COUNTY COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 15, 15 May 1912, Page 6

COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held this morning. Present: Iho Cliannian (Mr. VV. Hatha way), and Councillors E. aim fell, VV. Rogers, J. Smith, J. Thomson, i. R. Anderson, J. Tonng, and E. Walter. Engineer's Report.

The Engineer reported as follows: VVaipuku Bridge, Mountain iioad.— This contract is approaching compltt.oii, the Idling in of the arch, tiio metalling, and tne removal ox old bridge ijJing all that remains to he done.

South Riding Boulder Conti act. This work lias ffeen proceeding^ slowly throughout,, partly owing to Lire had season, -rendering it ditlicalt to obtain stone from the streams. It a ill pay to let tiie remain ng portion stand over until next season, as the carting at this time of tne year over long distances v. ill do more damage than the metal is worth. Mangaopa and Manga Load formation Contracts.—These are completed. Makuri Valley Drainage,—l his is proceeding slowly, the time of year oemg against seen work, and sui crude labour difficult to obtain, but the contractor is making what progress be can during tiie flue spells. Ohura Road Bounder Contract. This lias been completed. Mangaehu Read Metalling Contract. —The contractor lias stripped over 1000 cubic yards of metal, and is about to start quarrying and carting out on the road. Douglas Hoad North Bridge. Ihe renewal of this structure is now in band. . . Denbigh Road.—The repairing on this road lias been commenced.

Bridge Over jvuniwiiakau stream, at Voting’s.—A rough dray _ bridge could be erected for about £75. Fcrcmsn’s Reports. The foremen’s reports as summarised by tile Engineer showed that during the month work had been done as follows: — Mortft Riding West. The Mountain Road had been patched from end to end, and was now in fair condition. The Upper and Lower Pembroke Roads liad also been patched, but required further repairs. The Monmouth, York, and Barclay Roads had also been attended to. Part of the Radnor Road had been attended to, but about 20 yards of metaj were required, and would be obtained for 2s per yard. A culvert on Surrey Road had been repaired. The Derby Road was £5 in credit, and he purposed expending the same. North Riding East. Various roads had been attended to during the month. Work on the Esk Read would be attended to as soon as possible. The drain cleaning at the upper end of the Akama Road had been completed. It was necessary to repair the Makuri Road West, which was getting very thin in places. The other roads were in good order. West Riding. The roads in this riding, owing to the bad spell of weather, had broken up badly, but wore now in fair order again. Jbe metalling on Opunake No. 1 Road would be finished in one day. The maintenance metal on tiie Brecon Road had been used up, and about 16 yards more were required. In the Rowan Road South a small culvert wanted renewing with Din. pipes. He would attend to it as soon as possible. SWangathu Riding,

The metalled roads were in fair order. The unmetalled roads had cut up with the recent heavy rain, hut had dried up well during the last few days Pipe culverts had been put in in Manga otnku Road, ami, repairs made to Tntutawa, Mangaehu, and Mangaehu South Roads. The necessary repairs had also been made to Mangaehu Bridge, opposite Gathon’s, and a man put mi to form up the Taihnre Road from Jackson’s to Gathon’s. South Rising. Tlie foreman of this riding' reported that lie had remctalled nine chains of Finnerty Road at a cost of £4 2s per chain. Grimmer and Chamberlain will he unable to complete their boulder contract this season. They have still to supply on Warwick, Upper Skinner, and Gower Bird Roads. East Riding (Toko).

The rcmctalling of loko Road hast should be finished in about eight days if the weather hold good. The remainder of the Toko Road has been patched. East Riding (Douglas). The Ohura Road from Strathmore to the Saddle has been raked, and two days’ patching done. A new drain has been commenced on Gordon Road. East Riding (Huiroa.) The drain-cleaning on the Mohakan Road has been completed, and a little water-tabling is now required. Ranger’s Report. The Ranger reported that on the 2Sth April lie found two bullocks and one horse at largo on the I'cmbrokc Road (released). On the 2;)tli I went to Croydon and Denbigh Road, and found nothing straying. On 30th I was at Toko and found one horse (released). On May Ist 1 went to Ngaire, Clieal, and Wingrove Roads and fount six weaners (released). On the 3rd

■rot five weanei's on Radnor Read (ieleased on way to pound). On G| 1 ' olb I went to beaconsiiold and Stanley Road and found one horse (impounded). On the htn I went to l-mnerlv and Climie Roads, hut Uiey wore eleai of slrav stock. On the Sth I was at Rowan Road, Manaia Road, and Lowei Palmer Road, ami found three horses and one cow on the two former roads (released). On the Uth, owing to complaints, 1 went to \ ictona Road, but found nothing. On the 1-tb L na. at York and Demy Roads, and found four, cows, which I was given to understand had got out purely by accident. On the 13th I Sound lour cows „u Bird Road, and six weaners on Rouc„i. Road (released). As regards the teams carting for the Council, I bavt lately had a good deal of rouble, each case the foreman had seen me concorniug the matter, and uxphuned that the work must be done, and 1 understand that the teamsters have been willing to pay almost any price toi oa-a-dng, but have been unable to get ft lam informed that one man ottered as much as 5s per bond per week, and the horses would only- have been grazing eleven hours cut of the twen-ty-four. 1 understand that m o(i----tain quarters it is cons dered that J fiave not done my dirty, in roiiitinmg from removing these teams. It ha: certain I v made things some what awkward for me, as, where these horses VC r-> out 1 could hardly take the settlers’ stock. An accident which occurred cm the Opunake Road is attributed to a stray horse irom one ot these teams. Since then J have notilied the teamsters that they must um* oaddocking, and have also seen the foreman on the matter. I nless J receive instructions to the contrary, J shall in future see that all horses arc naddocked. I am informed that the work will he finished for the season. This week 1 will see that all horses are removed forthwith.”