ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 January 1915, Page 3

ENGINEER'S REPORT.

v i The following report tor tho last j month was .submitted to tho Council by | the County Engineer (Mi- J. Malcolm): TIB MOJIO HIDING '11, c main road throughout is good. I luivo not had timo to ins poo t tho district roads since the holidays, but according to bM> jsurfaeomon's reports they arc fairly good. I -got a scoop and sent it 011 to Mr Hodge at tho To Iloro boaeh, but 1 don't know whether it lias been used or not. I hardly think much good con Id have been dono before the holidays on account of the strong winds. Tho Gorge road was made passable, and I understand has kept all right through the holidays. Mr Campbell reports that a small ■bridge on tho Mnnganne-Riki road has been completed. I inspected the timber land found it a fairly good lot. There is a small bridge on the \V:iikanae 'bench road at the sand hills that is very rotten, and must be renewed' as noon as possible, lint J think 2-lin. / will do for it. OTAKI RID I NO. am getting two stone and wire, groynes put in tho Waikawa Stream ' . Ai, it is threatening to tako away the fltud. 1 think what is being done will prevent any more damage for ftoiuo timo. I have sent on timber to get some necessary repairs done to the Otnki bridge on tho main road. It is onlv tho surface or traffic planking that is worn through in places. WIROTCINO HIDING. Nothing lias boon dono in the riding for a month but carting somo maintenance metal and at present all the metalled roads' are fairly good. Can I go on with the construction of the Oh an East road or any of the other works provided for the in tho year's estimates? Tho settlors using the Al.ilM TCnst road are very anxious to

OIJAII IliafiX roiui iMW vui.y WW got it done before the winter, find there is no doubt they have had to put up with a great deal of inconvonienco in the post. The Kereni-l* oxtmi road hassustainet! a great deal of damage by the strong winds: there arc holes blown out that yon could bury a horse and cart in. I would suggest that in anticipation of next vea-r's estimates tenders he called lor, say. 500 yards of metal, more or loss, the tenders to be in at next meeting of the Council. Tt seems to mo that metal u tho best preventative for blowing sand. The re-forming of Potts' road might also be put in hand at oncc in anticipation of the loan, <>r -'it all events as soon as tho horses are to be get. They are mostly.Jiusy with the harvest at present. TOKOMARU RIDING. 1 regret to say little progress lias ' been made witli the metalling ol the new road in the Makorua swamp for the 111011 th ; the weather and the holidays havo put the work back; there is still over 2000 yards of metal to be carted to finish the road. The rlokolnarti Valley road and the Mangaore track have now been put in fair or- • der. Some arrangements will have to ho made with Mr J. Burton to keep the track open from Mias Roots' gate to his own placeit is too far lor men to go to and from Shannon to do a day's work. Mr Burton will take on tho work at a reasonable figure. Tf I can arrange to get a dray or two T w ill put the work of raising Plimmer's Terrace - in hand next week. Everything in the northern end of the riding is in good order at present,. LEVIN TO i'OROUTA WII AO. ' lu my opinion the best and only practicable route for this road is to continue from the end oi the present line where it abuts on Section 2L of IB * (Llannan's) joining the Levin Lo L'oxton road on the west side ol Mr C Jenkins's residence. The distance *s approximately 76 chains, all through ' private property where the land will have to be purchased, and not only that there will be much severance to be providd for. In my opinion the land is *- very suitable for close settlement anil 1 think it would be good business bo [ ' urge on the (lovernment to acquire it for that purpose; if this is not done r thero is no need for a road there for the next ten years at least. It is not only the 76 chains that has to be acquired and formed, but the whole of tire road from tho Borough boundary nt the end of tho Kauiu road which will have to he formed, tho length of which is 132 chains. This, with the extension, will make .approximately 208

„ chains, the formation of this alone will cost over £600, and if you add metalling another £1000.