WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1928, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Tuesday, March i3th. OVERSEER’S MONTHLY REPORT. I have the honour to report upon the progress of work during the month of February. NORTHERN RIDING. Malfrov’s Bridge Protection. A quantity of manuka scrub was procured and carted to the site of the proposed work on the -south hank of the Aralmra River immediately below Palmer’s Creek. CENTRAL RIDING. Station Road. Thu contractors are making fair progress with the metalling. the formation, drains, and culverts construction being completed, and a creditable job is being made of the whole of, the work. Lake Kanieri Road Widening. Owing to the County lorries not being available for the metalling, work was not commenced during the month. Mrthinapiin Creek Bridge. All the necessary hardwood piles stringers, and a quantity of small timber is at the site of the work, in readiness to commence pile driving about the middle of March. MAINTENANCE. Repairs were effected to the decking and a stringer on Harris Creek bridge No. 4, Koiterangi. Drains were cleared and repairs completed to Dawson Road. Lower Kokatahi Road was repaired between Morris hill and Kanieri and graded and rolled with the ten ton roller from Graham’s corner to Kline’s. Kokatahi Bridge Road was graded hut not rolled. Defective decking was replaced on Kokatahi Bridge and minor repairs effected to the approaches of Dominick Crook and Harris Creek bridges No 2 and No 4; also to two culverts on McArthur Road. Hbkitika-Hau Han Itoad was partly cleared of encroaching blackberry, and gorse growth watcrtables cleaned and dragged with the heavy road drag. A portion of Blue Spur Road was dragged between the Hint Han and Crane’s Gully. South Hokitika, and the lower portion of Adair’s Road was cleared of blackberry and gorsc growth. Portions of watertaldes were cleaned on Lake Kanieri, and gorse cleared from Kanieri Tram Road between Kanieri and Pine Tree Road. Lake Kanieri Road was- dragged between Boucher’s Track and Kanieri, and repairs commenced to Vhitconibe Valley Road, between AV. Ritchie's holding and Hokitika Flat Road, This road is - cutting up under the heavy timber traffic and will require constant attention. Hack Creek and Riimi Ilill Road were cleared of gorse and encroaching scrub. SOUTHERN RIDING. Petersen’s Road Extension. This work is progressing steadily, the cleaning, draining, and a portion of the surface formation being completed. Okaiifo Road Bridges. A quantity of the heavy timber is in readiness for the work of renewal and some decking and small timber has been delivered at No. 1 bridge. Docherty Road. The contractors have completed Ibis section of 25 chains in length in a fairly creditable manner. Walsh Rond Construction. This work is in hand and very satisfactory progress has been made to date. MAINTENANCE. Gravel was carted out. by the County lorry and dumped at the roadside for repairs to the upper end of notour road. Watertahles were cleared and gorse cleared on Okarito road. This road is- in belter order at present than I have seen it for years. The roadman attended to repairs on Wanganui Flat, Petersen’s, and assisted T. Foster to construct an approach toiirnout on the Main South road. The turnout between the .Main Highway and Waitaha Beach road was widened and improved for traffic! and rids repaired on the hill on Waitaha Settlement road. OVERSEER’S SPECIAL REPORT. T. have the honour to report as follows : Browning’s Pass Track, Aralmra River is overgrown over the section that Mr Harvey uses, and has applied to he cleared and placed in order. The cost- of doing so will he £7 10s. Road to Minehan’s Mill, T.ittlc AVangamii. The upper portion of this road has been eroded by the overflow of the Little Wanganui River rendering it unfit for vehicle traffic for several chains in length. I would not advise the construction of protective work to divert the stream during high flood, ns work of this description may aggravate the position. The road can lie diverted along a safer route further from the river for an expenditure of £lO. County Cottage. Matninui. The blackberry growth is spreading and encroaching on the buildings adjacent to the cottage, and it would he advisable to have the worst- portions cleared at a. cost of £O. Wataroa Stock Track. In company with Cr. Donovan the line of the proposed stock track from Wataroa to Little AYanganui river was traversed on Monday, March 4th. but having no guide in regard to the distances on the siding and Hat country, I am unable to give tbe correct distance of tbe line on the hillside, but am given to understand tlu* length between the two rivers is approximately six and three-quarter miles. The first portion is along flat cleared country and fairly hard but running into soft wet semi swamp, at the foot of the terrace siding for twelve to fifteen chains in length. From the toe of the terrace onward for more than a mile the siding is rough where a six feet track would cost from £l2 to £l4 a chain to construct. From the top of the terrace the line is through flat country heavily timbered in places running into scattered silver pine and mixed bush until the Little AVanganui River is reached. The country throughout- is fairly firm with no swamp except the short portion of soft country mentioned, a short' distance from the Wataroa. river. Several creeks along the route offer no difficulties to stock traffic hut one would require to he bridged, the hanks being too deep to allow satisfactory > approaches to be made to the bed of | the stream. It would be possible to take small flocks of sheep through the flat country if the line was cleared, hanks graded, approaches constructed and a bridge erected over the larger creek, but I am doubtful if the clearing alone would bo sufficient on the 1 siding country where portions are steep and rough. The line is very 1 direct, flat for the greater portion and a splendid route for a track or ' road. Still, the clearing, grading * banks of creeks and reducing abrupt ( heights would cost at least £IOO9. and a five feet metalled track at least, would cost £3.700 to £4.000.