DISTRICT HIGHWAYS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18422, 1 July 1925, Page 5

DISTRICT HIGHWAYS.

MEETING OF COUNCIL NO. 13.

A meeting of the District Highways Council, No. 13, was held yesterday. Present: Mr I<\ Langbein, District Public Works Engineer (chairman), and Messrs J. Leslie (Paparua), J- C Horn (Oxford), J. 0. Coon (Wairewa), A Thompson (Springs), F. Horrell (Rangiora),. G. T. Muleoek (Halswell), J. D. Wyllie (Kowai), J. A. Gellety (Mt. Herbert), R. G. Woolf (Eyre), W. K.; (Tawera), C Flavell (Heathcote), and R. W. Hawke (Waimain). A letter was received from the Main Highways Board approving of the road to Amberley via Balcaim, being declared a highway. Selwyn Bridge. A discussion took place on the question of the proposed bridge over the Selwyn River. The chairman Btated that he had suggested an allocation from each County in respect cf the cost of erecting tho proposed bridge. Ho had made up the allocation in a hurry, merely with a view to testing the feeling of the Counties. He was glad to be able to announce that most of the local bodies concerned had agreed to the allocation. . Of tho £3750 required for the woi'k ; £BSO was still improinised. Mr Leslie said that the feeling of hi- Cou'ntv Council was that the allocation (£2o0) was too high. They considered that £l5O would be a more equitable amount. The chairman said that ho had also approached the Ashburton County and Borough in the matter. In reply to a question, the chairman said that, like the others, he would like to see the City included in the allocation, hut lie was afraid that this could not be done.

In answer to further questions, the chairman nuii that the Malvern County Council had advised him that they considered that the proposed allocation (£o00) was too high, and they offered £250. Tli3 chairman thought that it was not fair for quo County Council to hold up the work as they were doing. After a number of those present had expressed disapproval of the attitude taken up by the Malvern County Council, a motion was passed approving of £SOO as being a reasonable allocation ,J r Malf/ern, in view of what the other Counties were paying. With reference to the allocation of tha Paparua County, Mr-Leslie offered £2OO if Malvern would pay its share, and the matter was held over to allow of a reply being received from the Malvern County Council.

Estimates. j The following estimates weTe ap- j proved:— Akaroa County. CONSTRUCTION— County Board. Christohurcli-Akaroa £ £ Reconstruction of corners Hilltop to Akaroa ..125 125 Maintenance — ChristcKurch- Akaroa: Metalling Hilltop to Akaroa, 1000 500 Ashley County. Construction— via Loburn; Garry Bridge, asphalting deck * •• ..40 40 Pip Bridge, concrete arch 60 60 Warfipool Creek Bridge .. 300 300 Maintenance— Protective works: Bridge repairs,- gracing «.nd Maintenance .. 330 ; 165 Elteswere County. Construction — Soekburn-Southbridge: Fe«o<onerete bridge .. 75 75 Extending culvert at Irwell .. .; 25 < 525 Maintenance— ' Picton-Bluff Highway: Maintaining ford and road 20 t JO Soekburn-Southbridge; Metalling, grading, rolling 167 S3 Repairs Ellesmerß bridgo .20 10 Maintaining length in Leeston Township .. 30 15 Eyre Cpunty. Construction — Junction to "Waddington via, Kangiora: Gjrder bridge deviation .. 450 700 Bice's rqad, widening ..05 65 Junctjc-n ti> Bennetts, via Swunnanoa: Cherry's fcrf bridge .. 175 175 Frost's corner widening ... 60 60 Dixon's load deviation .. 12} 120 Thompson's corner, widening .. .. 23 25 Maintenance — Picion-Bluff: Empire bridge to Kaiapoi IC7 83 Junction, to Waddington via Rangiora .. 167 'B3 Junction to Bennetts via Swannanoa .. •• 207 133 Halswell County. Construction— Chiistchurch-AkaroEi: Widening corners Motukarar* .: .- 150 150 Maintenance— Cbristchiuch-Akaroa road .. 1000 500 Heathcote County. Maintenance — Christchurctt.Motukai'ara: In Heathcote County .: 40 20 Kowai County. Construction— Piotoh-Bluff: Straightening at Leithficld School .. :: 50 60 Maintenance — Picton-Bluff maintenance .. 200 100 Ashley-Amberl'ey •.; 133 67 Malvern County. Constructko— ! Picton-Bluff Highway: Up»>er Riccartofl-Kumara: Fear pipe culverts '■& 80 80 MaintenanceTinner Riecartbn-Kumara,: Maiuteaacce .. .. 533 267 "Waddington to Gorge Bridge 133 67 Mt. Herbert County. Maintenance— Christchureh-Motukarara: • Eapaki to Teddington .. 420 210 Oxford County. Construction— Rangwra-Oxford, via Ixiburn: Asphalting Gorge, bridge . 275 270 Junction near Kaiapoi to SheffiieW: ' • Two 12ft concrete pipes i. 13 13 Maintenance— Rangiora-{)xford, via Loburn: Shinglicg ( grading, Tepairs 134 66 Ke-decMbg Eyre bridge 600 600 Paparaa County. Constructiest Upper Ritcarton-Kumara: Formation one mile ..' 300 -■ 300 Picton-Bluff : Construction 1J miles .. 3500 3500 Msinteaanej?.: Pictoa-Bluff .. ... 867 433 Upper fiicearton-Kumara ..666 334 Sockbuni-Southbridge .. 734 36^ Christchnroh-Akgroa ..400 200 fiangiora County. Construction— ". • Picton-Bluff Highw&v: Co istro«ti ott of culvert ..50 50 Maintenance— Picton-B'uff Highwav: Metalling Flaston "road ~400 200 Metalling Bangiora-Een-netts .. .. 1000 500 RangioraJOxibrd via .Loburn: Metalling .. .. 80 40 Streets in Bangiora Borough: Maintenance- .. .. 100 50 Picton-Bluff Highwav: Metalling . „ 750 700

