STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16823, 23 August 1920, Page 7

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. 4 The monthly meeting’ of the Stratford County Council was held on Saturday. Present: Councillors E. Walter (cliairmanj, A. Coleman, J. O’Neill, T- R. Anderson, W. H. \Vere, H. Worthington, L. Raskin, and S. Pitt. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer reported: ’ North Riding (East).— Owing to the amount of heavy .carting the Stanley Road has been badly cut up, a considerable amount of patching has been necessary 7 . Extra metal has ..been distributed along the northern end. When pipes are available it will be necessary to replace two wooden culverts "which are in a weak state. On the» Croydon. Road East the loose stones have been raked off, patching, blinding and watertabling work has been carried out. Kent Terrace, Beaconsfield, and Salisbury Roads have also received atten- . tion. , North Riding (West).—One hundred and thirty yards of maintenance metal have been crushed and, distributed on the various roads .where required. The side track at Waipuku has received a further coat of sand and river shingle. General maintenancdSvork in the way of patching and water-tabling has been done on Hie Upper and Lower Pembroke, Cardiff, Rutland, Denbigh and Mountain Roads. The street to the school in the Midhirst township has been repaired. South Riding.—A considerable portion of the past period has beeii taken up with the work of lowering the part ol the Finnerty Road opposite the Ngaire dairy factory, the whole of the excavation, is completed, and the metal refacing should be finished from the angle in the road to the first bridge within a day or two. On the completion of the Finnerty Road work it is intended) to give the far end of the Wingrave Road a light re-facing with metal. ■ This portion of tfie road is getting into bad repair and requires early attention. Sir. Cave who is undertaking the completion of the Finnerty Road Bridge, regrets that through force of circumstances he has not so far been able to proceed with the work, but intends making a start on Wednesday next. East Riding (Toko). —Where necessary metal patching has been carried out on the Ohura Road. For the time of year the road is in very “fair order. The Makura Stream Bridge on the Raupahu Road has been repaired and re-decked, portions of the’ old decking where at all sound have been used for, repairing the wooden culvert ‘on the same road, the remainder being used as kerbing in the Toko township. General maintenance work has been carried out on the Toko, Waiwiri, Ahuroa, and Eaupuhu Roads. It will be necessary to replace the old wooden culvert near Mt. Rayly’s woolshed with concrete P Riding (Douglps).—General maintenance work has been carried on throughout this riding. A considerable amount of patching, etc., being required on the main Ohura Read on the Strathmore end. A fairly large slip on the Taihore Road has been cleared away. East Riding (Huiroa), —The watertables on tbe Douglas North Road have been attended to. Tho Makuri Road

to Hniroa has been patched and' water- ' tabled. Water-tabling «id banking up has been done on the Makuri Road east.

West Riding.—Generally the roads in this riding are in a very satisfactory condition, one exception being the Opunake Road No. 1, particularly in the heavy cuttings. Every endeavour has been made in the way of clearing the scrub and fern on the tops of the cuttings; even this has not had the desired effect, the cause of the trouble being the high trees on the north side. The trees do not allow the sun and wind to dry the road. A number of the property-owners have been approached about the matter, but the results have been anything but satisfactory. Thp names of the principal offenders are to be found in the foreman’s report. A considerable amount ■of wafer-tabling has been, done on the Opunake, Rowan, Palmer, and Waingongoro Roads. Two dangerous bends on the Opunake Road have been considerably widened rendering these portions of the road much safer. Mangaehu Riding.—-Repairs have been effected to Hodaer’s Bridge. A portion of the Mangaehu Road has been widened, some of the bad comers •on the Mangaotuku Road have been cut down. General patching, watertabling and fern cutting has also been' done on this road. The slips on the Taurakawa Road are being cleared away and culverts are being put in. The report was adopted.

CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from the Nelson City Council stating the council held the view that education is purely and entirely a national matter, and that the Government should therefore undertake tho whole of tho expense connected therewith, upon the most liberal scale, and that local authorities should not be asked or expected to contribute towards* the cost. A resolution to that'effect was passed.—The chairman said that he quite agreed with the resolution, as he considered that local bodies had quite enough to do looking after their own affairs, independent of educational matters.—The letter was received, on the motion of Councillor Pitt, seconded by Councillor O’Neill.

J. Dromgool, Strathmore, wrote pointing out to the council that in his opinion it was advisable to join up with Stratford by means of a tunnel through the hill, in preference to metalling the gap on top.—The chairman said he agreed that a tunnel was the best idea, as it would save about a \nile of road.—The council was of opinion that the matter should be urged by settlers on the east side, and the council would then 'be in a better position to support it. Messrs. Howcraft Bros., Rowan, made application for the nictating of a few' hundred yards at the extreme northern end of the Rowan Road.—The engineer is to report.

The Inglewood County Council wrote inquiring when the Stratford Council will be in a position to submit accounts necessary for the adjustment between the two counties.—The chairman stated that he had interviewed the Inglew'ood County clerk and told him that the only matter that called for adjustment was their share of the overdraft, and ho did not appear so keen upon it then. (Laughter.)

N. B. Fryday, Ngaere, wrote thanking the council for its action regarding the dangerous railway crossing at Cli•jnie Road, but regretted that nothing would be done until somebody was killed.—Received.

Hie Palmerston North Borough Council wrote stating that it had made representations to the Government asking that every consideration should be

given to the advisability of making the Saturday half-holiday general throughout the Dominion. If the council was favourable it was asked to make representations to the Government in support.—Deceived. Tho Department of Lands, New .Plymouth, informed tho council that, in carrying out tho survey of the iawmwhi estate, it was found necessary to deviate portions of the Mangaehu Road and asked tho consent of the council to close certain portions.—Engmeei to report. , The Lowgarth Dairy Company wrote asking the council to'use every endeavour to expedite the completion of tlio Finncrty Road bridge.— To be informed that the matter is being attended to. The Public Works Department, Stratford, notified tho council that the commission to inquire into and report on the Taranaki County vehicles licensing bv-law -would sit at New 1 lymouth on Tuesday, 31st inst.—lt was resolved that councillor Pitt should be a delegate to tlie commission. The office of Minister of Telegraphs, Wellington, advised that the matter or erecting a line between Tahora, and Tatu must stand over in the meantime, as the outlay of £7500 was not warranted. . . , Mrs. C. Wing Keo, Midhirst, applied for permission to erect a fence across Normanby Street, on the west side or the Mountain Road. Sho was prepared to erect gates where jdie council desired them.—Permission was granted during the pleasure of the council. . A. H. Thomas, secretary of the Dawson’s Falls Mountain House Committee, 1 wrote asking that the Manaia Road, leading to the mountain reserve, should bo put in repair.—lt was decided that it should be attended to. A. H. Mills, Toko, wrote asking permission to fence in a small piece of land opposite his property on tho Tunapo Road.—The application was granted on the understanding that tho applicant keeps the area clear of noxious weeds. GENERAL. It was resolved, on the motion of Councillors Anderson and Coleman, that where trees were growing on property at the roadside, which in the opinion of tho engineer were causing damage to the road, the owners of the trees bo given notice to remove same. Councillor Worthington moved that tenders bo called for metalling 5J miles of the Funawhakau Road.-—This was seconded by Councillor Were and carried. It was resolved, on the motion of the chairman, that the resolution passed at a previous meeting, voting a sum to the funds of the Hydro-electric League, be rescinded. His reason for doing so was that the council had exceeded the amount allowed to the council for unauthorised, expenditure. Accounts amounting to £2109 were passed for payment. >