COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1932, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL

HIGHWAYS MAY REPORT. The Overseer (Mr W'. Milkier), reported upon the- progress of work on the Secondary Highways to May 22. Lower Kokatahi, McArthur Road.— Motor worn holes and depressions were repaired with fine gravel from dumps by permanent labour from Kanieri to Graham’s Corner, a distance of 7 miles and by unemployed Inborn*; a, further distance of 3 miles absorbing 28 cubic

yards and 20 cubic yards 01 gravel ro spectively. The power grader was used in resurfacing the road with, displaced gravel over a distance of ten miles, j Unemployed was engaged in ■filling Nos. 2 and 3 lorries which carted out 98 culpfcr-yards of river beach gravel, some being placed on the roacl and a quantity dumped over a distance of one and three quarter miles, from 1 Kanieri to Taminelli Creek , bridge.' One 36 inch diameter pipe, 3 feet in 1 length was placed at the inlet, end of a 36-inch pipe culvert immediately beyond Taminelli Road where widening was effected the previous month. A i section of road drain was cleared of - blackberry and other' growth for ICO j links above Kline's, drain; Unemployed labour was also engaged in cleaning growth from the -timbers of Khkatahi bridge'and tal-ring the main -tension rods,' bolts, 'washers and oUicr ironwork in the structure., The renewed railing on fine side of Outlet; Dram bridge was painted and a quantity o. flax and willow growth cleared ' from ■ the road,edge to the bank of Taminelli j Creek for 2/50 links 111 longli,- to iin- 1 prove the visibility’-in*tile vicinity of | Outlet Drain bridge. . /. - t

IJj pe: Kokatahi Road.—A few motor worn holes Were repaired betweeri Graham’s Corner and Township Road using 5 cubic yards of gravel. \ Lake Kanieri Road.— Unemployed labour .was engaged in repairing ruts and depressions from Left Hand (Branch bridge towards the Lake, a distance of four miles, also cleaning watertnbles for 500 links in length and painting the handrail on the budge, crossing the line of race near Coal Creek bridge, one small slip removed from table in cutting beyond Crayfish ■Creek bridge. Detour Road.—Detour Road was* graded with' the Austin Grader irom Bunn’s Corner to Buffers’, and motor ’holes*’(repaired* for 60 chains in,length, using 22 cubic yards of gravel, in addition 112| cubic yards of grayel was carted out and dumped at intervals along the roadside for future repairs. HIGHWAYS JUNE REPORT. Mr Millner also , reported on work from May 23 to June 30, as follows: — Lower Kokatahi, McArthur Road.— Motor worn holes were repaired with gravel between Kanieri and Municipal Road, a distance of 10 miles, absorbing 82 cubic yards. A light coat 01 surfacing gravel was placed on the road in short sections totalling 76 chains, using 305 cubic yards for the ..purpose.,, /Blackberry and- other growth was Cleared from the roadside a distance'of four chains. Robinson Road drain 25 chains ,in length ; the outletfor Kokatahi Road drainage was cleared of blackberry and other growth from the highway,;, to the river. Unemployed labour was utilised for,. filling the lorries , and clearing the drain. Roadside dumps were replenished with 40 cubic yards of gravel. -

Upper Kokatahi. The power grader was used for two days restoring displace surfacing froip Graham’s Corner to -the. highway’ terminus, a distance of four miles. The bridge foreman assisted by unemployed, labour placed traffic planking, on No. 1.. anfl N°. '3, fhick Creek bridges, which were first tarred under planks, the upper surface of traffic planks receiving two coats o; tar before being sanded. The approaches to the two bridges were raised to level of planking with 40 cubic yards of gravel. Unemployed labour assisted to fill the gravel -and clear the roadside of blackberry, gorse and other growth for a distance of 10 chains. The traffic planking 9 x 3, three feet in vvidth under the wheels, consisted of 16/18, 24/16, 35/14, 8/12 and 8/10, all: inner heart of rimu timber.

