AT THE COUNCIL TABLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 83, 15 April 1913, Page 5

AT THE COUNCIL TABLE.

OUR MOUNTAIN HOUSE. Motorists to the Stratford Mountain House complained some months ago of the state of the Upper Pembroke Hoad, stating that, were it not for a. bad stretch of the County road, they'would bo able to take their cars right up to the House, and with little difficulty, as the National Park Board had made a splendid job of the track to the House. With its usual enterprise, the Chamber of Commerce got busy, and two of its members interviewed the Stratford County Council, and asked that certain repairs should be carried out to the Pembroke Road. The Council pointed out that it was quite in sympathy with the request, but questioned whether its ratepayers’ money should be spent to provide recreation for the townspeople and revenue for the motor car proprietors. However, after receiving the assurance of their engineer that half-a----m ill ion pounds could be spent to advantage on the aforesaid road, the Council voted £4, providing that the Stratford Borough Council could find £4, and the Chamber of Commerce by public subscription a similar sum. The money being forthcoming, it was understood that the road would be put in repair by the County Council m time for the next season.

In moving at tlio Council*s mooting last evening that the Borough pay its share to repair the road, the Mayor considered that the money would be well spent, and stated that the Mountain House was of as much value to Stratford as a Borough, as it was to the Stratford County.

“You might just as tv ell throw the money into the sea,” was Cr. King s outspoken comment. The Councilloi added that £l4 each would more rea sonably meet the case. He would vote against the'motion. Cr. R. McK. Mori son said that, speaking as the Council’s representative on the National Park Board, he welcomed the expenditure of this sum, as the money was urgently required. It was only right that he should report to the Council what was being done. Probably they would engage in the near future a very suitable man as caretaker. Arrangements had been made with a farmer living near the House to put a fence on either side ol the road, erect a gate, and collect toll. The Board would welcome this addition to their scanty funds, while, at the same time, cattle would be prevented from straying on the road. The gate would be erected forthwith. THE TARANAKI COURT. The Taranaki Court does not meet with the unanimous approval of Councillors, and the proposed exhibit would meet with a very short ihnft ,f left to Councillor King. His Worship the Mayor, who has taken a very active part in the movement, moved that the sum of £lO be voted towards the fund for the purpose of placing Taranaki prominently in front of Auckland and its visitors. Mr KiKrkwood said that he thought it was a very great pity that some of the local bodies had turned down the scheme, since it was so worthy of support. In seconding the motion, Cr. J. D. Hcaly a died if the money would be voted, even it other bodies did not come to light with their subscriptions. The Mayor replied that to a certain extent the proposal depended upon all the local bodies bearing their fair share of the burdens.

Cr., King held that Auckland was “coming on tho local bodies to help them out of the soup.”' Chanty began at home, and he thought it was a very peculiar state of affairs for money to be voted for this purpose,, when ratepayers who came to the Council for a small sum were turned down because the Council was short of funds. The Councillor continued that Taranaki would derive very little benefit from the expenditure of this money. Visitors would see the Court, and would say, “Look what splendid produce comes from Taranaki,” and that would be all that would happen. It was simply waste of tho ratepayers’ money, and he d.d not see why Taranaki should make Auckland a present of this sum of money.

His Worship pointed out that there was a quid pro quo in the scheme; Auckland was getting the money, but Taranaki was getting the space, and the consequent advertisement. “J th nk it is generally admitted tbrP judicious advertising is well worthy of the attention of any town or dis trict,” Mr Kirkwood added, and went on to say that tho Court would be worthy of Taranaki, in that it would be as substantia] as £SOO could make it. They were taking up tho Court on the assumption that it would benefit Taranaki, and were not considering whether it would benefi Auckland. Cr. Boon agreed with the Mayor and said he considered it was a very good thing to advertise.

The motion was carried. NO POLL! “A petition lias been lodged that a poll should be taken on tho halfholiday question,” stated the Town Clerk. “Although it contains a sufli cient number of names, these are not all valid. There were five hundred and nineteen names on our list that were certified on March 10th, and o) these one hundred and thirty-four appeared on the petition, being less than the required number by eighteen. Under your instructions, I obtained the opinion of our solicitor, and also that of Mr Martin, counsel to tho Municipal Association, and on neither of these opinions could a poll lie taken.” His Worship: That ends the matter, gentlemen! The petition is informal, and therefore it will not come before tho Council.