ROADING OF PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4653, 25 January 1924, Page 1

ROADING OF PLAINS.

GOVERNMENT WORKS-

PROGRESS BEING MADE.

The metalling of the road across the Kerepeelii block from the Keropeehi township to Ngarua Landing is nearing completion, only about a quarter of a mile remaining to be done. The timber for the bridge across the Awaiti canal is on the spot, and the work of erecting the bridge will commence when the dredge which is afc present widening the canal has passed the bridge site. This will probably be in a couple of months’ time. It is expected that by the time the bridge is opened the Public Works Department will have installed a ferry to cross the Pi aka River near Ngarua Landing. Stacks of tram-rails and sleepers on Ngarua Road indicate that this road will be metalled in the near future. The claying is almost completed. When all these works are finished the district around Kaihere will not be isolated during the winter. A great deal of the traffic between the Waikato and Thames will undoubtedly use these roads.

The Bucyrus drag-line dredge shifting spoil to form the Puhanga canal bank road is progressing steadily towards Ngatea, and is now about half a mile above the canal bridge. The work between the bridge and the north end of the canal is* being done by scoops. At the present rate of progress it seems hardly likely that this road will be metalled this year.

The erection of the bridge across, the canal is now completed and the approaches are being built up. A great deal of spoil will be require J as the bridge was built high above the high water level so as to interfere as little as possible’ with navigation. The western Canal-bank road has been graded, but it is not the intention of the department to metal it.

At the present rate of progress the laving of the tramline and the claying of the Torehape-Puhanga Road will be completed in about six week's.