BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 65, 12 March 1912, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Stratford * Borough . Council was held last evening. There were present: The Deputy-Mayor (Or. N. King, in the chair), Grs. I. Lawson, T. L. Paget, R. McK. Monson, J.D. Healy, S. Ward, G. Sangster, J. McAllister, and Jos. Boon. Correspondence. A letter was received from Mr. Thomas Marshall, Hon. Secretary of the Stratford Municipal Band, approaching the Council with a view to securing a site on which to build a ■band room. The Band Committee had dulv interviewed the _ Mayor, Mi. Masters, and were advised to inspect ’ • a piece of vacant land directly at the rear of the Town Hall. Should the site be approved, to make application to the Council for same. Tins had been inspected, and was very suitable I for their purpose. The piece of land | required would be, say, 20 by 14 teet, and close to Juliet Street frontage. At present the band was holding practice in the schoolroom, but this site was unsuitable, and as soon as the new school building is completed the Band would have to quit. They would thus be left without a room at all. io cover the cost of the building, there was an amount of £55 being held in trust, so, should the Council grant them permission to erect the building on the piece of land, they could have the room readv before the wintei sets in.—Referred To the combined Town Hall and Band Committees. Mr T. Harry Penn, secretary of the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, wrote with regard to the powers of his Board in connection with sanitary inspection, etc., as published in the “Stratford Evening Post” of March sth. He stated that the Council had practically availed itself of the alternative (b) —Any local authority may, instead of appointing its own sanitary inspector, desire to make use of the services of _ the Board’s officer and yet retain to itself control of such officer while he is carrying out the duties for which that local authority seeks his serv.cec—except that the question of payment for the officer’s services has not been brought forward. The officer’s salary and expenses cost the Board about £IOO per annum, and the whole of this was now a charge on the ordinary revenue of the Board, to which the Council contributed £lO5 per annum, against the Stratford County’s £650, and the Whangamomona County’s £143. He was instructed to ask the Council’s views on the position.— Consideration was deferred. Mr. H. R. Smith, Town. Clerk of Christchurch, wrote to the Conned, informing them that the following resolution had been unanimously adopted, at a meeting of his Council, and requested their co-operation : —“That the Municipal Corporations Act be amended with a view to extending the period for which it Councillor is elected to three years, and that all other Borough Councils be asked to assist in the matter.”—Crb Paget- moved : “That in the opinion’of this Council the term of office both for Mayor and Councillors were 'better' made for twelve months;” :He was quite sure that their' experience as far as this town was concerned, 1 7,1 at' least—be knew nothing 'of 'larger towns—was ■v that they should get on very much •better with a .smaller Council elected for twelve months. A Council of seven members, or even five, would in his opinion, be infinitely better-tinni tbrpresent one. He hoped that the Municipal Council would vigorously oppose any extension of the term of office. “In my opinion,” he concluded, “it’s preposterous.”—The motion was carried. • \ •' T ■ An application by a local plumber for a license, was refused on the grounds that the Council Issued such only to those who held a sanitary plumber’s certificate. With regard to general plumbing, the Council had no jurisdiction. Mr. H. Gouger forwarded a copy of a book “Founding a Colony,” taken from the diary of his late father, Robert Gouger, First Colonial Secretary of the Colony of South Australia. In his letter he said: “I do notrthink it is at present in the Stratford Library/ The book is now out of print owing to the failure of the publishers, who sent me the remaining unsold copies.” The book was received with thanks.

A Petition. A number of gentlemen whose biisiness premises are mostly in the vicinity of the County Hotel, petitioned as follows“We, the undersigned ratepayers of Broadway and Miranda Streets, herewith petition to have a 6in. water main for fire prevention purposes, placed in Miranda Street, between Regan and Fenton Streets. The largest and most important buildings in Stratford are situated in Broadway, between Regan and Fenton Streets, and for purposes of fire prevention in this block it is most essential that this work should be carried out with , as little delay as possible. We trust that the Council will have this work put in hand at the earliest opportunity . J ’ Cr. Paget moved that the matter be referred to the Fire Brigade Committee to consult with the Captain of the Brigade.—Carried. Tenders for Ressrves. Tenders for reserves were received in committee, and it was decided that the reserves be let at a yearly rental tenancy of not less than £2 per acre. Mr. Sltoglund’s tender for part of section 587 was accepted. Overseer’s Report. The Borough Overseer reported as follows:—Flint Road West is in good order. Flint Road East is in fair order, 80yds of shingle will be required to keep this road in good repair during the winter months. Broadway North, from Mr. G. Hall’s property to Flint Road, is a bit on the bare side; 100 cubic yards of broken metal is Provided for its maintenance. Pemroke Road West is in fair order. Pembroke Road East in good order excepting the hollow at its junction with Ariel Street. Broadway, from town bridge to Mr. Hall’s property in fair order. Broadway South, Hamlet Street North, Portia Street North, Miranda Street, Juliet Street, Orlando Street, and Regan Street East, all in fair order. Regan Street West in good order, excepting a few chains which will have to be picked up, and the large stones broken. Brecon Road North in good order, will require a little patching. Fenton Street, large stones are cropping up. and must ho broken. Fenton Street East, a portion of this street requires re-gravelling, estimated number of yards 80. Opunake Road and Celia Street, these streets are in good order—Opunake Road will require light patching. Romeo Street, in' good order. Warwick Road East in good order. Warwick Road West will require light patching. Page Street, a portion of _ this street requires re-gravelling, estimated number of yards 60. Brecon Road

