HAURAKI PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4527, 14 February 1923, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS.

COUNTY ENGINEER’S REPORT. PROGRESS OF WORK. At the recent. Hauraki Plains County Council meeting the engineer (Mr J. Higgins) reported as under: — 1 have tiie honour to report on works having been carried out in your county for period ending to-day. 1 might state that the weather during the period to which I refer has been unsatisfactory, and in consequence not only have your roads suffered, but in many cases very slow progress has been made with works in hand. I am pleased to remark that with the assistance provided me by your Council I have been able to make good progress in making engineering surveys and preparing plans and specifications for contracts, and I am now in a position to go straight ahead with proposals to the Public Works Department for the expenditure off; grants, and at the same time give better, attention to the more important matters outside of office routine. Hamilton’s Road.—The contract let to Mr A. Douglas fort forming approximately 23 chains of this road is completed. Turua-Orongo Road—About 40 cub. yds. of metal have been carted on to this road for repairs to metal, and the piore recently metalled portion has been raked in. Kopu Ferry Approach Roads.—Proposals are being, prepared to submit to the Public Works Department for forming and metalling the unmetalled portion of this road, comprising 40 chains. Ngataipua East Road. —Proposals for the expenditure of £3OO (£ for £), forming and metalling this road, will be submitted to the Public Works Department during the current week. Piako Road.—The repairs carried out in this road, (in the Town Board area) cost £l2O 14s 3d, made up as follows: McCowatt metal £36 18 ( s, Wharekawa metal £l6 4s, Thames County metal £3l 10s, wages for spreading and knapping £37 2s 3d; total, £l2l 14s 3d. Against the above the settlers subscribed £72 10s, making the actual amount paid by-the Council £49 4s 3d. Puke Bridge to Netherton School (old road). —Repairs to metal have commenced, the work being carried out with the Council’s lorries. In order to expedite the work I have called tenders for carting portion of the metal, the total amount to be carted not to exceed the authority passed at your last meeting. Ngararahi Stop-bank Road.—l have written the Minister of Public Works in support of the petition from the settlers who are interested in this road, requesting that a straight-out grant be made so as to enable the settlers to co-opcrate with- the Council and provide a grant in lieu of the £ for £ subsidy. Wilson’s Road—At the request Of the Netherton Ratepayers’ Association I Lave compiled estimates for metalling the road. The formation and draining is also included in. the estimate, being as follows: Draining and forming (40 chains) £450, metalling, (12ft by 9in, 140 chains at £2O 10s- per chain) £2926, rolling formation for metal and afterwards rolling metal £7O, contingencies £54 ; total, £350'0. I would not recommend that any attempt be made to expend this subsilly, which I understand is now available, as it is top late in the season. I would suggest, however, that your Council give me authority to call tenders for excavating the drain In order to dry the road so that the forming can be commenced early in the spring, with a view to getting metal placed on the road when weather permits. School Bridge, Netherton.— Repairs to this bridge, in the nature off; stiingers and several decking planks, had to be carried out The timber used came from the Talisman battery. Netherton Hopper—This work is nearing completion, and will be ready for use when required. Miranda-Waitakaruru Road.—About

60 chains of this road is being prepared for metal, and repairs in the nature of fascihing and filling up bad holes have been carried out along the flat. Miranda-Waitakaruru (Hill Road). —The surfaceman has been engage! carting pipes for culverts and making the road passable for settlers’ traffic. Patetonga Riding Roads.—T find that several small bridges and culverts on roads in this riding have outlived their usefulness, and will have to be renewed when money becomes available. Maukoro Landing Road.—l have made engineering survey over the whole of this road. The £3OO grant will not complete the work, so I am obliged to improve .the road as far as the money will go. I find that a drain was cut across' this road some years ago, and left open. This Will have to be piped and filled in, but I am not sure who was responsible for tiie obstruction. Kerepeehi Road—The portion of road extending about half a mile west from the main Netherton road has received some attention, there being about 45 cubic yards of metal placed in the worst holes along the centre of the roadway. Tahuna-Maukoro Road.—l have instructed the sur(acemari to carry but repairs and reform portions of thus road to the amount authorised at ybur last meeting. Proposed Works. —In addition r o any proposasl mentioned, I would suggest that the matter of subsidies be gone into at this meeting, particularly those which bear reference to loans. I have in view several roads over which loans have been raised, and I would be glad to take the matter up without any further delay, as the prospects for getting metal are improving every day. Road Roller. —I have to report having got into communication witn Booth, McDonald and Co. apd arranged for them to deliver the roller i,ht.o the county, my object being to scarify the metal between Puke bridge and Wilson’s corner. I found, however, that owing to the thin coat of metal on the road the breaking of the cqust would necessitate the laying of more new metal than your Council could afford, so T decided to not carry on. The crusher is apparently i,n good order, and will be required in the near future.