NO. 12 MAIN . HIGHWAYS COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1931, Page 3

NO. 12 MAIN . HIGHWAYS COUNCIL

MEETING AT WESTPORT. The members of No. 12 District Council journeyed to Westport by the Coast road on Friday, and in tuo evening atattended a meeting in the Buller County Chambers at 8 o’clock. There were present. Messrs r l. A. Johnston, (Chairman), J. Powell (Butler County) W. Clayton (Inangahua County), J. Higgins (Grey County), and,:!). J. Evans (Westland County). Mr‘ J. 'Sumniers (Clerk to the Council) and Mr J. Ryall (Chairman Grey County Council) were also present. The Chairman referred to the illness of Mr Evans and expressed pleasure at seeing him present at the meeting. From the Press%eports, he thought the illness was very serious, but be was pleased to see Mr Evans was able to be with them again. Mr Johnston said this was the first meeting of the Council to be held at Westport, and was held for the purpose of giving members an opportunity of seeing the damage to Karamea road It was just opened when floods did more damage. He was sure they wduhJ find the trip to Karamea most interest ing and also, if .they lmd time, a visit to the Lyell.

Mr Evans thanked the Chairman for the very, kind remarks and said they had enjoyed the trip that day very much. The report of his illness had been exaggerated. The Chairman said flood damage had absorbed a good part of the country's funds. They had had in places as •much' as 22 inches in 30 hours. They had now got back to their normal expediting of £14,000. An increased vote would be requiried for Kanieri bridge next year. ' Last yea rAliaura bridge bad to be provided for and bad cost about £14,000. The Kanieri bridge would cost about £15,000. Temporary repairs estimated to cost £6OO are now being effected to secure the bridge for a couple of years. In the meantime, a plan of the new bridge and the estimate would be prepared, preliminary to applying for the vote.

Mr Higgins asked if there was any foundation for the report that the maintenence charge on combined bridges over, which railways ran was to be raised from 2s to 4s a foot. He went into the matter at Hokitika and found that the decking could be renewed every 8 years on 2s a foot, which showed the charge was very high. It would lie abnormally high to charge 4s a foot. Th Chairman said lie knew nothing of the suggested increase in the charge. , ANNUAL REPORT. The following statement of ivork carried out during the past financial year was laid on the table for perusal. fVESTPORT-KARAME A MAIN HIGHWAY. MOKIH T NUI -K AR AME A SECTION. Little Wanganui River bridge—A new bridge 240 ft in length completed. Culverts. —880 ft lin. of concrete pip culverts placed. WF.STPOR T-MOK IH TN IT SECTION. Bridge at 10m. 62c.—A new bridg* loft, in length completed. Waimaugoroa River Bridge—Deck and handrail system renewed. WESTPORT-NEI.SON MAIN HIGHWAY. WESTPORT-EIGHT MILE , SECTION.

Horse- Shoe Bend Bridge.—A ne\. 35ti. span bridge completed. Wall ai jj2in. 4uc. —a retaining wall and cuiveu completed. 13m. to 14m. —l-i cuams ol road widened. Bridge at lom. 4bc. a new 3Uft.. span R.fe.-J. bridge completed.' Protective woik at JiiuUgulm. —a pile of gabion work and groym completed. Culvert—l4s/ It, Tin oi concrete pipe culverts placed. Wasliou. at 14m. 60c—7 chains of road widened and 54ft lin ot retaining wall constructed. INANGAHUA JTJNCTION-WAIHO MAIN HIGHWAY. IN AN G A H UA J UNCTI ()N-W A 1 HO REEFTON SECTION. Milligan’s Creek Bridge—A new 40ft span R.S.J. bridge completed. REEFTON TO BIG GREY SECTION. Little Grey River Bridge—Repairto superstructure completed. Overflow Bridge at O’Malley’s. A New superstructure on 40ft span completed/,^', BIG GREY-TAR AMAKAU SECTION. Aranra River Bridge— A new bridge 720 ft. in length competed and formation of approaches in hand. Sister Hills'.—lmprovements in hand Greymouth-Omoto.—lmprovements rr hand. T ARAMAIC AR-ROSS SECTION. ; Mile Creek Bndgre, Arnhura Road.—A temporary bridge completed

Waimea Creek Bridge at Stafford. — Repairs to nued damage completed. ROSS-WAIHO SECTION. -litcholL’s Hill.—Deviation coniplet ed. McDonald’s Creek Bridge. — A new bridge 200 u in length coinpit-ieu. Mapouriku Creek Bridge.—A new bridge 25ft iii length completed. Donovan’s Creek Bridge.-—A new bridge 25ft in length completed. Stony Creek Bridge.—A new bridge l()rt in length completed. Paganini’s Creek Bridge.—A new bridge 20ft in length completed. Butler’s Creek Bridge.—A new bridge 27ft. in length, work well in hand. Little Wanganui River.—Work well in hand on groynes and stop banK. Waitangi River Bridge.—Protective work and restoration of approach destroyed by floods well in hand.