South in good order. Hamlet Street; j in fair order, 80yds of gravel is proI vidod for its maintenance during the winter. Portia Street South will require about 30yds of gravel. Miranda Street South is a bit thin, and will require 80vds of gravel. Juliet Street South of Lear Street to Celia Street, will require about 15 cubic yards of gravel, and Juliet Street, south of Romeo Street, -15 yards. Orlando Street South is in fair order, about 20yds of .gravel will keep it condition for the winter. Lear Street is in fair order. Cordelia Street South is in fair order, 50yds of gravel will keep it good during the winter. A subjoined report was given showing the approximate amount of metal, shingle, and gravel put on the streets during the current year, as follows: 80yds gravel, Regan Street East; 93 yds graye! Broadway South of Celia Street; 240yds gravel from Branigan’s pit; 20yds shingle, Broadway Suutn; 12yds shingle, Juliet Street North; 10yds shingle, Hamlet and Page Streets; 12yds, junction Lear, Juliet and Orlando Streets; 32yds Miranda •Street, opposite Roman Catholic Church; Byds shingle, Nurse Stronach, Juliet Street; 10yds shingle, patching Miranda and Fenton Streets; 10yds shingle, Hamlet Street North to'O’Leary’s; 36yds gravel, Cordelia Street, between Fenton and Falstaff Streets; 12yds gravel, footpath, Fenton Street West; 12yds crushed metal, Cloton and Swansea Roads; 12yds shingle, Cloton, Juliet, Orlando, and Regan Streets; 12yds ditto; 6yds shingle, junction Juliet Street and Pembroke' Road; 10yds gravel Romeo Street footpath; 100yds gravel, footoath Fenton Street East; 30yds shingle Juliet Street Central; 264yds gravel Regan Street, from Cordelia Street to Borough boundary; 18yds gravel, Cordelia Street, by Dr. Garnery’s; Byds metal patching Opunake Road; Byds metal Cloton Road and Swansea * Road; 4-)yds gravel, Municipal Chambers’ right-of-way: 36vcN metal Broadway Central; 15yds gravel blinding/ Broadway; 32yUs gravel Celia Street (Pound); 4yds metal, Fenton . Street; syds gravel, Cordelia Street; Byds gravel Cordelia Street; Byds metal Cloton Road and Juliet Street: 9yds metal Swansea Road and Cloton Road; 9yds metal Brndway South and Celia Street; 24yds gravel Juliet Street, Haymarket; 8 yds metal Swansea Road. Totals, 9i6A yds gravel* 142yds shingle, 102yas metal. , , . The 240yds of gravel taken from Branigan’s' pit was spread on the following streets: —Pembroke Road West 93 yards, Miranda and Hamlet Streets 28*, Hamlet Street footpath 20, repairing various footpaths 20, locker’s crossing 10/), Fire Brigade Station 23£, Pembroke Road footpath 12, Regan Street footpath 30. the matter of dealing with storm water in Miranda Street, referred to in the Overseer’s report, was left till the Council as a whole could be able to view the scene. The matter of fencing in the Cemetery was deferred for consideration by next year’s estimates committee. More Light.

Cr. Lawson, on behalf of the residents in the south-eastern portions of the Borough, asked for more light along Cordelia Street. _He moved accordingly. Cr. Ward remarked that the reason why the light had not been erected before was that the company had not erected the wires in that locality. He moved as an amendment that the matter be referred to the Lighting Committee.

Cr. Paget said the residents were barking up the wrong tree. They should approach the company. The amendment was carried. King Edward Park. The approach to King Edward Park was. discussed, Cr. Ward moving an amendment to a motion that the Overseer’s report be adopted, that the matter should be left over to another vear.

• The Deputy-Mayor spoke in favour of immediate action.

Cr. Paget pointed out that there was a good approach from Regan Street. He did not think there was any good in making the footpath at such expenditure. In the winter the path would be of no advantage, as they' would still have to cross the road, which would be tramped over by cattle. A strip of metal across a mud road would soon be covered with mud and trampled away. Cr. McAllister thought it was not reasonable to aisk people to go through long grass, in the Regan Street approach. Constructing the footpath was the least the Council could do. The Domain Board did their best with the little money they had in hand—all credit to them. He appealed to the Council to second their efforts. Ci - . Sangster was in favour of the footpath. Cr. Healy pointed out that the expenditure could be reduced by reducing the width. He asked the Overseer how much this lesser width could be done for. *

The Overseer: About four guineas. The work will then cost about £l2. Cr. Ward’s amendment was lost. Cr. Paget moved that it be a recommendation to the Works Committee to get Sentry Hill metal in preference to broken river boulders. Cr. Ward seconded the motion. The Sentry Hill metal was really good stuff. They should give it a trial. The Deputy-Mayor denied tluyt Sentry Hill metal was better than broken metal. He had authority for this. Cr. Paget questioned the authority. Sentry Hill metal was self-set-ing. Or. Sangster said he would stick to the river boulders, unless the Sentry Hill metal was very much cheaper. He did not wish to see money going out of the Borough like this, if it could be helped. Cr. Paget: Quite so, if it’s good. But it’s nothing like as good. Cr. R. McK. Morison opposed the motion. He doubted the wearing qualities of the New Plymouth metal. Ho wanted to, keep the money at home. The work gave men employment in the winter. Cr. Paget, in reply, said keeping the money at home was bogging the question. Ho was satisfied on sound information that they were not getting satisfactory wear out of their roads, and that Sentry Hill metal was all that he claimed for it. He asked that the Council should display a little enterprise in making a judicious experiment. If they were going to make a sort of charitable aid institution of themselves by the injudicious expenditure of money they would soon get pretty mixed in their finances. |