sa’fl$ a ’flj el *irr: P;°, ac J-, wo hi ,’ji'oW vj’ei/e, repaired over a- distance of 7 miles using 62 cubic yards of gravel. Water tables .and drains were cleared over,a distance of 40 chains. The powgrader ■ was used lor two days resurfacing a distance of 7 miles. A partly collapsed culvert between Sto-ney and Stripland Greek bridges was removed and. replaced with 8/36 inch diameter concrete pipes placed on Bx 3 1/14, and 1/12 heart of riinu sills. The pipes were- covered and approaches levelled with 15 cubic yards of gra-vel. Unemployed labour assisted to construct the culvert and fill the lorry

I with gravel. j Detour Road.—Repairs • consisted ot 1 ordinary repairs to motor worn holes, | and ruts with fine gravel from roadside dumps, from Gunn’s Corner to Butler’s using 32 cubic yards of gravel. f HIGHWAYS ANNUAL REPORT. ffsifei. . ’ - 1 report on the progress of work on the secondary highways during the. j year ending March 31, was submitted per the Overseer, as follows: Lower Kokatahi—McArthur Road. , The work on 'this roacl during the J year consisted of ordinary maintenance jby the usual methods of grading with j the. power grader, repairing motor worn holes wherever necessary, clearing g°rse and blackberry from the roadside, clearing inlets arid outlets of culverts, lengthening two 36 inch pipe culverts by threje feet at each j inlet ;■ restoring the damaged hand railing 25'feet in dength on Outlet Drain bridge; and replacing defective timber in Kokatahi bridge. In adj dition, unemployed labour has been I engaged clearing growth from the | bridge timbers, tarring tension rods I and other ironwork. Traffic planking, j was. placed on Harris Creek No. 2, j Dinimick Creek bridge No. 2 apd H'arj ris Creek bridge No. 3, three feet in ! width under each wheel, several 8 x; 4 j planks, 14 feet in length, were pi iced jon Harris Creek bridge, No. 3, and j Dimmick Creek bridge No. 2. and the decking and traffic planking on each 1 bridge received two coats of boiling | tar before being placed in position, approximately 540 superficial feet of I timber was us®d on Harris Creek bridge j No. 2, 240 superficial feet cn Dimmick I Creek bridge No. 2, and 600 snperficj iaL feet oil Harris Creek Bridge No. 3. i A small galvanised pipe 30 feet in length by two inches in diameter was forced thfough the formation 5 feet lieljow |tlio road surface, to remove | stagnant water from the southern side |of the road opposite the Anglican ! Church, Kanieri. An old fence was removed from the southern side of the , road above the one mile peg far 800 links in length, and the road widened for 600 links seven feet in width and two feet in depth, and for 100 links six j feet in width and nine, inches in dentil, j The growth was cleared for 10 feet in width and 200 links in length, to ! improve the visibility at tfie western approach to Kanieri River bridge - Two i twelve-inch diameter concrete (ripe drains were constructed and a new drain 22 chains in length, constructed'’ by unemployed labour on the eastern side of Koiterangi Roacl. Flood dam’. ' ; aae repairs were effected by grading the resurfacing ..at several culvert :ap- | proaches' and to the main road between I Raft Creek bridge and Lake Kanieri ( Road Junction several times during | the year after floods. The road surface | throughout has been kept in good repair and the bridges’and culverts have' ■ had frequent attention, Kokatahi : bridge especially, but repairs to • pof-. tions of this structure will be required ‘j before the close of 1932. Roadside gravel j dumps' were also replenished when,necj ess ary for handy repairs. i / Upper Kokatahi.

