STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16546, 22 September 1919, Page 4

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. Tbe ordinary monthly meeting of the Stratford County Council was held on Saturday. Present; Councillors E. Walter (chairman), Baskin, Worthing ton, Hankie, Were, Hancock, Anderson, O'Neil, and Coleman. ENGINEER’S REPORT. North Riding (cast). —Tho roads generally are in lair order in this riding. A small slip which occurred on the Stanley Road lias been removed and the overhanging scrub lias been cut and burnt. Tho watortablcs and culverts have been cleaned out on the following; Boaconsficid, Stanley, Cross, Croydon, Salisbury, and Midhirst Township Roads. General maintenance work has also been carried out. About 350 yards of boulders have been crushed at the Mangauui depot, the crushed metal has been distributed where most required for maintenance work. North Riding (west). —The Denbigh, Radnor, York, Upper Pembroke, Hunt, and Mountain Roads, and Regan Street have been repaired. Portions of tbo metal from the Manganui depot have been run out to the various roads for further repair work. Tho formation of tho track through Air. Coo Ison's property to the Midhirst dam is well in hand. On tho Manganui Road tho nits have been filled in with metal taken from the Croydon Road. Tho concrete kerbing at Midhirst Is more than half completed, and tho work of filling in the footpath to bring it to the required levels is being carried out. South Riding.—About 20 chains of the Warwick Road have been scarified and rolled. Victoria Road from tho borough boundary on the railway crossing has been treated in a similar manner. On tlie Lower Bird Road about 20 chains have received a light refaciug. Patching work has been carried out on the Mountain, Sole, and Upper Cheal Hoads.

East 'Riding (Douglas). General maintenance work has been carried out in tliis riding. A set of 12in. pipes had to bo placed in tho Alain Ohura Road near Strathmore, owing to the old culvert having fallen in.

East Ridyig (Toko). —A considerable amount of maintenance metal has been ciushed and delivered at various places on the several loads. Tho Ahuroa Road has bpen patched and watertabled between tho broken metal portion and Air. Phillips’ gate, about 49 yards of material being used in tho work. Twenty-five yards of gravel have been obtained from the side of the Ohura Road at the four-mile peg; tlie balance, 24 yards of metal being crushed opposite tho Alodel Dairy Farm. It has been found necessary owing to a fall in the roof of the Alangaohu Road tunnel to put in one complete sot of timbers and in order to save further trouble other portions of tho roof had to be attended to. A drain from the council’s cottage at Toko has been laid to the creek, the work of connecting to the house has not yet been completed. East Riding (Huiroa). —AVatortabling, metal banking, and general repair work has been carried out on tho Alakuri East and Makuri AVest Roads. Tho Douglas North and Douglas South and Huikama Roads have also received attention.

AVest Riding.—Surface work has been carried out on the Opunake, Breckon, Brooks’, Hastie, and Poto Roads, which are now in fair order. Tho surfaceman residing in the council’s cottage, Alnnaia Road, advises that the rain finds its way into the passage and requests that a verandah be built to prevent a ro-occnrance of the trouble.

Mangaehu Riding.—During tho month general maintenance and watortabling work has been carried out on the Mangaoliu and Mangatuku Roads. The present foreman who is giving up tho position on the 22nd of this month, has gone over most, of the roads in this riding with tho surfaceman now resident at Tututawa, to make him conversant with the road requirements in the JoaAn old culvert on tho Taliora has fallen in and is now being replaced with concrete pipes. The report was adopted and the engineer instructed to report on the Manaia cottage. CORRESPONDENCE. A circular was received from the Minister of Public Health giving details of the provision made for the supply of nurses and doctors to outer districts.—Received Tho chairman of tho Moa Road Board (Mr. A. Corkill) wrote stating that ho had been instructed to approach the council re tho hydro-electric development, with a view of concerted action to represoint tho importance to these districts of hydro-electrio power and the desirability of its development by the State for the following reasons:— (1) That as the State has already developed or partly developed other schemes, the Taranaki province is entitled to like consideration; (2) that as tho State requires bare interest on outlay, the production of power would be on the largest scale warranted by the streams and the power would reach consumers at cost rate; (3) that a general and exhaustive survey would probably disclose schemes of a magnitude sufficient to warrant their inclusion; in tho general united scheme for the North Island now among tho plans of tho Government Chief Electrical Engineer.—The chairman said that tho sooner tho scheme was carried! out the better for Taranaki. If the New Plymouth Copncjl jroulfl icarxs_out the.

■ scheme quicker than tho Government, * then he favoured allowing the council to carry it out. Moved by Councillor Hancock, seconded by Councillor Coleman that the Moa Road Board’s resolution bo supported.—Carried. A letter was received from the Taranaki Bowling Centre intimating that at a meeting of tho executive it was unanimously resolved to call a special meet ing of all sports and local bodies throughout Taranaki for tho purpose of urging a universal Saturday half-holi-day for tho province.—Letter to lie on tho table. From tho Treasurer, AA’ellingtqn, asking tho council’s co-operation in the raising of the Victory Loan.—Received. The clerk of tho " AVaitomo County Council fowarded a copy of a resolution passed by that body “That tho Government be approached through tho member for the district to pass legislation limiting speed of motor cars to 25 miles an hour.—Decided to support the resolution. The Stratford Railway League wrote thanking tho council for its promised support and donation to the funds.— Received. Councillor Hancock was appointed as delegate to tho meeting. From tho State Advances Office, AA 7ollington, referring to the several payments made to tho council, and drawing attention to No. 22 of tho regulations issued under the Local Bodies’ Loans Act, 1913, which provides: “Any loan may be made payable to the . local authority by instalments covering a period not exceeding one year from the date of granting of the loan, unless tho superintendent otherwise decides, and in any such case each instalment shall for tlie purpose of calculating tho term of tho loan and the payments of principal and interest in respect thereof bo deemed to constitute a separate loan.—Loft in the hands of tho clerk. GENERAL. On tho motion of Councillor Baskin the engineer was asked to report on the advisability of metalling a few chains of Gambicr Road. Councillor Hancock moved that the engineer bo instructed to havo Brooks’ Road put in order from Brecon Road eastward. Six settlors on tho Toko Roa.d petitioned tho council to have their names deleted from the AVaihapa Road bridge petition, as they had signed tinder a misunderstanding. Three of them waited on tho council and explained tlie position.—Resolved that tho request bo acceded to. Messrs. Bretherton and Pilt waited on the council in reference to the Manawainiri Road to w'hich they desired tho council to provide access.—Resolved that tho sum of £3O be transferred from' the Esk Road bridge for the work. Mr. Anderson waited on the council and asked that some Improvement be made to the Cross Road, Midhirst, work to be done, Mr. Anderson to provide the labour for which payment will not bo made till after March 31 next. It was decided that all unmotalled portions of roads in the west riding bo included in the loan proposals. Councillor O’Neill said that at a meeting of ratepayers a resolution wos passed recommending the council to regrade and tar-seal the Climie Road, 1 m 16. Ho moved that the recommendation be given effect to. It was decided to include the work in the loan estimates and to have tho bridge at the east end of tho boundary road raised 14 feet .and renewed within three years.