ROADS AND BRIDGES

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3256, 28 April 1943, Page 6

ROADS AND BRIDGES

WORK DONE IN COUNTY REPORT BY THE ENGINEER ACTIVITIES DURING THE MONTH The following review of work done to roads, bridges and wharves in the county was given in the report of the engineer, Mr A. H. Benham, to the April meeting of the Coromandel County Council. The report read as under:— Main Highways

Thames-Coromandel No. 600.—This highway was maintenance graded throughout and surface repairs carried out. Maintenance metalling is now required over several short lengths and I hope to do this during the ensuing month. Coromandel-Mercury Bay No. 309. —Portions of this highway were trimmed up by the grader on its way to Kuaotunu, and the paspalum grass which was encroaching on the bitumen has been cut back. Surface work and general maintenance has been carried out.

Tapu-Kaimarama No. 485.—This highway was graded throughout its entire length and the surfaceman has been attending to culverts, vision, etc. Coromandel Wharf, No. 's3o.—'General maintenance has been carried out •on this highway. Coroglen-Waihi No. 586. —At the Public Works. 'Department’s request, the grader has been used over the portion of this highway in this county and this machine is now engaged in* constructing the approaches to one of the new bridges in Tairua. It will be on this for the next couple of days. Main Roads Coromandel-Port Jackson. — Between the end of the sealing and the hospital the big boulders were scarified and carted away from four lengths; there are still more rough patches to be done when the grader is available. The footpaths and water tables on this section are also being attended to. The widened portions of the Kikawakarere hill are greasy and soft during wet weather, and I hope to get this metalled during the ensuing month. Some of the rubble frettings from the bluffs at McCall’s were used for smoothing up the rough metal on De St. Croix Hill. Surface maintenance has been carried out at several places between Umaru Bay and Waiaro, and earth fillings stone faced at Big Bay and Falcon Bay. The heavy showers during the past month caused considerable crumbling of the rubble batters, with the result that this road now wants a quick

grading over the entire length. Big Bay-Port Charles.—" Further scrub has 'been cut back on this road, and the visibility has been improved throughout the whole length. Coromandel - Kennedy’s Bay. — A couple of men were engaged on this road attending to culvert inlets and outlets after the recent heavy showers. I have learnt to-day that there are a couple of small slips that require removing and some bad holes that need metal. These matters will have my attention. Coromandel-Owera. —Men were also a couple of days on the culverts on this road and I understand that the Gentle Annie hill is dangerous during wet weather. In regard to this latter, the usable width of road surface is reduced by deep watertables', and because of unsafe bridges (Opitonui Materangi), it is not possible to use the grader to widen the road. Further there is a lack of suitable metal in the vicinity. I propose inspecting this road to-morrow and will take such action as circumstances and fin-

ance will permit. Owera-Kuaotunu. —The grader and men from Coromandel were engaged for a couple of days just after last meeting in opening the portion of road along the Materangi Bluffs but I understand that although cars can now get through with careful driving, overhanging rock prevents the grader traversing the whole length. As just

mentioned I will be making a visit to this vicinity to-morrow and will report further. Whitianga-Kuaotunu. — This road was greatly improved with the grader last month, and the culverts’ inlets and outlets have been attended to. Whenuakite-Wh itianga Ferry.—Arrangements have been made with Mr Colville to fill in some bad holes with metal and also for one of the settlers to attend to the culverts, etc. The grader will he put over this road when it has completed the ‘work for the Public Works Department at Tairua. Ridings Colville. —Arrangements were made with the settlers to cut back the scrub along the track between' Sandy. Bay and Stony Bay. This work has now been completed. Further filling has been carted to the approach-to the

bridge on the Waikawau Valley road which had subsided. A roadman is now engaged in clearing the culverts on Ngamane’s wharf road. Coromandel. — Further work has •been carried out at the Cemetery, several water supply services attended to, scrub cut on the Hauraki road and the road to Long Bay graded and patched with material from the mine dump. The re-formation of the Otakeao road was* completed and I understand is greatly appreciated. Whenuakite. —The grader has been put over the Hbt Water Beach road, the pile driving gear removed from Hahei quarry bridge and the 3ft. pipes carted to the Hahei road in readiness for installing when the angledozer is in the vicinity. I was advised that one end of the 'bridge on Cupp’s road near Mr Hamilton’s was lifted during the heavy rains the week before last, and arrangements were made with Mr Hamilton to temporarily wire it down pending an inspection of the damage. Wharves

Port Jackson. —As the mooring and fender piles at this jetty had succumbed to the ravages of the sea and the weather, arrangements were made with Mr Bailey Johnson to replace six of them with local manuka suitably bracing and anchoring the new piles. The work was nearing completion when I inspected it and a satisfactory job. was being made. The total cost will be less than £3O.

Port Charles. —An inspection of the storm damage to the mole at this wharf was made on Monday last in company with Councillor Denize. About a hundred yards of the earth core has been sucked out by the wave action, leaving a hole about nine yards long by three yards wide into which the concrete deck slab .has fallen. About 30 feet of the mass concrete wall on the seaward side has subsided and under this wall a hole big enough to crawl through has been scoured out. To repair this damage it will be necessary to make a coffer* dam' on the outer edge of the wall, excavate under the -wall to a solid foundation, rebuild that part of the wall, refill the core of the mole and re-slab the top. It will be necessary then to construct a concrete grouted boulder toe to the wall to prevent a re-occurrence of the damage. The outer side wall will also require re-concreting where the wave action is sucking out the foundation. It is imperative that the repair work be carried out immediately and I would like your instructions re the same.

Coromandel. —Further representations have been made regarding the construction of a loading platform for benzine, coal and mussels and I have considered the building of a false decking 3ft. Gin., or lorry height on top of the existing wharf immediately on the seaward end of the pig pen. The platform' would be approximately 20ft. long by the 12ft. width of the wharf. Only pedestrian traffic uses the part of the wharf seaward of the pig pens (as the existing deck is unsafe for vehicles) and provision could be made for pedestrians to traverse the platform if steps were placed at each end. New decking would be required but the balance of the timber would be second-hand and is available in the yard. Whitianga Ferry.—The IPublic Works Department has constructed the loading platform for the fuel oil drums at this wharf in accordance, with the permission granted by this council and Mr Nicholson has submitted a price for the repairs to the steps, fender piles, and the construction of a concrete slab deck. I would •be pleased to receive instructions regarding these repairs. Te Kauanga.—Arrangements were made with Mr Nicholson to effect the repairs to the wharf deck and construck the loading race, the material requested being sent out. The work has not yet been completed but the foreman has used decking from a disused landing at Coroglen to temporarily repair the deck at Te Kauanga. I hope to have a more satisfactory report regarding this at next meeting.