WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1929, Page 7

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12'h. OVERSEER MILLNER’S MONTHLY REPORT. I have the honour to report upon the progress of work during the month of February: NORTHERN RIDING. Taipo Track Improvement. The clearing and cleaning of watertahles lias been completed the specified distance, and washouts on the hills roughly filled in, in readiness for a surface dressing of finer material; had portions on the first flat corduroyed to lie cover, ed later with a coat of gravel. The specified nu in her of open crossings have been completed and one culvert covered with heart of matai timber. MAINTENANCE. Watertahles were cleaned on one hill on Kumara Road; Big Dam track cleared of timber and overgrowth, and a portion of the Stafford drain cleaned and cleared of gorse and blackberry growth ; defective decking was removed and replaced on Malfl'oy’s Bridge. Arahura River. CENTRAL RIDING. Station Road Extension. The work of metalling was completed the specified length of 44 chains, hut the tramway used for gravel haulage will not be removed from the roadway till the formation and metalling is extended a further distance of 20 chains. Dorothy Falls road. The work of clearing, widening and raising the old road along the lake edge Was completed from tlie foot of the hillside to Dr. Teichclmann’s residence, a distance of 2d chains. Two smart box culverts and one 8 inch diameter concrete pipe culvert were also constructed along the line of road. . MAINTENANCE, Repairs were effected to motor worn holes on a portion of Milltown, Sunny Bight, and the first portion of Dorothy Falls Roads between Milltown Road and the foot of the first hill, a distance of 35 chains. Hokitika-Hau Hau Road was partly cleared of encroaching gorse and blackberry ; watertahles and drains cleaned on Hokitika-Hau Hau and Blue Spur Roads. Portions of Seddons Terrace, Adairs, South Hokitika and Arthurstown roads were repaired with gravel, and defective covering renewed on two culverts on Adair’s Road. Portions of Whitcombe Valley, McArthur, Camel back, and Municipal Roads were repaired with crushed met. aI, and a section of White Road beyond White Bridge, repaired with river beach gravel, and Dawson Road drain cleaned a distance of 72 chains. Two defective stringers, 32 feet by 15 x 8, also a quantity of decking was removed and replaced on Kanieri River Bridge, Milltown Road; also gorse and b.ackuerry cleared from Pine Tree Road, and encroaching growth cleared from Ward Road.

The road tractor and grader were busily employed grading Municipal, upper Municipal, Max, Cropps, Walls, a section of McArthur, South Hokitika from the Hokitika River to Takutai, a short section of Adairs Roads and Hokitika-Hau Hau, from the Borough Boundary to the foot of Hau Hau lull. In addition to work on the Secondary Highway, the roadroller was engaged rolling Municipal, a portion of Cropps, Hokitika hint and McArthur Roads. Work was continued at the stone crusher during the month, and an increased quantity of stone quarried, crushed and carted out lor repairs to various roads. Concrete pipes construction was continued at Kanieri, to cope with orders placed by the Public Works Department. SOUTHERN RIDING. Little Wanganui Itivcr Protection was continued under the direction of Bridge Foreman Reynolds and 20 chains of staked wall filled between stakes with scrub and stone to control the river overflow in the low ground was (onipleed also 0 wire nets placed in position on the bank filled witli stone and anchored hack to sunken anclmrs. To tarn Track Improvement. This work was continued and the clearing, cleaning of watertables and repairs to the track surface advanced to 2 miles 10 chains. MAINTENANCE. Riiatapu Road was clean d of loose and rough stone from the Ross Road to Ruatapu, and growth and fallen timber removed from Shanghai Road; blackberry and gorse cleared from Ruatapu Reach Road. Eight defective culverts on Waitalia Settlement Road were removed and renewed with 12 inch and 18 inch diameter concrete pipes. Repairs were effected to Wanganui Flat and La Fontaine road and the track construction on Little Wanganui River helow the Gorge almost coinp'eted. Motor worn holes and depressions were repaired on Detour road, Adamson and Whale Roads, Wataroa. The diversion channel on Detour Road was completed five feet in width by three feet in depth over a distance of 450 links.

MAIN HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE'. OVERSEER’S MONTHLY REPORT. I have the honour to report upon the progress of work on the Secondary Highways during the month of February. LAKE KANIERI ROAD. Slip Hill. The subsiding portions of the recent large slips were removed, totalling 260 cubic yards of earth and stone, and tho roadway gravelled 300 links in length and 14 feet in width. A defective box culvert was removed and replaced with 7/12 inch diameter concrete pipes. The total quantity of gravel used was 101 cubic yards. Motor worn holes were repaired between Stoney Creek and Lake Kauieri, over a distance of six miles absorbing 45 cubic yards of gravel; wattertables and drains were cleaned between Stripland Creek and Boucher’s Hill, a distance of 35 chains. Del.ectice decking was renewed in Left Hand Branch bridge 8/12 by Bx 4 being used. UPPER KOKAT AH I ROAD.

The lower portion of this work was attended to and three cubic yards of crushed metal placed on the approaches to No. 2 Duck Creek bridge. Repairs to motor worn holes, and approaches to bridges from Kanieri to Kokatahi bridge on Lower Kokfitalii road, a distance of seven miles attended to, sixty cubic yards of gravel being used. Repairs were effected to motor worn holes and depressions From Kokatahi bridge to McArtliui road, a distance of 4 miles 17 chains, 30 cubic yards of gravel and 45 cubic yards oif crushed metal being used. BRIDGES. The defective hand railing on White Creek bridge was removed and replaced with heart of rinm timber. Defective decking was removed and replaced on Kokatahi bridge. GRADING. The road was regarded from 11 miles 30 chains to 15 miles 17 chains, all loose material being gathered to the road centre over the distance. ROLLING. The ten toil roller was used several times rolling the road from Kokatahi bridge to McArthur road, a distance of 4 miles 20 chains. PAINTING BRIDGES. The railing oif Raft Creek bridge on Lower Kokatahi road, aiul the handrailing of No. 2 and No. 3 Duck Creek bridges, Upper Koaktahi road, received two coats of white paint, the hand rail straps and iron work being painted black.