COUNTY WORKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4775, 12 November 1924, Page 3

COUNTY WORKS.

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNCIL, ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer, Mr F. Basham, reported to the Hauraki Plains County Council yesterday as follows; — General. —The tractor and grader commenced work on Pekapeka Road which is now finished. I propose giading School Road and Fisher’s Road before moving to Pokeno Road, it is necessary to provide some form of portabite store for tools, oil, and fuel. I would suggest procuring - v pair of wheels and an axle and building a large box on same, fitting a pole so that it could be drawn behind the grader. Punting.—The question of purchasing a towing launch is well worth consideration, as the saving that could be effected in the towing costs would warrant the expenditure. 1 have made inquiries and find that a suitable launch can be obtained for about £5OO. The daily cost of running h launch on a basis of 200 working days per annum would be £3, and the earnings should average not less than £6 a day. Tramlines. —The use of tramlines for transport of large quantities oi metal required in carrying on loan workfs is the most economical provided they can be laid cheaply. To obtain the greatest efficiency in this system the use of wooden sleepers shou'd be abandoned and pressed steel substituted. The steel sleepens arc permanently attached to the rails, permitting them to be lifted and relaid in long lengths, thus reducing labour to a minimum and a'feo saving the cost of constantly renewing wooden sleepers. Lorries.—As the two Dennis trucks are oi apparently little use to the Council I would advise tnem being disposed of either by direct sale or exchange for lighter ones. Loan Works—Every effort should be made to obtain a. portable heater at once. If one is not obtained it means using the present fixed heater built of brick on Orchard East Road and' obtaining a tru'ek and tank for conveying the heated bitumen to the various Bites of work. This method is not economical. Turua-Netherton Loan. —The hopper at Puriri is cmpleted and will be ready for the contractor to commence work this week. The position of this loan is shown below, with estimates for the completion of work with every item reduced to an irreducible minimum. Turua - Netherton Road. — Loan, £7440 ; cost to date, £1852 19s id; deficiency, £B2 Ils 7d; cost of completion, £5669 12s 6d; total, £7522 Ils 7d. Orchard East Road.—Loan, £3470 ; cost to date, £ll6l 19s Id; cost )f completion, £2475 7s 6d; total, £3636 6s 7d; deficiency, £167 6ts 7d. In order to obtain the Government subsidy of £BOO it will be necessary to provide metal shoulders at an additional cost of £350, making a total deficiency of £517 6s 7d. WharepoarKerepeehi Road.—Loan, £1165 ; cost to date, £155 10s ; cost oi completion, £1373 ; total, £1528 10s, deficiency, £363 IQs. This estimate only provides for a single coat of metaJi 12ft by 7 Hi. Huirau Road No. 1.-—Loan, £1790 , cost to date, £1097 15s 8d; cost of completion, £1375 10s ; total, £247L 5s 8d; deficiency, £6Bl 5s Bd. Huirau- Road No. 2.—Loan. £2395 , cost to date, £1507 16s 4d: cost of completion, £1479 10s; total, £2987 6s 4d; deficiency, £592 6s id. Newman’s Road. —Loan, £2480 ; cost to date, £1330 15s lOd; cost ofi completion, £1264 6s 8d ; total, £2595 2s 6d; deficiency, £ll5 2s 6d. Deficiencies total £2352 2s Bd. Assets total £2650, leaving a surplus of £297 17s 4d. From the foregoing it will be seen that it is just possible to complete the roads which are included in the loan area. There are • three bridges on the Huirau and Gumtown roads that are absolutely rotten and must be renewed at once. This work should have been included- in the loan proposals. Turua-OTongo Loan. —Loan, £4lBO amended proposal, one coat lift by 6in, £3892. Cr. McLoughlin said he understood that the present towing costs were as low as possible, and he asked how it would pay to purchase a launch. The engineer pointed out that the council was at present paying from £l3O to £l4O a month for towing. Cr. Mayn said he was opposed to purchasing a launch or any other machinery. Cr. McLoughlin contended that the contract system would be preferable. Cr. Hare spoke against the suggestion, saying that employees would not have the same incentive as contractors to expedite the work. Cr. Nicholson endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers. The chairman, said there was '.io doubt that it -would be a paying proposition to secure a launch, but there was the question of the expenditure at the present time. in reply to Cr. Parfitt the engineer said that it evidently paid a contractor to do the council’s work, and yards had caused one of them to purthe letting of a contract for 12,000 chase a second launch. There was no doubt that the county would have to pay for this launch, so it would pay the council better to have its own launches. The question was, did the council have enough work to keep the launch working 200' days a, year. Cr. Madgwick said he wa« opposed to the purchase of any further rails. Cr. Madgwick pointed out the saving that had been made in the case of the southern area work, and mentioned that the reading loan was paying for the use of the tramline. In reply to Cr. Hayward the engineer said that the present sleepeis could not be replaced, as many were rotten. His suggestion was that iron sleepers should be secured so that a great saving could be made in the cost of laying the tramlines. He considered that the saving in the cost of

laying two miles Of tramline would pay for the interest on the loan. It was decided to defer the matter until the next meeting. In regard to the motor lorries, Cr. Harris said he was in favour of disposing of them or exchanging them for more suitable trucks. Crs. McLoughlin and Mayn pointed out that this action had been urged by them some time ago. Cr. Hare suggested that a use could be found for the trucks, but if not, he was not prepared to sacrifice them. He was of the opinion .that some councillors were favourable to throwing them away. Cr. Harris thought that so long as a satisfactory price could be obtained for them the council should not keep the trucks. After sAome further discussion Cr. Parfitt moved, and Cr. Hayward seconded, that tlie engineer be given authority to exchange the trucks for lightei ones and to bring a recommendation to the council. In reply to Cr. McLoughlin the clerk said that if the trucks were sold the mone^ received would have to be put to the sinking fund, whereas was quite possible to exchange them. In reply to Cr. Harris the engineer said that the cast of the portable bitumen heater was £3OO. Cr. Harris moved that the engineer be authorised to purchase the heater when funds were available. Seconded by Cr. Madgwick and carried. Cr. Madgwick moved, and Cr. Hare seconded, that steps be taken to the balance of the Turua-Netherton roads loan.—Carried.