PURIRI METAL DUST.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4823, 20 April 1925, Page 2

PURIRI METAL DUST.

A BURDEN ON CONTRACTOB& HIKUTAIA SUPPLY SUGGESTED. Messrs Kehcleg and Julian, carting and crushing contractors at Puriru. waiten upon the Plains County Councilon Thursday in reference to the amount of dust caused by the crushing. Mr Julian pointed out that the carting contractor had been paid, for 6000 cubic yards of boulders, and from this the crushing contractoi* had obtained and been paid for -4000 cubic yards of crushed metal. The leakage -was the fine dust created in the crushing process whicli had been proved by numerous tests tb be 20 yards in a 100. The loss was breaking the contractors financially, and the matter had been investigated thoroughly, but no solution could be found either by them or the council and its. staff. In most cases up to 112 yards of crushed metal was obtained from every 100 yards of boulders, but Puriri metal only produced about 80 yards and the dust The trouble was the extreme hardness of the stone. After considerable discussion Or. McLoughlin suggested that the Hikutaia quarry be opened up again for the balance of the contract and was supported by other councillors. The engineer pointed out that there would still be an enormous quantity of dust to be'contended with. For bitumen roads the metal had-to be quite free from dust, Otherwise the bitumen would not adhere. For macadam roads the dust was desirable, as it assisted the binding. During the ensuing discussion it was pointed out that the objection to the Quality of the Hikutaia metal in the dump at the Towers landing, Turua, was caused by the large proportion of dust in the metal. It was argued that the dust could be treated better at Hikutaia, and that work could be carried on all through the winter. At any rate, the council could not afford to meet the contractors further, as the cost of the metal was already 15s 9d at the Turua and Gumtown landings. j 1 was agreed that the contractors an:l the engineer inspect the Hiktttaia quarry and the creek with a view to transferring the plant, and that a committee’ comprising the chairman and Crs. Madgwick, McLoughlin, Nicholson, and Hare be setup and have power to act.