PLAINS COUNTY WORKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4540, 16 March 1923, Page 1

PLAINS COUNTY WORKS.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. In the course of his report to the Hauraki Plains County Council on Monday, the engineer, Mr Jas. Higgins, stated: Puriri Stream Metal. —In consideration of representations made t,o your Council by a section of the ratepayers in Turua riding to lay down bitumen paved roads with metal from the Puriri stream, I examined the metal referred to between the railway bridge and the landing, and in my opinion too high a percentage of spft metal is present to allow a complete finish in grouting and ceiling in bitumen. The metal in the stream when passed through a crusher will serve well as a foundation for bitumen roads, or as a binder for waterbound macadam, and I am of the opinion that fair results may be achieved on the Huirau or Newman’s roads with Puriri metal, containing) say, 25 per cent .of sand, providing it is laid down in two courses, each course being about five inches thick and rolled hard with the CourUty roller to about six inches. The road should then be kept until the traffic has formed a smooth surface throughout This may take six months or even more. The road ’ can then be swept clean and treated with a dressing of bitumen. However, better and more lasting results can be obtained if the latter Sin course were put down with two-inch metal from Hikutaia quarry and grouted and sealed with., bitumen, and I would not recommend the former. While dealing with this matter, and having previviously mntioned Puriri material as a foundation, I would like to remark that I am pleased at having inspected the met,al and sand deposits in the Puriri stream, and would like to point out where I consider it can be used to advantage on our roads. In the first place, I would state that .metal crushed to, say, 2 inches, and containing 25 to 33 per cent of fine sand,, and when rolled hard to about 3 inches forms a cushion, , and' with the moisture from the ground it makes a good foundation for metal, and has much more 1 resistance than the metal itself on mud roads such as we have in this county. All things considered I am very hopeful of the Puriri stream as a source of supply, as mentioned above, and to say the least I consider it well worthy of a trial.

Hikutaia Quarry.—Some delay has been experienced in getting this work under way. The contractor explained that he was unable to carry out the terms of his contract in the matter of supply, and as an alternative he offered to put in the drive and, rise for 20s per foot,, the Council to pay 3s per' cubic yard for all metal on the roads. He further agreed, in the event of his offer being accepted, to reduce his price by lOd per cubic yard, making the price 4fe. per yard, as against 4s lOd, stating at the same time that he would be ready to supply metal early in the current month. When the matter came before me I could see that the work was likely to be hung up indefinitely, so I, decided to make the alteration in the contract, . with the result that the work is now under way and the men are working day and night, but judging from progress made it will be some time early in April before any metal will leave the quarry. In spite of the fact that the lOd per cubic yard reduction on 3,000 cubic yards of metal will go a long way in paying for the Drive and Rise. I consider it unfortunate that the original contract, could not he carried out seeing that the season is getting late, z but I trust that on the face of the facts mentioned your Council will approve of my action as being the only alternative to have the work carried OUt. < ; ' ; '

Steel Rails. —I received advice from Mr John Burns that the rails purchased by your council were being delivered as per your instructions, there now being 45' tons landed at Hikutaia and' 90 tons at Newman’s Road. I have examined the rails landed at Newman’s road, and they appear tp be in good order, as reported by Mr McLeod, who made the inspection. and the price, £9 10s per ton, is reasonable. I note that the consignment are all 301 b rails, which I consider the most suitable weight for a permanent line. As, however, it Is not advisable tp go in for a heavy stock of 30 lb. rails at the present time, I would recommend that future lots be limited to 20 or 24 lbs. * Metal Supplies.—Metal supplies are coming in slowly from the Thames (juarriec, and I am waiting patiently to receive supplies as promised by, Mr Moorcraft, and unless things improve during this week I would recommend that yoitr council give me authority to procure red metal from McCallum’s Island, otherwise we may not be able to complete the piece of unmetalled road between Netherton and Kerepeehi cornei- before winter. Puke-Netherton Madn Road.—The repairs authorised on. this road are now completed. Altogether 524' cubic yards of metal have been laid. The expenditure is made up as follows: Metal at dump (52h cubic yards at 12s), £314; wages for loading and driving lorry, £65 10s 9d ; benzine and lubricating oil, £56 10s ; repairs to 'springs, £5 ; estimated depreciation on trucks, £2B ; Brenan and Co., 48 cubic yards at 9s, £2l 12s 9d; total, £523 12s 9d. The cost for loading metal on' county lorries and delivering same to spreaders, including benzine, lubricating oil, also. including £5 for repairs, and £2B for depreciation on trucks, works out' ait. 6s 7d per cubic yard as against 9s per cubic yard for the saiffo Work let by; public tender.