Selwyn County.

With regard to the estimates for the Waimairi County Council. Mr Hawke said that the County Council aimed at putting its highways down in bitumen. Thev were expecting an expert from an Australian firm in about ten davs or a fortnight, and if he could *nvo a reasonable estimate tm> Council*-would go ahead with the work of construction. If the firm m question could construct two miles of roaU a month the Council expected to •* able to spend the money stated next. * In answer to a question. Mr Hawke said that it. was intended to do tho work out of loam.

Suggested Amendment to Act. Mr McAlnin© drew attention to tho conference- "which was 'being called by the Canterbury Process League to discuss anomalies in the Highways Act, and support the proposal to set up a separate Board for each Island The chairman said that he would like very much to see such a conference called, and the opinions of the ywwus districts—North, South and Mjd-Oan-terburv—expressed upon it. He .would also like to see members of the Board attend the conference. In supporting Mr MoAlprae's proposal to attend the conference, Mr Hawke made the suggestion that if the Board were empowered to subsidise 1 maintenance -work to the extent of 50 per cent, "it shoidd be ptrepared to grant a two-thirds subsidv in. respect of reconstruction work, otherwisetnere would be a tendency for local bo*es to tinker with the present roads instead of reconstructing them. It was decided to support th© proposal of tho Progress League to call a conference with a view to suggesting amendments to the Highways Act. Dyer's Pass Boad, Mr FlaiveU moved that the Council should recommend that the Dyer's Pass road be declared a highway. The chairman informed Mr Jlaveil that there was very little chance of getting his proposal agreed to at the. present juncture by the Board. ±fe should bring up the matter again. next March. •

Culverts on watercourse* .. 50 50 Maintenance— . Picton-Bhif;: Selwyn to Rakaia rivers .. 400 200 Maintenance contribution to Rakaia. bridge 1CS 54 Springs County. Maintenance— Ficton-Bluff: Maintenance ,... 210 103 Sock'mrn-Soutu"b ridge: Maintenance .. •,. 177 SS Chris tchurch-Akaroa: Maintenance 27 13 Tawera County. Construction— Upper Ricearton-Kumara: Ko.vai river bridge additions and restoration .. 666 331 Maintenance— Maintenance Government read SCO 400 Waimairi County. Construction— Picto.n-Bluft": Reconstruction with bitumen .. .. 10,000 .10,000 Christ church-Cheneys, via Marshland: Reconstruction -with bitumen .. .. 7 ,000 7,000 Uoiier RiceartoTi-H.umara: Reconstruction 60 chains . 3,000 3,000 Maintenance— Picton-B'.uff 680 310 Christchivrch-Ckaneys, via Marshland 340 170 TTivner Eiccarton-Kumara-: Clyde road to Church corner 170 83 Wairewa County. Construction — Cbmtchurch-Akaroa: Reconstruction corner . 12 10 12 10 "Widening corner .. 15 0 13 0 New bridgo and abutment 13 x 16 .. 50 0 50 0 New bridge, lfi x 10 .. 50 0 50 0 "Walker's creek .. 50 0 50 0 Reconstruction C to D 75 0 75 0 Maintenance— Christcliurcn-Motukarara: Reforming A to B .. 60 0 60 0 Reconstruction C to D 75 0 75 0 Christchurch-Akaroa: D to K maintenance 900 Renewal of culvert 12 912 608 0 3M 0 Christchurch-Motukarara.: 30 pipes 15 B to C maintenance 87 Repaii-fl to bridgo 6 Two iows pipes 10 118 say SO 0 <0 0 Clearing Kaitunn, river 20 0 20 0 Flo"<l damage recon200 0 struction ■ • 200 0