j;, Upper Kokatahi road has been kept ill first class order by grading and ordinary maintenance. A good deal of clearing of gorse and blackberry has been effected by unemployed labour. Several stretches or road which have become rough - by constant traffic were repaired with a coating of fine gravel. The decking of all bridges have been kept in good repair and approaches to bridges well gravelled. No. 1 and No. : 2 Duck Creek bridges having been prepared for placing of traffic planking which is in readiness at each bridge. Lake Kanieri Road. Lake Kanieri Road has been graded from Kanieri to the Lake several times during the year, motor worn J holes and depressions and flood dam-' j age repairs effected when necessary. I The road has been constantly attended to and kept in good order for traffic I which has. been very constant throughout the past twelve months. Defective decking lias been renewed when necessary on Bouchers Creek, Black’s bridge, Kanieri River., McKay’s Creek and Stripland Creek bridges. Traffic 1 planking has been placed on Crayfish [ Creek, Stono y Creek, Stripland Creek, I McKay’s Creek, Boucher’s Creek and j Black’s bridge, and in addition the I railing of Black’s bridge was renewed J and loiVg planking under standards i Improvement were also effected by | widening the road at some very narrow ’ points, principally at Ward Road Hid '.300 links. Bouchers’ Hill 103 links-and J 400 links at the frontage of the bntchorv. also short 'sections' above Ward Road 300 links and 426 links of wide"iiig below, the power lions'e One culvert seven feet waterway', bovond Wai-fl Rond was lengthened six feet ai'd'•thfH western nnnrm' h +"• M Tl Creek widened with 26 cubic yards of gravel. The decking ef all bulges w" K tarred before traffic nlanks were rd-eed i'n position. Water ta Ides were "leaned on ad hillsides, and a drain re-- polled 'above Ward Road for 600 ■ iv 1 generally a nood . surfaced road provided for traffic.

Detour Road

Detour Road was eonstanflv •>tte"ded to and graded twice dii’ ,:, '<r Urn year with the Austin grader. One 18 inch diameter concrete pipe enlveat was constructed approximately 20 chains below Gunn’s Creek, gnd a

double course concrete . pipe culvert/ containing 7/18 diameter arid 7/24 inch 1 diameter pipes constructed witli gravel filling and approaches at the first open crossing on the road, in addition a quantity of gravel was dumped at the roadside for future -repairs. OVERSEER’S .MONTHLY REPORT. NORTHERN RIDING. ’ » ■' " i L- .». * Unemployed labour was,;’use fully engaged in’’clearing,'cleaning and repairing ' (Kuniara Beaclr’road between the Main Highway and the’ Kiirnara Enough ; M clearing and repairing • .lvummi Baa If, Caliagiians’arid’Awatuiia’Roads : constructing a drain'on 1 the-eastern j-R* of the 'Mk.iri Highway between :he Junction and Teremakau 'railway br.dge; clearing -and repairing tile/ upper end of Kap'itea Track and feeriiovirig a si;.p from the lower end of Choterfirid Roa.l; clearing portions of Loop line Road and track at Awatuna; clearing’ arid repa iing portions of Arfihura ' Valley Road and filling an abrupt corner at Bradley’s Road intersection- widening and removing debris from’’ Afahura VslL-y Road, -especially at the frontage to the dairy factory and Mr McGuigan's hidings, ■to prevent drainage, .from laying on the roadway. Portions of Arahur. River-Brownings Pass Track were cleared and repaired in ’several places, and one ‘l2 inch -diameter -pipe culvert lengthened six feet on Arahiira Valley Roll d, near /the factory.- The’. ton ing of the narrow high priint. >at.?the boundary of the Horthern and centra/-riding:: on B!uc Spur-Arahiira Road, was- continued and good progress. macle.' \\ portion of Spencer Road extension was cleared; and drainage of a soft , sect on oonime feed. Waimeri Greek at,,.ffaldsborough was diverted to prevent damage to property. . , CENTRAL RIDING, H-ak tika-Hau Hau and Blue Spur Roads were -dragged with the heavy road drag from Racecourse,. Flat fa Brennan’s Creek Bridge. Unemployed "labour" was engaged hiring _.o. l. o lorries with gravel for repairs .10, B-uo Spur, Seddon's Terrace, . Adairs^, South Hokitika, Municipal a-pd approaches fa Township Creek bridge, T’h.. power grader was used on M-ax, Municipal Camelback and Koiterfingi, and ripper Kokatahi to Doughboy ; Roads, unemployed labour assisting with the work. Useful work was pei}fqrn?,ed by unemployed labour in clearing and repairing Hau Hau Road, clearing Tucker Flat, Arthurstown and White- roads, and 300 jinks in -length by 12 feet in wid;h, on .the main highway immediately below l s in e Tree road to improve visibility. , Fine Tree road \v; a £-’rwidened and iinproyed for -one .chain iifalength from -the intersection of the mft'iji-; highway.. township dfaiij was also repaired .as far. as -necessary for th 6 time being. . .Flood water :.: from sluicing, operations was diverted?,to prevent damage to Back -Creek yjoad, a defective... culvert repaired:?, bn - Seddon’s -Terrace rroaclj approaches <to Sunny /BigJrt .brj-flgo lplacqd;riri QCdec,;to’eesl.cleared, crossings repaired and water ; tabj’es cleaned on Dorothy . Falls-■ road. The bridge, -foreman, assisted by unemployed labour in addition to work >ori secondary highways effected: repairs-: to Sunny . B jet bridge and approach railing ana to the renewal of tWo 25-feet stringers, two f caps,?6x3 decking: for the- full Tength* of •:bridge ' and ■' /lie- erection ol new hand trailing on tbwriship- bridge leading to 08. O’Brieil’k' ho/ding, Koka:tahi; also completing laying'traffic planking, renewal of aecKing', Sthre-e standards and struts of harid- rail on Fi-shefa man C'leek -bridge, ' "9 - Drains Were cleaned out on South •Hokitika and Cumniing road, and a new drain‘-partly constructed on Koi terangi road vvh.ch was repaired wit!: gravel over a short distance. Casufa labour assisted by unemployed labou. continued the construction oßfeoricrritc pipes at the yard, Kanieri, until Juh 9th, when construction ceased for ; -short period.

