COUNTY ENGINEER REPORT

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 October 1916, Page 3

COUNTY ENGINEER REPORT

y- - lli« county engineer, Mr J. Malcolm, submitted tiie following report to tho county council meeting to-day: Te Horo Hiding. The niain roadi in this riding is now fanny good throughout with the exception of a piece about two miles long near Hadtield that needs attention, which it will get in a few days. Would the council favour getting a contract ready for widening portion of this main road north and south of Hadfield as coon as tlio overdue grant money comes to hand? I think it is the only chance of ever getting any assistance from the Government, the £ for £ grants may be- done away with after this year. The drays went drawn on Thursday to metal Te Waka road; it will only take a few days if the weather is suitable. I note the piece of road that Dr Hutliwaite wants to dedicate is nearly ready; it will be a most useful road when we get it. The surfaceman at Waikanao reports to me that the Reikiorangi-Mangaone road is now in fair order; I shall try to see it before next meeting. I found out when up at Ngatiawa the other day that the northern approach to the bridge needs attention. Fortunately I have sufficient wire-netting for this, which I will send down early next week with instructions liow to use it. I have prepared a plan for the stock suspension bridige across the Otaki river near the Fo,i'ks. My estimate ris £(550, and unless it is done 60011 that may not be enough the way that prices are rising. lam now getting the Waihoanga road- put in order. Otaki Riding. The metalling in this riding is now finished. The stonecrushed broke down when we wanted about 70 yards to do what was required, and as it was necessary to bring the machine to Levin for repairs I got Ohau river metal to finish with. I understand from the contractor that he will have the metalling of the cemetery road, done in a week or so. lam going to do the fencing for the church trustees 'and have got the material on the ground; the man starts the erectionon Monday morning. I have not got on as well as I expected with the deviation of the Waiikawa Beach road. The weather, for one thing, has kept us back. The formation is finished, and the metalling will be put in hand at once. The broken metal at Manakau is beginning to find its place. I have done everything that I could think of to try and smooth it down for the motorists; then I could, not satisfy them. Wirokino ißiding. The roads in this riding that were provided for in the estimates have all been attended to with the following exceptions: Muhunoa West (IvebbeH's). Potts's and Wallace. They have had very little, but now the clerk says the money is getting short. Of course they will all be right during the summer weather. I suppose it will be better to hold back until later in the season and see how things pan out. The district roads generally are better than I have ever seen them before. I have called tenders for the metalling of the Arawhatn roadi. and they are due to-day. The formation is not dry enough yet to let them on to it, but it will be before next meeting of the council. The fencing of the Tararua road is getting on well. Tokomaru Riding. In this riding there is little tn report on; the usual maintenance is being well attended to. Hie contractor for the maintenance metal at the Shannon end seems in no hurry to finish his contract. I hear it is now practically impossible to get a man to do a day's work for love or money; that is the reason he does not finish. I have been unable to get anyone to undertake the street widening at Tokomaru. I expect it will have to stand over for a time until men -are less busy. There is 20-feet span bridige on the main road in the swamp just beyond Mr Tremewan's that will have to be renewed at once; there is one broken stringer now; and the others are rotten: in fact it is all rotten bait the decking. It was renewed few years ago with rimu. This work was not provided for in the estimates but I am much afraid it will not wait. It is not in- a place where I could recommend ferro-concrete. The bridge is in a hank from seven to nine feet high, and I think it is unlikely the (foundations would carry anything without piling. Another thing, to make a temporary crossing would be too expensive. I think it will be best to get jarrali or iron hark atidi either drive piles or set it on trestles if practicable.