston’s property has been formed. The rock in this outcrop is of greater extent than was at first thought, and will probably extend for some considerable distance along the spur, but owing to the height of the stripping it is doubtful whether It will pay to get more than about 300 cubic yards from this face. General surface work has been done where necessary on the various roads in the riding. The report was adopted. HOUSING THE PLANT.

The Audit Department wrote stating that the council could not utilise loan money for the erection of housing accommodation for plant and enquiring If the work could not be done out of general funds.

The chairman said they were up against the Borough Council, owing to the fact that the machinery was being left on the road, there being no place to house about half of the plant. He thought the cost of erecting sufficient shnlter would be about £5OO. -On the motion of Cr. Pitt, it was decided that the engineer bring down a report and estimates of the cost of erecting a shelter at the next meeting. THE KOTA ROAD. The Minister of Public Works wrote with reference to the Kota Road, stating that a report had been obtained to the effect that the work had been completed according to specifications. The road was only a blind one and not likely to be extended, and it was not considered that a higher standard of construction was justified to serve three dairy farms. A balance of about £5O was held by the engineer in connection with the Kota Road, and the Minister had agreed that this amount should be handed over to the council as a Government contribution to the maintenance of the road when it is taken over from the Public Works Department. The chairman said the council had done all It could do in connection with the road, and if the settlers complained later the complaints could be forwarded to the department. GENERAL. A. C. Bretherton waited on the council asking it to reconsider its decision regarding the proposed deviation of the Ahuroa Road. He asked that, the deviation be metalled by the council If the settlers concerned gave the necessary land and paid for the cost of formation.—On the motion of Cr. Were, it was decided that the council would do three-fourths of the metalling instead of a-half. John Martyn, Huiroa, asked permission to use a piece of land between the Waitara River and the county road, on condition that the applicant cleared the noxious weeks.—Permission was granted subject to the council’s pleasure.

Mr. R. Masters, M.P., wrote with reference to the expenditure of grants on the Public Works Estimates, stating that in view of the very fine weather prevailing, it was desirable that authority be secured so that the work could proceed as early as possible, which, while expediting the work, will have the effect of creating labor for those desirous of working.—The matter was left to the engineer. C. B. Collins wrote on behalf of T. Godkin, Taurakawa, asking that repair work be dune on the raod leading to Godkin’s holding.—lt was decided to put the road in order.

R. F. Thompson and A. R. Clarldge, Mangatotara, drew the council's attention to th? fact that nothing had been done to improve the state of the creek below their properties.— The matter was left In the hands of the East Riding members. E. R. Wills, Wingrove Road, wrote asking the council to consider the metalling of four chains of the Wingrove Road and to allow him to do other necessary work.—Left to the engineer for a report.