STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 August 1924, Page 8

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. Hie Stratford County Council met on Saturday, when there were present: The chairman (Mr E. Walters), and Crs. H. Were, S. Pitt, S. Parker, J. I. Belcher, J. Jacobson, M. Davis. the report of the engineer stated, inter alia.—M est'Riding: General surfaco works have been carried out on the Opunake Nos. 2 and 3, Hastings, Palmer-Duthie, Brecon, Brooks, Po-to. Cardiff North and Upper Manaia roads! at the entrance to the Rowan schoolground a set of five iJ-ineli pipes has been put in, the committee agreeing to pay the cost of the pipes. A start was made with the metalling of the bridge approach fillings at the old ford. It is difficult to get the road dry enough to form a solid foundation. On the Opunake No. 3 road it has been found necessary to remove portions of the large boulders. South Riding: Water-tabling patching have been done on Finncrty (West), Skinner. Marwick and Robson roads. The widening of the Mountain Road at the junction of the Cornual! Road has been done, in doing this work it was necessary to extend the culvert at the outlet end for 16 feet. It is only a matter of a short time till if wiLI be necessary to drive a tunnel to take the- water which runs at the level trom 12 to 14 feet below the road surface. C'r. J. O’Neill, speaking to the engineer’s report, said the roads in the South Riding were at present in a splendid state, and he thought the ratepayers were getting a fair return for their rates. He had never previously seen the roads in such excellent condition at this time of .the year. ■C'r. Belcher drew attention to a feu places on the Opunake Road No. 1. which were breaking. The engineer said the matter was receiving attention, and the foreman had the matter in hand. MAIN HIGHWAYS. The chairman of No. t District Highways Council requested that when projecting any new works of construction the Council would consider the possibilities of making deviations, particularly with the object of improving alignments and gradients. The alignment should always be considered with great care and all sharp corners should he eliminated when undertaking new construction or reconstruction, land being takeig to secure even curves of easy radius. It was further stated that the Board at its last meeting had considered the question of deviations, and certain principles subject to alteration where circumstances required it were laid down. It had been decided that the Board eanrv out at its own cost all engineering and land plans and surveys of deviation in alignment, that were wholly outside the existig road reserves. The Board would contribute i‘ for £‘ towards the cost of all engineering and land plan surveys of deviations practically wholly within the existing road reserves, the agreement

as to .suck work to he first appro vet! by.the Board. It had also been decided that the Board would contribute .L lor £ towards the cost of compensation for land, fencing and other expenses of a like nature precedent to the legislation of any deviation, not declared a Government road, the agreement in respect thereto to he first approved by the Board. The Board reserved the right to enter into negotiations concerning the compensation direct. —Received.