COUNTY WORKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4773, 7 November 1924, Page 3

COUNTY WORKS.

ENGINEER’S K EI’OBI. TO OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL. At the monthly meeting of the Ohniemuri County Council on Wednesday the engineer (Mr E. Shaw) submitted the following report, which was adopted:— The following works have been laid ofl ant! sent to the Public Works Depavement for approval: Raising formation on main Highways HamiltonPaero’i road at Waitoki, and for metalling on Waimata road; also under Mines grants, for improving Mcßrinn’s road, Maratoto, Hill road, Karangahake, and formation and culverting on Pukekauri road, Waikiho. As there was not sufficient money on the estimates to carry out this latter work successfully, an extra £lOO was asked for on the Supplementary Estimates, and £l5O for Leopold’s road, Waihi, and £5O (£ for £) lor Byall’s road, Paeroa. Other works in hand which have not yet been returned are Waihi-Whangamata road, and Station road, Mangaiti. The settlers in the Mataeia special rating area on the Waihi-Whangama-ta road, have unanimouisly signed the petition .to raise sufficient money to form and metal that portion for which there is a subsidy >f £9oo' on this year’s estimates. The rate necessary to meet the interest and sinking fund will be l%d in the £. A list of grants forwarded by the Public Works Department for the current year will come before you to-day, stating that advantage may be taken of the summer months in carrying out the work. I would like .to know if it is the intention- of the council to lift all the £ for. £ subsidies this year. Re Grant for Maratoto Road of £lOO. —This work is being carried out by day labour, as it involves a special class of work in placing groins for the diversion of the stream and making up erosions on the outside of .the road with netting, and numerous other items which is difficult to let by contract. Re Metalling under Main Highways at Waitoki. —It will be a difficult matter to get metal for this work, the only source of supply being from the Tirohia quarry, and having the metal dumped on the roadside and carted later to its destination. If this should be done there is a better chance oi competition for the carting, as the metal would be in sight. The only difficulty is that the department will not give a progress payment unless the material is actually delivered on the site for which the money is voted. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to suspend the work until sucn time as the amendments to the Main Highways Act were known. I was hoping to have a reply from the Railway Department re the siding or ramp at the Komata station fioi loading metal into trucks, but so far no reply has come to hand. In company with the mining inspector a visit was paid to the Mangaiti quarry for the purpose of inspecting whelher the same could be worked without having a man with a quarry ticket. The fact of any quarry being over 15 feet in height and explosives being used warrants a qualified man. This being the case, arrangements have been made for the Mangaiti foreman, who has the practical knowledge, to sit for an examination at an early date. L’hree footbridges have been erected during the month—two wooden ones on the Rahu road, Karangahake, and a swing bridge over the JTieri stream above the Waitawheta Falls. These bridges were washed away during the late floods. The work was carried out by the county surfacemen. Arrangements have been made with the next tenderer for metalling portion of the Waitawheta road, and a start was-made yesterday with the work.

Waikino-Wajtekauri Road. —Mr J. Beeche. solicitor, Waihi, during the month advised the office that when putting through matters iii connecting with the subdivision of Kinsella’s property, he was informed that the road had never been legalised, and he asked that steps be taken to have this done. There is a surveyed plan of tlio whole road in this office and the clerk is writing to the chief surveyor. Some 80 cubic yards of metal were crushed at the quarry and placed on various roads, principally the Thames Road.