WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 May 1931, Page 2

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

OVERSEER’S REPORT ON SECONDARY HIGHWAYS. I have the liotiof to repoft upon the progress of Avofk an the Secondary Highways during of April, LOWER KOKATAHI, He ARTHUR ' ROAD. • Lower Kokatahi, Road was graded i ; over a distance of , four miles, replacing gravel scoured from the road surface by the heavy floods; in several short sections badly scoured, material required carting to restore th e road surface both on Lower. Kokatahi and Koiterangi -Roads, C2 cubic yards of fine gravel being used for the purpose, over a total distance of 24 miles. Repairs were effected to motor worn holes over a distance of 3 miles, absorbing, .32 cubic ya,rds of gravel from the roadside -dumps. One section 01 Koiterangi' Road beyond Harris Creek Bridge, . No. 4, very rough and scoured by creek overflows, was repaired with a light coat of fine gravel cubic yards of. fine material. Water, tables were cleaned on Morris Hill, and a drain reopened arid cleaned for 400 links in length at the western top of Morris Hill. Gorse and,;bla'ckb e i'i’y were cleared by unemployed labour

over a distance of fifteen chains. Defective decking 2/I6x>Bx4 removed and on Kokatglii Bridge. t ' - UPPER KOKATAHI ROAD.

Motor worn holes were repaired with., gravel over a distance of one mile, 12 cubic yards-’ being used., Unemployed labour cleared, blackberry and other growth a distance of 15 chains. LAKE KANIBRI ROAD. Repairs were effected to the road by, .£ta cling. d|apßmt materia’ from tho outer sides,; tp the centre o' voad, a. distance . of, 4 miles. Flood damage repairs were , .effected tp two very bafl and several’minor scours'toward Lake Kanied tfihree wind blown trees cleared' from .the road, and a quantity of scrub an 1 timber removed from the piers of Kani?ri River. The eastern and western approaches to Stoney and Stnplagd • Creek Bridges were metalled Ao raise the level or road to surface of traffic planking forpntly ' laid on <cach bridge. The western approach to Stoney Creek Bridge was metalled for 12 feet in width, 9 inches in height, and 61 links in length, the eastern approach for 12 feet in width, 12 inches in height and 235 links in length, 90 cubic yards of gravel being used. The western anproach to Stripland Creek Bridge was metalled an average width of 1.4 f,c«ei 12 inches in height and IST links ir length. The met all in or of past'rn approach being 153 links in length and 12 feet in width . and 9 inch.es it’ height,'" 112 cubic yards of gi-avef be-.

ing used., . Thisf,work ,aves necessary to

the approaches to both bridges to raise the : rptd surface to the level of the traffic planking recently placed on ptripland and Stoney . Creek Bridges.. The widening on top of, Slip Hill was completed the, proposed distance of 320 links; several large stones removed, a watertable constructed 320 links, a retaining Avail of stone constructed an average height of 3 feet 6 inches and 42 links in. length. The metalling this portion was completed a distance ill" 400 links for an average width of 15 feet, and 12 inches in height, absorbing 151 cubic yards of gravel, Watertables Avere cleaned for--30 chairs, and a'drain reopened and cleaned a distance of 450 links. Unemployed, labour assisted in filling-the Virrirp, fomoving timber from the piers of Ka«icri ’River' Bridge, cleaning' watort'ihies and widening. Repairs to scour absorbed 22 cubic yards of gravel.

OVERSEER’S MONTHLY REPORT. I have the honour to report upon the progress of work during the month of April. NORTHERN RIDING.

Palmer’s Creek Bridge construction. This work was continued under the direction of the Bridge Foreman, H. Reynolds, who completed the driving of five piles in the western abutment, and one pile in the eastern abutment, four piles having been driven the previous month. The two abutment caps of hardwood 30x14x12 feet and 4/30 feet steel joists were bored and places in position; also distance and spiking pieces of. hardwood, and a portion of the heart of rimu decking, and dry round silver pine lining. This work will be completed about- the middle of the month of May.

MAINTENANCE. The new drain on the south side ot One Mile Road was continued with very good results, by unemployed ln.bour, who also assisted in clearing an r i repairing Kapitea Track, clearing portions of Loopline, Awatuna, Araliura Valley, Christchurch Road and Blue Spur-Arnhura Roads. Watertables were cleaned on Awatuna aucl Christchurch Roads, and scrub and obstructions cleared from a portion of tile waterway of a creek crossing One Mile Road. The upper portion of Arahura River protection below Palmer’s Creek outlet, was repaired with wire nets, stem? a.’kl manuka scrub, a distance of 100 links, Roadman Oldcrog being in charge assisted by unemployed labour.

