STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1916, Page 3

STRATFORD.

TiOROUGH COUNCIL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Yesterday. The monthly meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening. Present: HU Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. W. Boon), Crs. Davey, Hancock, Hunter, Lawson, Thompson, Stanley, Young. Messrs. Abraham and Ashton, on behalf of .Mr. Newton King, applied for permission to extend the motor garage in Fenton Street, six feet, and asked that the bye-laws re brick walls should also be adhere to. —The request was granted. Fourteen ratepayers asked the Council to make a gravelled footpath from Cordelia Street to Cloton Road.—Works Committee to report. Mr. Peter Hancock, on behalf of residents, asked that something should be done to Juliet Street, south from Celia Street.—His Worship moved that a footpath be made from Celia Street. Seconded by Cr. Davey, and carried. Mr. A. Rawles applied for the water supply to be connected with his residence.—Left with the Works Committee with power to act. Mr. \V. W. Hodge wrote that the foundations of his building on Section 778 needed attention, and he asked the Council to remove the earth alongside the building that was left there by the borough workmen. Further, seeing that the Council could not give him access to the whole of the frontage of his property he asked for a reduction of £2 in rates per annum. —Left to Works Committee, with power to act. The resignation of W. Barlow as inspector was accepted, and it was decided to call for applications. W. Besley asked for access to his property in Hamlet Street.—Left to Works Committee.

The Fire Brigade was granted £a toward the delegates' expenses to the United Fire Brigades Conference at Westport. It was decided to allow the Stratford County Council the use of the road roller and crushing plant, at £2 per day, and Sd a yard for crushing the stone, and )0s a day when rolling, the County Council to provide coal and all material, and pay the wages of the driver. Tho abbatoir manager reporter; that 60 cows, 43 heifers, 5 calves, 240 sheep, 75 lambs, and 27 pigs had been slaughtered. Two heifers and one pig were condemned. Fees amounted to £7l lfls Id. Cr. Hancock moved that prices bo got from local firms for all requisities required for the Council.—Seconded by Cr. Young, and carried.

The question of the footbridge over the Patea. River at Cordelia Street was held over till next vear.

It was decided to hold a special meeting on Moi.diiy next at 7.30, to deal witli reserves oi-d electric light matters. It was decided to call for tenders for the erection of a shelter shed at the Kopuatamo Cemetery. His Worship the Mayor explained the letter sent by the Recruiting Boards, and moved that the Council form a recruiting committee and that a public meeting be called on a later date to be arranged.— Seconded by Cr. Young and carried.

GENERAL, Cr. Hills wanted to know if the Council had a representative on the Domain Board. His Worship the Mayor said the Council had 110 jurisdiction. Accounts amounting to £220 were passed for payment. BOROUGH INSPECTION. Tr.i following letter was received from Mr. Sydney Smith, district health officer: Inspector Middleton, who recently interviewed you in connection with the above matter, lia3 placed before lue your letter to him of the I4tli January. With reference to your query, I have to say that it was for the more congested part of the Borough that our inspector intimated that a month's time would be required. As it is impossible to do more than six to ten houses day, the time necessary for a house to house inspection, including the preparation of reports, would be at least three months, and possibly longer. Such general inspection would not further any permanent improvement unless followed up periodically. In this regard I might point out that my previous report to your Borough re p'.uiitation has n.it yet been fully complied with and an inspectin is of no earthly use unless the recommendations forwarded, as a result of such inspection, are energetically carried out by your Council. This Department has assisted your Council by sending a special officer to report on some of the premises in the Borough. Typical examples were chosen and special recommendations were made out and forwarded to the Council for general guidance. Your Council is, of course, responsible for the sanitary condition of your Borough, and your staff should be competent to deal with any matters that arise in connection therewith. You have ample powers in the local by-laws, the Public Health Act, and the Municipal Corporations Act to prevent insanitary conditions, and as heretofore we shall always bo glad to advise you on particular points or in connection with the procedure to adopt in obstructive cases. I shall be glad to hear from you at an early date as to whether you are proceeding vith a general inspection of the borough by your own officials and also 'that you are rigidly enforcing your bylaws, etc., in connection with all new work.

The Mayor said they could see that it would be three months before they could got a report, and it would bo some time before they could enforce the recommendations. He said there was nothing tc be alarmed at in Stratford, and the Council's officers were attending to the matter. The letter was received.