ARTHUR’S PASS-KUM ARA MAIN HIGHWAY. Washout at Aikens.—H chains of roadway completed, and groyne work well in hand. WESTPORT-GREYMOUTH COAST ROAD. . FOUR MILE TO FOX’S RIVER. Widening and Improvements. —Further work carried put over various lengths. Bromilow Creek. —Sft culvert and improvements to road alignment completed. White Horse Creek.—loft span reinfored concrete bridge completed. " Culverts'.—2o2ft lin of concrete pipe culverts placed.

G R EY MOUTH-PUN AK AIKT SECTION. ' Canoe Creek Bridge.—A new bridge 120 ft in length completed. Little Granite Creek Bridge.—A new 15ft span bridge completed. Fourteen Mile Creek Bridge.—A new 24ft span bridge completed. Pillar Rock at Batty’s Hill.—This dangerous rock has been removed. Sea Erosion at 9 Mile.—l2 chains of road widened. Waiwhio Creek Bridge.—A new bridge 80ft.. in length completed. RESTORATION OF EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE. Up to 31st March, 1931, the expenditure from the Board’s funds on the Restoration of Earthquake Damage in this district was as under:— £ Mok'hinui to Karamea ... <o.3T Westport to Eight Mile ... 53,095 On other lUghwavs ••• 12,341 Total ' ... £135,807

hi the case of the Mokihinui to Kara aea Section, the present estimate to •ompleto the restoration work is £3£,)tH>, while in the case of the Westport Vo Eight Mile Section it is £l-5,000. ■'"or the current financial year the Board has made £30,000 available on account of ibis work. In connection with earthquake resoration, the Te Namu to Kongahu each Road, 7-i miles in length, and he Springlr.nds Junction to County Boundary Road, 16 miles in. length, •re being maintained as detour roads ut of the Board’s fund. FLOOD DAMAGE. The fn quant heavy downpours of /iiri during the year caused consider,ole dams go to the Main Highways in thi district. The most serious danige was at a number of the bridges rhern either the approaches wc cashed away or the abutments scoured 5Ut, necessiating the construction of a considerable amount of protective work, 'or the year ended 31st March last, die expenditure on restoration and wptertion works was £1032, but pro- . ision will require to be made this year or an acditional £94441 to complete lie work already in hand.

I’ire total mileage of highways in the istrict at March 31st, 1931, was 490 riles 54 chains.' On June 18th, 1931, the Punakaiki to Fox’s River Section of the Westport ■freymouth Coast Road, a length of -in 56c., was gazetted a Main Highway. HJ G H WAY EX PE NDI TP RE. Expend/ lire for the year ended March 31st. 1931 £ From Construction Fund ... 25,371 From Revenue Fund ... 153,782 Total £179,153 The allocation made by- the Main Highways Board for the current year is as under : £ From Construction Fund ... 14,000 From Revenue Fund (to include restoration of Earthquake Damage) ... 90.000 The report was received and approv-

CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondence was read from the Commissioner of Transport with regard to the classification of roads ill competition with the railways. The Chairman’s reply pointing out the- roads were feeders of the railway,with regard to timber, coal, stock and

produce, was approved. Hie Highways Board wrote asking that approaches to all bridges be kept in smooth order, and with a level approach where possible tor about half u chain. —Appro\ ed. T 1 m Board also urged attention to gravel roads, and when grading was performed not to have high or dangerous ridges in. the centre.—Approved. The Board notified the Council that unauthorised works in excess of authorities issued should not be attempted with out first obtaining approval of the Board.—Agreed to. The Board referred to complaints about wandering stock on district roads and uged that the Impounding Act be enforced.—Approved where possible to utilise public pounds. The Board asked for a review of existing highways. In response, two roads from each County were recommended as highways. Those selected for Westland County were Big Wanganui Flat road, Hariliari, and Municipal road, Koiterangi.

Regarding the unused portion of the Alain South highway’- at Wataroa, it was agreed same should be revoked and the detour road via Mutainui substituted and placed under uniform control with the main highways. ESTIMATES FOR 1931-32. Tlie Chairman submitted a revised fist of the Estimates sent by the local authorities. In Westland County provision was proposed for the completion of the small bridges on the Alain South road ; also for the. removal of two bridges at Lake Kanieri road. The Highways Department proposes to erect a store depot at Hokitika, and £3OO was set down for erection, as also £6OO to overhaul Kanieri bridge. Tlie’ proposed change in the heavy traffic regulations was discussed, and it- was decided to object to the cost to local bodies of placing signs at all road intersections to indicate the road classification.

The meeting concluding at 10 p.m. with a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman. INSPECTION OK DISTRICT. On Saturday morning tlie members of the Cuoncil inspected the district highways, proceeding first to Seddonville and then to Corbyvale. One party went to Karamea and the other returned to Greymouth via 'the Buller Gorge and Reelton. Yesterday the Karamea party visited the Lyell road, and last night returned to Greymouth. The comprehensive tour of the district gave an impressive idea of the iininence amount oi work done to restore communication after the earthquake, and of the very considerable amount of work still to he done.