County Engineers Report

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 December 1915, Page 2

County Engineers Report

The following report on the roads and bridges tliroughout the county was submitted to the. County Council to-day by the engineer, Mr J . Malcolm : To Horo Riding. ■Most of the roads in this riding are in fair order, the Otaki Gorge andi lUaugaone roads got off fairly well with the thunderstorms that wo experienced early in the month; as usual there were a good many slips but nothing vory big and they are now all removed. The siirlacemen are getting on with the W-aihoanga roud; if they" succeed iv, getting a dray next week to do some metalling they will ue almost able kj linish it. Metal is badly needed in places. Mr Kusby sent a da-ay lor three or four days across the swamp in Monckton and Addington's subdivision; it is now all right.' The greater part of the drains on Monckton and Addington's subdivision arc now cleaned out. 1 expect everything will he finished in another ten days. 1 have called tendiers for the construction oi the bridge on the Reikinnangi-Manga-ono road, and they are due to-day. '

iiave got the greater ial on the ground and the bolts are ready. If a satisfactory tender <s received we might be aljie to cross it this year yet. Something will have to be done to get over the difficulty with the creek by Hagim's; every heavy showers washes out the road andi the linst motorist thai; comes along comes to grief. 1 have complaints from .someone nearly every week. The Kailway Department have just renewed tlieir old culvert with a concrete one. It seems to me that avc will have to follow their example and raise the road a few feet; it cannot continue for ever as it is. Complaints have been made to me about allowing stock to graze on tlio Agnrnr-.i road leading to Campion s null field's, the complainants saying the stone are pulling all the thatch on the batters m the sand cuttings to pieces. 1 think it would be well to close this piece oi load as it will be a sonous matter to have to re-thatch it as there is *o Jmi oil oi it there. Otaki Hiding. Tiie roads in this ruling sn tiered loss damage with the. thunderstorms than any other part oi the county; (here wevo some .small .slips a net washout, but nothing oi consequence. These have been all put right, i. might have ttarted the approaches to the over!i ridge, at Manaikaii as tlio concrete is linis'hod, but the weather hus Geen k'.> unsettled. It is going to be very (lifficuifc to allow tjie,. traffic to get through all the "time the Klliiig-in is idling on; the height of the tilling at the ends of bridge is lour leet six i.iches, so you can just imagine what it will bo like after a niglit's rain. The roads in the northern end of the riding are tairly good. Wirokiuo Uid<ing. hi this riding l have uoun trying u> yet sumo ol the. district roads put in older, but us there are only two dray.s in the riding available lor the worli, i. takes a long time- when there i.s lunch to do. The Muhunoa East and > lorida roads have been done, but iliu r- ads on the western side of the main load are .still to dio—i mean the Muliun a West and the Ohau \Vost. limy want a good deal doing to them to put them in order. i may be able t<; get some more drays as soon as tlio Jlokio JJeach roud contract i.s finished, u iiich should be soon. Air Win. Close took up the contract for the construction oi the road and uram that was i-. linqiiisliod by .liunlm andi party hi Suction XI B. 41; the price i.s a little; higher but still it i.s very favourable. I lie Gladstone road contract will be ii li.slied by Christmas a the weather <n l.ivouraible. Good progress is being made with the metalling of Potts s mad; it will take a montn to finish '.i

e\ en it the weather is good. Tokomaru Hiding. This u> the riding that got the worst, o' it with the thunderstorms. The hiil roads arc all to pieces. TJio TokoJiiaru Valley road will not be restored lor at least n month. Men can't he got tu go to it although we arc ottering 10s a day. ± will try to got me -Uangaore road opened uy the 21tJi ii possible. A traction engine Jell through one of the bridges on the main road, and :t became necessary to provide a new deck J Alter the old decking was stripped 1 found the stringers very good and plenty good enough to hold the. spikes for the new decking. i think of getting o new deck for the Kara bridge. 1 had another look at i> tho other day and 1 am inclined to think it will turn out as the other did. and something will have to be done at once as the oldi cross decking is .so rotten it will not hold anything. The open tord at Kingston road will have to be provided with a bridge. It will tfl'ke n 16ft. span to take the water as a great deal conies down that valley in flood time. The crossing is a very bad one and almost impossible for a motor car. The money that was put on the estimates for the Kara will do for tho two of them. 'J. he roads in Lhn northern end of the ridling are mil u>. very lair order.