METAL SUPPLIES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5300, 16 July 1928, Page 2

METAL SUPPLIES.

OHINEMURI COUNTY ROADS.

IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE.

At the monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri Count}' Council held on Thursday last Cr. W. F. Jolugtone voiced his risapproval of the council s method* of having its road maintenance; mep working in flying gangs. He maintained that the work could b e more satisfactorily carried out ’f the employees were given a definite piece of road in each riding to look after. If that system was followed the men would I’ake; a pride in the'ix* work, a spirit of competition woftld probably be engendered, and the result would mean increased efficiency and roads. Where a workman was; sent hitheii- and thither over the county time was lost, and there was no o"e definitely responsible for any particular portion of a road 1 . The chairman (Mr H. M. Corbett) said that it could not always be managed for one man to stay on a particular road. The exigencies of the Work frequently needed, the services of all the county employets on a particular job. He pointed out that the main highways alone took up the greater portion of the engineer’s time. By the Government taking over, the highway from the Ngahi.na Bridge to Waihi would relieve the engineer of considerable work, and he would be able to give closer attention to work on subsidiary roads. It was hoped' to reorganise the whole system of \ road maintenance in th,e near future. He also pointed out that the winter had been a wet one, and the engineer, had been handicapped for metal supplies;. While the road-roller was required to drive the Komata crusher no scarifying could be done. HoVevei’, with the provision of the new machinery it was hoped to keep the crusher working almost continuously, and the metal would be taken fifom the hopper, and dumped straight on to the road under repair, thereby saving time and double handling. The’coundil was assured of a good .supply of splendid metal from Tarariki, Creek, and it could, be delivered to any part of the Paeroa riding very cheaply. It yv'as hoped to keep the Komata crusher working throughout the summer with the idea of building up a reserve metal supply. Cr. Johnstone expressed the .view that big improvement would tajse place as the new machinery was brought into operation. He contended also that greater supervision was required, and instanced how, 'on a recent morning, the Sjteam rollea- was not on the road ;a,t 9.30 o’clock in the .morning. Such matters as that gave the ratepayers; just" cause to complain. A competent foreman hould be employed, and if the men, were, not prepared to give a fair day’s, work their services should be disposed with. He said he quite realised the engineer could not be everywhere & once, but a big 'improvement on the present methods could be made.