THE HUTT ROAD

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2823, 14 July 1916, Page 8

THE HUTT ROAD

REPORT BY CITY ENGINEER

Some little tiriie ago the. Wellington City Engineer (Mr. \V. 11. Morton) 'was asked to make a report oil the subject of the maintenance of th'o Hutt Road, ilr. ilortou made a report, but the Hutt Road Board had it referred back to him lor further repoft a.5 to possible reduction in the amount of tii« estimate. "Last evening the City Council had before it the following communication from Mr. Morton on the .subject:—

■ "For over two years after the completion of tlifi Hutt Road it was entirely neglected. ..The metal surface between Thorndon Quay and Kaiwarra liaa been worn right through to the level of the bottom metal. Judging by the manner in ivliich Tlic . metal has worn 1 am strongly of opinion that an' insufficient thickness of metal was placed on thia portion of the ro&d when the work was carried out. I consider that .the neglect of the road • for tho period above mentioned, and the insufficient coating of metal in the first instance, is principally responsible for the amount of metal now required. The quantity given in my-re-port of May 22 was arrived at after careful examination of tho road, and I think it is likely that this amount will not be rcached, but in view of the somewhat complicated method, of control .of the I thought it edtisable to estimate for the quantity of metal required rather oil the'fiill*side. "It was staled at the meeting of the Hutt Road Committee at which I was ■present that tho cost of .repairing that portion of the road lying Petone and tile Lower Hutt Kaihray Stations w«i considerably less than tliu cost of repairing the portion of tho road in question. One member stated that the method now employed., is too. expensive l , and he .considers that; the cheaper method such r.-3 obtains between Petone and Lower Hutt would bo satisfactory. The nse of river shingle or second quality metal should not, in my opinion, be for a moment considered. Such would be contrary to all recognised practice regarding road maintenance, and would be decilledly a retrograde step. No metal, unless broken cubically, can be satisfactorily consolidated and present a satisfactory road surface. ; "A question, I understand, was also raised concerning the price charged for the steam roller. This is, of course, a matter for the decision.o£ the counoil. I liavo only to point, out that tba cost of a steam roller jyith scarifier, is about .£759. Allowing 5 per cent, for interest, 5 per cent, for depreciation, and 5 per cent, for maintenance, the annual charges would be i! 112, to which must be added the. wages of the ..driver. (.£180), and the cost of fuel and lubricants; (,£95),, total cost per annum, i£387."