MAINTENANCE WORK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20106, 28 November 1939, Page 2

MAINTENANCE WORK

WAIKOHU COUNTY ROADS ACTIVITY IN ALL RIDINGS ENGINEER REPORTS

(Special to the Herald.) TE KARAKA, this day. Work carried out under the supervision of the Waikohu County engineer, Mr. A. G. Lucas, during the past month, as reported to the monthly meeting of the council to-day, was largely for maintenance. Only one oi two special works were receiving attention, and the progress made for the period, while substantial, was not represented by any spectacular features in the report. A shortage of steel in connection with the Waiwhero bridge, on the Motu highway, had held ud work for a time tliere, the engineer stated, but all requirements were now to hand, and the bridge was going on well. He hoped that concrete for the beam;' would be poured next week. Levelling had been carried out at the Matawai saleyards entrance, and a culvert installed, with a dressing of river shingle on the new formation. On the Whakarau highway, watertables and patching had received attention, and on the Koranga highway, the deck-slab had been poured for the new Koranga bridge, and the moulding for handrails was now being constructed. A deviation on this road, at Urn., licfd been metalled with brown rock, widening being carried on simultaneously, and at the quarry everything was ready for a start with maintenance metalling.

Only four No. 13 scheme men were employed on the Motu Front road, the report informed the council, the work there being a,deviation to which a lorry crew had been allotted. Maintenance only was proceeding on other roads in the Motu riding. Dry Slips at Kanakanaia Patching on the Poututu highway, grading on the Hihiroroa and Oliver roads, and small work on the Rakau-roa-Tahora road, were reported, in respect of the Waihuka riding. The engineer stated that tenders had been let for a further forming and metalling of 67 chains of the Motu Front road in this riding. Some big dry slips had been left for attention when a bull-dozer was available. In the Mangatu riding, the Kaitara, Mangahamia, and Mangamaia roads had received attention in regard to patching and grading, and a gang was sent to break down the crossings on the Mangatu River. Application had been made to have the £4OO available for a deviation on the Mangatu road to Oliver and Tarndale roads, in the proportion of £l5O and £250, for fur-

ther metalling. Authorised metalling on the top end of the Tarndale road lias been completed, the report also indicated, and maintenance was being attended to. The Makara road, in the Waioaoa riding, had been trimmed UP by the power grader, and other small work bad been done throughout the riding. An application by the council for permission to carry out the widening of Armstrong road with its own staff and plant had not yet been dealt with by the Public Works Department.

Preparation for Wool-Carting Work in the Ngatapa riding likewise was limited to maintenance, in the main, and the engineer stated that the grader had been sent to put the Taumata road in condition for the wool-carting season. Plans had been approved for gravity walls atthe creek crossings on the Wharekopae road, and tenders for the work had been called.

On the Kanakanaia highway, a slip near the roadman's cottage had been dealt with by the laying of 72ft. of I2in. pipes to drain off the water, and some filling had been completed there Plans were approved for realignment of the upper Kanakanaia road, near Parahaka, over a distance of one mile, and monetary authority for the work was being awaited. Crossings on the Waihora road were also attended to, as part of the Kanakanaia riding work. Patching and drain-clearing on the Lnvenham road, and work in Fisher's drain, were the only county works reported ‘in connection with the Karaka riding

The engineer reported upon the unfortunate accident in which Messrs. E. Bell and T. Melville, employees of the council, suffered severe injuries when the car in which they were travelling on the Tarndale roan plunged down the hillside. The men not being expected home until next day, they were not missed over-night, and it was not until late the following morning that they were discovered and taken to hospital. The engineer reported on the steps taken to give assistance to the injured men, and of the help rendered, by Mr. Gordon Gregory, Whatatutu, in transporting the men t > the point at which they were transferred to the ambulance from Gisborne.