HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4674, 14 March 1924, Page 3

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

REPORT OF ENGINEER.

The monthly report presented uv the county engineer, Mr J. HiggiiW to the meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council on Tuesday, contained the following:—

Kopuarahi Riding—The formation on Pipiroa-Orongo road has been completed and the surface rolled ready for metalling. The greater part of the 600 yards of McCallum’s red meta! is now on hand, and the first puntload of Kauaeranga metal is expected to arrive before the 15th inst. McCallum’s red metal is costing Ils per cubic yard on the bank and Kauaeranga metal is costing 15s on the bank, to which a further Is will have to be added to cover overhead charges on punts. Work on the Ngataipua East road is progressing satisfactorily, about 5 chains of roads having been metalied to a width of ten feet by 9in. thick. The mei'ml on the bank at Towers’ Landing is more than sufficient to complete the wdrk.. Waitakaruru Riding.—The work on the Miranda-Waitakaruru' Road is being pushed forward as fast as circumstances will permit. Since the New Year approximately 60 chains of metal have been laid and a further 550 yards are still required to link up with the old shingled section. During the month a contract was let to Messrs Coxhead Bros, for forming 26 chains at £3 15s per chain. The resignation of Mr L. Hamblin has created a vacancy for a surfaceman.

Cr. Harris suggested that when a man was appointed one who would act as poundkeepcr as well be given the position. He moved that the engineer be given power to appoint a temporary surfaceman who would be willing to act as poundkeeper.—Carried.

Patetonga Riding.—The contractor on Maukoro Landing has completed something over 60 chains of formation from the upper end of the road and the lower portion. Approaching the Piako River is being filled with material from the main Patetonga Road. The widening of the Kaihere-Ohine-wai road between Kaihere post offic? is being pushed ahead. NeiHierton Riding.—Formation on the Ngararahi Stopbank road - is practically completed, and a contract for carting 1-100 yards of sand has been let to the same contractor at 2/5 per yard, public tenders having been called for the work. Netherton Roads Loan. —Tenders were called for several contracts tn this area.

Thirty chains of school road have been reformed with county plant and 5 chains of metal have been laid 9in deep and lOin. wide.. The work is lining carried out by day wages, the maximum cost being 5s per yard rs against 9s and 6s, which were the tenders received. The Pubilc Works Department provide a subsidy of £lOO on account of £lOO, and the remainder is provided for out of Netherton Roads Loan.

A foundation course of sand about 3 inches, deep has been laid on the major portion of the section from Netheiton school to factory, and the li -st course of metal 12 feet wide jj 7 inches deep has been laid on this section, which is 38 chains in length.

Carter’s Corner to Troughtons.—The County tractor and grader are being used removing spoil from tiie western edge of metal to provide drainage for the roadway. The metalling authorised for this will be put ,•> Ji and as soon as possible. Wilson's Road.—On the 13th Fenruary in company with Cr.- Hare we met the committee appointed by the Ratepayers’ Association to fix the bounda.ries for a special rating area to metal Wilson’s road. The commitlee consisted of Mr T. Vowles, (president), and Messrs Reid., Whisker Stembridge, and Taylor. . Cr. Hare had urged that it would unreasonable to include settlers residing .m Pukahu Road and Stopbank Road in a special rating area seeing that they never use Wilson’s RoacT. The committee tiiought, however, that the cost would have to be spread over the whole of the riding. The president Ji-i's forwarded a letter to your council asking that a poll be taken to raise J 3090 on the lines indicated by the i emm'ttee, and the matter will come up for discussion 'to-day. If this road -were laid in bitumen pavement, the necessary loan to complete the work would be £3500. . A v nter-bound macadam roadway 14ft vide would require a loan of £2900, and same road treated with bitumen would require a loan of £4350. Cr. Hare said that the Netherton ratepayers had said that they would tivn ine poll down if one man was cut (>ut of the area. The chairman asked Cr. Hare if Jie thought the stopbank should be cur out.

Cr. Hare said that it was a qties(i')n of getting the loan carried. Cr. Hayward said that he had hoped cr. Hare would have stock to his guns. It would be an absolute injustice to include the area. Cr. Hare suggested referring the matter back to the Ratepayers’ Association. Metal could not be had till k next summer. Sand.—The Public Works Departhas deposited 1500 yards of sand on the Waihou River bank to be sold to your council at cost price. Most of this sand will be used as a foundation for metal on Wilson’s Road. The sanding and metalling of a section of this will be undertaken by Brenan . and Co. at an early. Proposed Works.—The proposed works in the nature of maintenance to be undertaken during the month are : Shelly Beach Road, formation : Mangatarata bridges, repairs; Orchard East Road, raking in metal t Piako Road, repairs to metal witn new metal from the Turua dump; Wharepoa-Kerepeehi road, grading outer edges of roadway. I would also that grading on Mangat a rata roads be taken in hand as soon as money is available. The matter of providing metal for maintenance throughout the county should be considered as soon as punts be liberated from carrying metal

for permanent works. Schedule of Thirds.—South Road, Mangatarata, £7B 6s 2d ; Pokeno-Wai-takaruru Road, £6l 6s 8d ; Torehape Road, £32 17s 6d ; Patetonga-Kaihere Road, £44 ; Kaihere Road, £3 15s ; Mangawhero Road, £27 6s 8d; TahunaPatetonga Road, £35 10s lOd ; Waikaka Stream Road, £6 8s Gel; MirandaWaitakaruru Road, £92 2s 4d ; Cross Road and Malinta Road, £Bl 10s Id ; North Road. £B5 6s; WaitakaruruMorrinsville Road, £133 11s Bd. Total, £682 Is sd. These have been approved fiy the Commissioner.