SOUTHERN RIDING < Unemployed labour was engag-e.d p, Ailing No. ' 3 lorry lor repairs wit! gravel to Redmans and Waitaha settle menu road j also to repairs to a'covered'culvert near Waitaha dairy v factory. The power grad.er was engaged for tw( days removing the outer sides' fron Woolhouse road, before the' coiitracto' for the gravel supply commenced., wit] the delivery of 175 cubic yards of/grav. which was completed satisfactorily bs rfore the end' of the month.' .i’be -re-si; u* .tit roadman at Harihai'i assi/ted by unemployed labour attended ,to repairsto La Fontaine, Petersen, Robertson, and Wanganui Flat roads; also to cleaning a drain and patching motor , worn holes on Haddock road, and . constructing a new drain 300 links in., length to divert drainage from the -eastern side of Robertson road. Casual labour attended to -repairs to culverts, on,' Rotokino road; repairs to Wataroa Fla£; road which 'was lightly graded with the Austin grader for a mile or. more in' I -gth. Whale Creek crossing, Wataroa Flat road, was cleaned and 3in. diameter pipes placed in position and the approaches partly completed to allow traffic to cross the culvert. The bridge on Waitangi south road near Roto road, dc-stroyed some time since by flood, was reconstructed and plaoed in order, Unemployed labour was also engaged, eleari>’g Waiho and Okarilo domains-; constructing .stone retaining wall at,,ogjivie’s Creek bridge, and continuing bridge approaches Ruatnpu road, which will soon be completed; forming,a short portion of Mananui road, rind extending the clearing toward Ta.inui. In conclusion 1 wish to -state that,all the roads •in the Inter Wanganui district are bad. !,y ill heed of grading. TJi-ey are becoming'too flat, the outer .side-s being above the level of the croyn of the road, I -wing drainage to remain on th e roail surface.