COUNTY MANAGEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1932, Page 8

COUNTY MANAGEMENT

STRATFORD COUNCIL’S MEETING. . REQUESTS FROM RATEPAYERS. The monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held on Saturday, those present being Crs. T. R. Anderson (chairman), S. Pitt, W. Vickers, T. T. Murray, W. H. Were, G. H. Rawlinson, E. W. Hancock, L. Bunn, J. C. Best and H. C. Taylor. Consequent on an application from Mr. G. Jensen, Matau, for the lease of all road and river reserves on his frontage on the Waitara Valley Road and track, tenders will be called in order that all the settlers concerned shall have an opportunity of obtaining the lease. Permission to plant a hedge along the blind road in front of his sections at Midhirst was sought by Mr. M. E. Jensen. The application was referred to the riding members. Mr. A. R. Dunlop, Rowan, advised that he intended to build a house and cowshed on the section next to the reserve on Rowan Road. He asked if the council would metal the road for about six chains. The request was referred to the riding members with power to act. Mr. H. V. S. Larsen, Uruti, notified that he could not undertake to keep the Waitara Valley track in order for £l2 10s per annum as that amount would have to be spent on the track to put it into a condition that would make maintenance feasible.

The Stratford Borough Council, in reply to the council’s letter regarding cemetery upkeep, reminded the council of the agreement between the two councils on April 27, 1931, that the borough was to retain auctioneers’ license fees and was not to ask for any contribution towards the upkeep of the cemetery. In view of the fact that no other af had been made the borough council considered the existing agreement should be adhered to.

The clerk (Mr. C. J. Campbell) said that before he wrote to the borough council he discussed the matter with the town clerk (Mr. P. Skoglund), but apparently Mr. Skoglund did not explain the county’s position to the borough council at its meeting. Since he wrote, the audit inspector called and stated that the county council could not refund to the borough council the licenses it had collected.

All the county council could do was to contribute £3O towards the upkeep of the cemetery as provided for under the act.

The chairman and the clerk will draft a reply to the borough council. Support was accorded the Canterbury local bodies’ resolutions regarding the highways’ fund. The Otago Electric Power Board advised that it desired that constitutional methods should be employed to obtain relief for local bodies and suggested the Government be asked to introduce a compulsory conversion of local body

loans. The council was invited to address remits covering the proposal to its association. The chairman was instructed to support the proposal at the meeting of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association. Cr. Murray reported on the application, received at the previous meeting from Mr. J. A. Stanford, to graze a portion of Kerrisk Street, Huiroa. To grant the application would interfere with a progressive scheme proposed by a Huiroa small farm committee and would block access to the Domain. Mr. Stanford will be told that the council does not propose to close Kerrisk St at present Reference to the application of settlers for a portion of Taihori Road to be metalled was made by Cr. Bunn, who said the settlers directly interested would find £BO towards the cost if the Public Works Department would put relief men on the work. The application will be forwarded to the Public Works Department with the suggestion that the work be done. The Treasury Department in writing regarding the Mangaoapa Road loan of £1732 referred to the council’s statement that the Public Works Department was willing to establish a camp on Matau and Mangaoapa Roads under the unemployment relief scheme and stated that no decision had been reached by the Department in respect of Mangaoapa Road. The Treasury therefore suggested that the council again approach the Public Works Department as it was desirable that the financial arrangements be finalised before the matter was submitted to the Local Government Loans Board again. The department will be notified that the council has decided to do the work by contract BOXING AND WRESTLING. DRAW FOR MIDHIRST BOUTS. With ten boxing bouts, seven wrestling contests and one emergency matching, the programme to be submitted by the Midhirst Sports and Pastimes Club in the Stratford Town Hall on Thursday should be full of interest Some well known names appear among the contestants, and thrilling exhibitions should be the order of the evening. Following are the matchings;— Boxing.

B. Bloor (Manutahi) v. P. Greenlees (New Plymouth). R. Heather (Rowan) v. R. Rumball (Tariki). M. Snell (Warea) v. J. Butler (Tariki).

R. Snidlay (Inaha) v. V. H. Loveridge (Ratapiko). W. Brosnan (Okato) v. C. O’Keeffe (Midhirst).

McDowell (New Plymouth) v. T. Glover (Warea).

F. Barlow (New Plymouth) v. L. Lines (Rowan).

McPherson (Lepperton) v. E. H. Nicholls (Otakeho). T. Jeffares (Stratford) v. Reader (Douglas). Cult (Rowan) v. Roguski (Toko). Wrestling.

C. Conway (Hawera) v. N. Copeland (Midhirst).

C. Jonson (Waipuku) v. J. Harris (Pukengahu). A. Cullen (Tuna) v. P. Jones (Toko). Keegan (Midhirst) v. Bayly (Okaiawa). Harris (Toko) v. Couch (Manutahi). Stewart (Normanby) v. G. Thomas (Midhirst).

G. Harrop (Kapuni) v. Schickerdee (Inglewood). Evergency bout: H. R. Jackson (Normanby) v. L. Symes (Normanby).

REBATE ON COUNTY RATES. GOVERNMENT GRANT SOUGHT. “We should press for the 12J per cent rebate on rates such as was granted by the Government last year from the petrol tax,” said Cr. S. Pitt at the meeting of the Stratford County Council on Saturday. “The rebate was very acceptable to ratepayers last year and it will be more acceptable to them this year,” he continued. “The Government imposed the extra petrol tax to ease the burden on ratepayers and then commandeered the fund for general purposes in view of the national need. That is all right for the general community but it is unfair to ratepayers.” A motion was carried unanimously urging the Government to make a grant to enable the rebate to be instituted. RUGBY ROAD PERSONAL ITEMS. Friends gathered at the residence of Mrs! A. A. Ward on the occasion of her 73rd. birthday. Croquet was played by the guests, after which afternoon tea was served. One of the many gifts was a beautifully iced cake, which occupied pride of place on the table. Miss Rohde, Australia, spent a few days last week with Mrs. Richter, and attended the Stratford show. Mr. H. Dey, who spent a few days at New Plymouth last week, has returned home. Mr. Hooker is the guest of his daughter, Mrs. Fabish. Mis. Morratti received word some days ago of the serious illness of her mother, Mrs. Cosbrook.