PLAINS COUNTY WORKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4355, 14 December 1921, Page 1

PLAINS COUNTY WORKS.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Hauraki Plains County Engineer, Mi R. J. Dillon, presented the following report of County works carried out during the month of November: . Hikutaia Quarry,—Work at the quarry at Hikutaia was recommenced towards the end of the month. Some 400 cubic yards are being crushed for the Ohinemuri County Council. The quarrying and the crushing of -the stone is being done by contract. This arrangement, if it proves successful, should be adopted when metal is being obtained for your own roads. If it is at all possible this quarry should be kept., going in full swing during the summer months, as your roads are in such need of repairs. Hikutaia Creek. —T anticipate visiting the Hikutaia Creek during the. next week in the company pf the assistant-engineer of the Public Works Department in reference to the removal of the willows and snags in the channel. I hope that this work will be proceeded with at an early date so as to allow your punts to be towed up as far as the road- bridge to load for Netherton and Turua, Wilson’s Road.—Work in the nature of filling in the low places, ploughing, and 'also widening and deepening the drain leading towards .the river has been carried . out on Wilson’s Road. The grader work has been held up, as I have been waiting for a suitable grader man, who has now been engaged. I hope, with the advent of the fine weather, to have the grading work in full swing. All of the other men who were at work on this road are now working at Hikutaia quarry.

Metal at Turua.—A scow-load of metal has been obtained, which will be used for patching up the roads near Turua. I intend that the surfaceman, with a county team, shall do this work. It would be as well if this metal at. Wharepoa was carted out to the roads thereabouts by the same team. There are quite a number ofl very bad holes and ruts ■ near the Kerepeehi corner.

Tenders Called—Specifications have been drawn up and tenders invited for the supply and delivery of 1000 cubic yards of crushed metal on the unmetalled portion of the. Tufua-Neth-erton road near Hines’ place. Tenders for tjhis work close to-day, and they will be laid before you for your consideration.

Turua-Paeroa Road. —The Turua-Netherton-Paeroa road is again becoming very rutty and unpleasant for travelling. Some small broken metal should be procured to fill in the worst of the holes before they get too bad. I .have obtained a price for metaTdelivered at the Paeroa railway station, but as in Hikutaia the second hand.ling is the difficqjty.

Tahuna Quarry.—Work at the Tahuna quarry is in progress and a little has been brought out on to the road by one of your trucks. The present unsettled weather is retarding the cartage of the metal from this quarry. If -we can get the metal away the contractor proposes to engage two more men. I took some •samples of stone from this quarry to the Public Works office at Paeroa some time ago. The report received concerning it is not very encouraging. Motor Trucks. —One of your trucks is at work at Tahuna carting metal from the quarry. The other is a*Hikutaia carting metal on some of the Ohinemuri County roads near by-. If the contractor at Tahuna can produce sufficient metal when the weather takes up I will send the second truck down, as cartage from this quarry can only be done in the summer months. Should you decide r.o keep the Hikutaia quarry- workingsome arrangements will have to be effected to lift the metal and place it in the punts.