CENTRAL RIDING. Artlmrstown Road Widening. This work was put in hand and cleared and formed over the specified distance, metalled fourteen feet in width for 750 links, and t\yo culverts partly re-conditioned, and risen to improve the restricted waterways. MAINTENANCE. Portions of Whitcombs Valley Road were graded and repaired wi'-eie badly

scoured,’ also two scoured portions beyond Pigfion Creek Bridge repaired with gravel. Drift 1 thither was removed from the piers'of Diedrich’s Creek Bridge, and two approach I 'culverts lifted by flood on Wall Road,' replaced ia 'pfiAti'dri'/ 1 Runny Alight and a 1 portion of Mill town and Dorothy Falls Roads were cleared and cleaned with the Power Grader. Unemployed labour was utilised in cleaning watertables on ScddoH’s Terrace lUbid, clearing on- Blue -Spuc-Ai'aliura, Blue Spur and Ai’tliurstown Roads.

SOUTHERN RIDING. Okarito- Road Repairs and 'Metalling. The- worst portions of this road were repaired with gravel; encroaching growth cleared from the roadside, watertables reopened, and a rOadgide drain reopened and cleaned. Also two concrete pipe • culverts constructed. The lower portion of the road was dragged with the light King Drag. Petersen Road Extension, Balance of Grant. The' work of‘forming and metalling was completed bv Roadman Whitiskio. the." specified distance of 000 links. MAINTENANCE. Flood damage repairs wore effected to Richardson and Detour, and a culvert on Wataroa Flat Roads. Roadman Whitiskie attended to the necessary repairs to the various roads in the Inter Wanganui District. Flood damage repairs were effected to Waitaha Beach Road and the approach to Waitaha Lagoon Bridge. Little Wanganui Track and bridge destroyed by flood, was repaired and placed in order .under the direction of Roadman Whitiskie. Unemployed labour was engaged ini repairs to Ross-Kokatahi and Happy Valley Tracks, and to the improvement of Berwick’s Hill, Ruatapu Road.

LITTLE WANGANUI RIVER ■EROSION AND FLOOD OVERFLOW AT HA BIHAR I. FROM DISTRICT ENGINEER. With reference to vour letter of the lGth iust., and further to my memo of the Ist inst., and to previous correspondence, I have now been advised by the Engineor-in-Chief that the Department- cannot see its way to undertake ally additional work downstream from the existing protective works. Any further works therefore, beyond those now involved in the maintenance and strengthening of the protective works ('which will bo charged partly to the Public Works Fumi and partly to the Main Highways Fund) will be a matter for year Council, or the respective land owners to deal with. LITTLE WANG AN TIT RIVER OVERFLOW. OVERSEER’S REPORT. I have the honour to report having inspected the Lids Wanganui River

overflow immediately heloAV the lower

'groin, and retainig brink recently completed by: tlie' : Public Works Department to prevent the-flood Avatcr from .the Little Wanganui River, finding an outlet through the low ground to La Fontaine Creek. '

From the lower terminus of the retaining bank, low ground exists for 10 oilHiiig oi : more wlnire the! flood waters overflow the fiver liable, aiid finds an outlet to a creek parsing through J, Miuehan’s sentioM, anfl the property occupied by J. 4. Mclntosh, and if the overflow is allowed to continue

serious damage may result during tho high floods. It would be possible .for the expenditure of. Clso, to cither continue the earth retaining Avail a'cross the overflow channel or depression, which Avould have the, effect of perhaps preventing further erosion at. this point, or. as the District Engineer suggested some time since, to construct a strong barbed wire break across the low ground, the aamj'ps to be close enough to catch and hold thp debris brought down by the river, Avhicli eventually would form a "'all or barrier and .prevent further overflow. In addition several large trees on tit? river bed at present- being silted over forming an island, should either be removed with a Avinch, and secured along the northern bank or removed with explosives to allow the river to straighten the channel.

I would not say the present overflow is caused by the protective workhigher up the river as h-d th° rive lmpn allowed to flow unchecked through the low country to Ea Fontaine Creek, the position would have been more serious than at nresent, and it appears that the cant inn at ion of the earth retaining wall or barbed wire break wo’dd have a b-meficial effort in controlling flood water whore the low hank exists.

Tin; princinnl cause of damage is fi, P vi'’or bed silting nn and being risen above the surrounding country. Attention after each flood in keeping a channel free of stranded timber would assist in diverting the stream from th e northern bank.