RELIEF WORKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5338, 12 October 1928, Page 2

RELIEF WORKS.

OPERATIONS IN OHINEMURI. THE DEPARTMENT’S ACTIVITIES. During the past winter some 300 men have been employed on the relief works. carried out and controlled by the local Public Works, Office. In detailing the operations, Mr O. G. Thornt'O.ii, resident engineer, said that, at Waitawheta considerable improvement hail bee.n/ made to several 'Plages, on this road, including twos deviations, Tjie ' Waihi-Whangamata section had received considerable attention,. Thosq portions which .were not. touched last year had been taken in han,d by local unemployed and were now’ completed with the exception of a small sjtretc,h which, owing to its swampy nature, equid be done only,in the summer. . The- bridge at Paraka,wai was now open, and work was being done on the Wentworth bridge, which it was hoped would be completed by Christniasi The approaches, hqwever, would not be finished until the end of January. There were two stream’s, to cross between ' this bridge and Whangamata, onje cro-Bing being, effected by a large culvert, while, at the other stream a temporary bridge, whic;u was quite safe for motqring, had been, erected. Later, this crossing would be replaced by a permanent structure. On the road between Whangamata and'.Hikuai, a distance 'of 13 miles, there was a big gang of men employed. In this, pa,rt a deviatjojn had been , made through Tramway Gully, which shortened the distance by about three milels and brought the road cloisfi to . the Mangaparu Block of high grazing land. ' Other, shorteh devia,tiqns over, the remainder of. the length 'towards Whanga;mata had been done, shortening the road anld improving the alignment. Provision had been made in this year’s, Estimates fqr th© erection of a number of bridges, and the material was now being landed fojr the first of these, over the Kapara s wamp. Other bridges .whic.h had been provided' for in., the Estimates were Otuwheti, Wharekawa (which had a big span in it.), Tawatawa, and Boojm Creek No. 2. Plans were nqw being prepared in the office for these bridge's. Mr Thorny ton thought, it was quite possible that by th© latter part, of the summer motorists would be able to u?P the rqad- from Waihi tej Hikuai. They were now engaged on an engineering survey betweqn Tairua and Whenuakite, which was, th© only heavy piece of formation remaining to, be don,e on the round trip from Wa,ihi tq Thames, via Tairua and Corqglen.

North of Coromandel further improvenienft. was being ,d‘ ne on the Coromandel-Whangapau rqadi by widening it and making one or two small deviations; Hitherto it was impose s.ible for motor traffic tqaise. this road owing to the g.radn|s being ,to'o dteep, a,nd also on account of the narrowness o.f the roadway. The Port JacksonColville road, a stretch of 12 miles, was in hand, a.nd was, being widened td 12ft.