DISTRICT NEWS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4629, 23 November 1923, Page 1

DISTRICT NEWS.

KEREPEEHI. roading SCHEME.' Opposition to the Kerepeehi riding roading proposal is being voiced by residents of Kerepeeri owing to the noa-inclusion of the by-roads of the township in the permanent roading scheme, although the township sections are included in the rating aiea. A meeting of the Ratepayers’ Association is to be held to consider the matter. POST OFFICE. The Kerepeehi post office has been removed from Mr Innes’ residence to a room built for the purpose at his new' store. RAILWAY ROUTE. Tbe activities of a survey party near Kerepeehi township during the last week or two’have caused a great deal of speculation as .to the route of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. ROAD WORK. Work on the road across the Kerepeehi block, south-west of Kerepeehi township,' is proceeding steadily. About 2000 yards of metal have been landed on the river bank, and a locomotive is being used to transport the metal. THE DREDGES,. Priestman dredges are engaged widening the Piako River above and below Kerepeehi township. A Bucyrus drag-line dredge is removing the Puhanga canal stop-bank to form the Ngatea-Kaihere road. It is now about 30 chains north of the Torehape road. Another Bucyrus is widening the Awaiti Stream canal, and is now about a mile above Kerepeehi. * The Rood land dredge is working north of tne Kerepeehi block, and is nearing the river at the Ngarua landing. j The Wilson-Walker is back in the Awaiti, and the Priestman dr,edge in the Waitakaruru-Maukoro canal has i recommenced after undergoing overhaul.

TTTRTTA. ROADING. Road formation work on Messrs Bagnall Bros.’ block in Turua township has commenced. CO-OPERATIVE WATER SUPPLY. The work of installing a co-opera-tive water supply for the GumtownHuirau Road area has been proceeding slowly since last summer. An electric motor is now being installed to pump water from the river to a tank at the end of Gumtown Road. PERMANENT ROADS SCHEME. Everything is now in readiness for a start to be made with the work of laying down the bitumen roads in the Turua southern, area as soon as supplies of metal arrive. The hopbers at Puriri and at Gumtown Road have been erected,, and the tramlines have been laid. Three hundred and ninety barrels of bitumen were landed at Gumtown Road on Tuesday. The sprayer is on the ground, and the bitumen boiler, which, however, will not be required for some time, will be fitted up within a few days. The necessary trucks cannot he otbained until the machinery loan is approved of by the ratepayers, but the foreman expects to be able to manage for a while by converting the trucks obtained for transporting tramrails, etc., into metal trucks. The contractor hopes tp start delivering metal on Monday next.

NGATEA. ORCHARD EAST BRIDGE. The bridge on Orchard East Road which has been in a very dangerous state for some time collapsed on Wednesday morning. Repairs were effected by county employees and the bridge reopened for traffic the same day. It is .the intention of the Lands Department. to erect a new bridge after the drain is widened. COUNTY OFFICE. Steady progress is being made with the erection of the County Chambers. To ensure that the weight of the building will not cause the banks of the roadside drain to slip concrete pipes have been laid in the drain for the length of the building. These will be covered with spoil from the roadside near the Puhanga canal. KOPUAKAHI. THE NEW SCHOOL. The contractor for the erection of the new school at Kopuarphi was, on the ground last week inspecting the site. The building will be erected between the present school and the tenuis courts. The committee has made arrangements to have electric light installed, as the school is frequently used as a meeting place.