OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4996, 5 July 1926, Page 3

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

ENGINEER’S REPORT.

WORK FOR THE MONTH. At Thursday’s meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council the, following report was submitted by the engineer, Mr E. Shaw :— "Specifications have been approved and authority received for metalling pcirtionhs of Old Te Aroha Road at Rotokohu. Plans are being prepared for the. erection of a bridge a,nd approaches on Trig Road, Waihi, and also for extending a 361-inch concrete culvert and widening the embankment on Pukekau'ri Road, Waihi. "The road roller was shifted to Waitoki for the purpose of rolling in the new metal. This work has been completed, ajnd the machine is now engaged scarifying the unfinished portion a.t Tirohia. While engaged in rolling at Waitoki the road gave way and landed the machine over the. side, but after a time the machine was again placed on the roa.d, being none the worse for its mishap.

“Repairs have been effected to the Golden Cross Road, Wajtekauri and groynes placed in position to save the road from being further scoured. “An amount of 170' cubic yards of metal was placed on various places on Waitawheta Road, and also 70 yards on various roads around Waikino. It was also Ifound necessary to place 28 cubic yards on the new metal at Waitoki to make up the weak places before rolling in. “The chairman and I went into the matter of the most urgent grants for the current year, and in doing so- had an interview with the. Public Works resident engineer on the matter. A list of applications was agreed upon and sent forward, together with the mines applications.

“The Wharepoa ferry was removed to Netherton by the Hauraki Plains County Council and put into commission on June. 14-

“During the month the chielf service officer of the Auckland Automobile Association called upon me with reference to the speed limit in Karangahake .Gorge. It appears that the letter received at the lasft council meeting was written under the impression that the service officer would not be able to visit the locality, and the. best information available at the time was embodied in the letter, but since inspecting the toad the service, officer could not rcommend a maximum speed limit of more than I’s miles, as he does not consider a greater speed would be safe. He explained tha,t in the Manawa'tu Gorge practically all the. dangerous corners have been widened and the road made much mere safe.” SNAKE BEND GRANT. In reply to Cr. Mace the engineer said that no grants for Mangaiti riding had been, applied for, as, the Public Works Department had advised him to apply only for the very urgent wtorks. The department and he had gone into the question and had Agreed to apply for grants for Wajtawheta. Cr. Maee urged .that application be made to get the. necessity establishedCr. Johnstone said that little could be done owing to the smallness of the •automatic allocation. It might be advisable to make representations to haye the county’s grant increased. A motion to that effect was moved by Or. Mace. ,

' Cr. Hubbard pointed out that the engineer and chairman had gone into the applications very thoroughly, and in the absence of Cr. Corbett it might net be fair to make a particular application for Manga,iti, as other ridings might have equal claims. In reply to Cr. Johnstone the engineer said that the sum required to 1 deal with urgent works was £2lOO. Cr. Johnstone said that it was of little use applying for such a sum, but an application for a sinajl amount ■might receive consideration. Cr. Robinson pointed out that the council had delegated, its power to the chairman and engineer, and the passing of the resolution would be c.ver-riding them. He agreed that the work Was urgent; as the road was the main outlet. Cr. Hubbard said it was not overriding the ch.airmap; but was establishing the work as the, most urgent after those for which application for grants, had been made. Cr. Mace said tha.t the ratepayers had been assured that the work would be done as sob.ll as possible. The riding had the money to subsidise the grant. It was decided that an application be made through Mr Samuel, M.P., Sor an additional gra,nt of £350 for Snaky Bend. SPEED IN GORGE. The recommendation ot the Auckland Automobile Asosteiation regarding the speed limit for motors through the Karangahake Gorge was adopted.