STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13662, 28 March 1908, Page 3

STR ATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING.

A special meeting of the Stratford County Council was held on Wednesday, to discuss proposed alterations to boundaries and other matters!"

The chairman said it would be well if those present would make a note of some figures he had before him, as they might help in the coming deliberations. They were as follow '. -—North Riding — Capital value £389,000 x 'unimproved value £213,000, population 1829. South Riding— £2l6,ooo, £139,000, 954, West Riding—£2lo,ooo, £131,000, 749. East Riding— £4l7,ooo, £235,000. 165^. The north half of the East Riding (north of the East or Ohura Road) possessed a capital value of £237,000 and an unimproved value of £120,000,. and the south half £180,000 capital value and £115,000 unimproved value. The number of ratepayers in the North Riding was 338; in the .South' 178; in the 1 West, 145;'-aiid'inthe East, 283. The chairman went on to explain that if anything Was done in ine_.direction of alteration of boundaries it had to be done this, month 'or. remain' for the next three years. - They were shortly losing the Ohura- s ' Riding, and with it Councillor MoCutchcn's services. This would leave the Council witja eight instead of nine members, and it v .would be for them to dbcuss. whether, it Vas desirable. It was." also proposed to touch on the. .question of the jnejrging of the Manganui Road Board. Mr F. Mackay, ono of tho members of the Manganui Road. Board w|w» were present, said he would only ,b© in favour of merging the Manganui Road Board if. ' it- were v agreed that the Beacpnsfiekl Road .to the, Kahouri bridge- should bo declared •» in&in road. He asked whether. a general rate was to be. struck over the.«>vhole country in the future for the upkeep of main roads. • ; ' . , , The chairman said they ha 4 i^one<«§ the law directed, aocording to ihi& Iwgh-, ost authority they could obtainMr F. Mackay asked if tho Stratford County Council 'Wol4 help the Manga* niu . Road Board to form its district into a county. 7 1 Councillor Astbury said ha for one would say , "No." " Mr Mackay said it appeared, to Jiim that the Stratford County Coupcil was trading on the ! North Riding's good credit. 7' Councillor Thomson said the only reason why they desired, the, Merging of the Manganui Road Board was that a more equitable adjustment of affairs might be arranged. In reply to Mr Mackay, the" chairman said he quite held that the Bear consfield ; .R6ad should ,bo declared a main road/ Councillor "Hathaway said he did not think the Manganui Road Board was prejudiced against merging if it had any assurance of '-moderately fair treatment.

Councillor McCutchen said £178 per annum on subsidy^ alone would be the actual gain ta the North Riding if it merged ijito the county. , . . On the motion of Councillor Astbury- it juras jjesolved that in the event of the Hanganui Road District inergin'to t£e "county, .as early as reasonably practicable, , the whole of the Beaconsfield Road phould be declared a main road, if any. otlier road in the county were declared a main road. The- Road 'Board members jfcken exf pjTOSße^.satisfaqtioiv^ith tha^ positipaL • s«rfar^-as. merging was conjoetßed, . t Tho meeting then discussed the representation question, ' Councillor Mine said he thought that if « smaH new. riding wer& formed extending from <the Whangambmona boundary to Douglas Road, entitled to one member, t}ie difficulty would be met. He would move in this direcT/ion. the new riding to he called;*'MAngaehu Riding 1 ." — Carried. • «. .Councillor Wood said lift thought the South Riding slioiild contribute a qurttaof the upkeep of the Easl Road, The North Riding had expressed -< itsolf agreeable to »n allocation towards this object for thie upkefep of tho 1 pOrtibn of the road from the Knltouri bridge to Stratford. ! • •-, • Cou ncillor •Ma rclia nt i hought / the matter, of allocation, of reventie one that could* be Herflt with ut anytime by resoliition of the Council. -;J; J '•'.•> The matter was allowed to dro,p\"