HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4663, 18 February 1924, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

ENGINEER’ REPORT. AL the monthly meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council on Tuesday last, the engineer (Mr J. Higgins) reported for the period end ing January 31 as followd : — Work in the county has been pushed forward as well as circumstances would permit, and there have been several developments whicn call foi your earnest consideration. Kopuarahi Riding.—The Ngataipua East Road has been graded and prepaired for metalling by McLean’s, pt Tuma, but it has yet to be rolled before any metal can be laid. This, however, is being done within the next few days. There is now almost enough metal in (he dump at Towers’ landing to complete the metalling, and a contract has been let to Mr G. E. Miller for carting, the metal from the dump on to the road, the price being 3s 8d per yard. McLean’s have also graded the Pipiroa-Orongo Road, and this portion is practically completed. I have visited the settlers on Shelly Beach road and have interviewed MiGreen in regard to providing pipes for his outlet. He promised to give me a reply in afew days, but so far I have not heard from h>m. The settlers have agreed to cart the metal from die Kopuarahi wharf on to the road and will advise me when they arc ready to start.

Wartkaruru Riding.—The portable hopper at Miranda has been finished and ttie crusher and elevator set up. The portable steam engine has been brought from Thames, and a contract for spawling, and delivering to crusher, has been let to Mr D. D. McKenzie. Owing to the condition of the roads the council trucks had to be taken off and the metal carting has been let to Messrs A. McLean, J. Slack, and J. Sim, Waitakaruru, and their waggons .and diays ate now in full swing delivering about 40 yards of metal per day..

Plai s and specifications for the Canal bridge Waitakaruru, have been approved, and I would be pleased to receive authority to call tenders tor this work immediately.—Granted. Horahia Riding.—Tlie surfaceman engaged for the Horahia- riding has been inquiring whether there is any liklihcod of the surfaceman’s house being built in the near future, and I would suggest that if the money is available this work should be proceeded with.—The clerk was instructed to write to the Commissioner of Crown Lands and ascertain if the site at the corner of the Piako and .Kere-peehi-Kopuarahi Road could be purchased

Netherton: Roads Loan—The grading of School road is almost finished, and I have communicated with the Public Works Department requesting it to make available the whole of the £lo'oo grant for this road, but so fat have received no reply. The metaling of main road between Netherton school and factory is being pushed on, the expenditure on this portion being just over £3OO for the month. There are still about 40 chains to re ceive a three-inch top course of 2-inc’i metal, and there is also a section of about 30 chains at Troughton’s to receive a similar course. These two sections shou-ld s be completed this summer.

Cr. Hayward said that unless something was done the section of the main road between Troughton’s and Carter’s corner would be impassable after a month’s wet weather. He moved that the engineer he instructed to lay a first course of metal to such depth as he can with £750 to cover the cost of metal, spreading, scarifying and rolling and carting, etc. —Carried. Tenders were invited for forming two sections, approximately 108 chains, on Pekapeka road, and the tender of Mr John Quinlivan has been accepted for both sections his total price being £217 10s, .subject to- his being able to use the council’s grader. The two setcions of Netherton main road will have to be completed, before any metalling is done on Pekapeka road, but I would ask for authority to call for public tenders for supplying and delivering metnl to the work, as T do not think there is any possibility of getting Hikutaia. meta’ this autumn.—Matter deferred. Punts. —One of the new punts ordered from Messrs Bailey and Love, through Messrs John Burns and Co., Ltd., has been completed, and I am pleased to say it is a first class jolj and I would be glad if the Council could arrange to inspect .it before jl is put into work so that it will searve as a standard when cheap unreliable punts are offered, the second print will be ready early in March. Ml the old county punts have been repaired and put in thorough working order, two being used punting metal from Hikutaia and two working Puriri metal. HIKUTAIA QUARRY. The engineer reported that it was now time to consider further development of the Hikutaia quarry to augment metal supplies. To increase the output the council would have to consider the advisability of working two shifts in the quarry and allocating more punts, but this system was not likely to prove satisfactory unless the punting was let to one contractor or carried out by the council employees. He favoured Installing a tramline from the quarry to the river as the most satisfactory way of ensuri-ig continuity of supply. Tn reply to Cr. Madgwick, the engineer said that a bigger crusher was requiiod. Two shifts would double* the supply if there were double th° number of punts, etc. The tramline A'ould be much cheaper and mon: regular and reliable. Cr. Parfitt said the matter should receive serious consideration. He moved that a special meeting be held on February 20 for the purpose — Carried.