ROADS AND BRIDGES

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 32304, 25 August 1943, Page 6

ROADS AND BRIDGES

WORK ON PENINSULA REPORT OF ENGINEER MONTH’S ACTIVITIES REVIEWED The following report on the work done to bridges, roads and wharves on the Coromandel Peninsula was made by the engineer, Mr A. H. Benham,' to the August meeting of the Coromandel County Council. The report read as under:— Main Highways Thames-Coromandel No. «600.—' General maintenance has been carried out on this highway, slips and watertables being attended to. The surfaceman (N. Strange), who previous to going into camp was located at Kereta has now been released from military duties and is back again on his old section. If the weather is suitable the grader will have been put over this highway during this present week.

Coromandel-Mercury Bay No. 309.— The grader 'was used to trim up this highway where it could do any good on its way back from Whenuakite. The surfaceman has carried out ordinary maintenance work. Tapu-Kaimarama No. 485.—The surfaceman has attended to the ordinary maintenance work and the grader was put over the whole length. Owing to the weather the contractor has made no further progress with the metalling between Coroglen and the county boundary.

Main Roads Coromandel-Port Jackson.—Slips, ; culverts and water-tables have been attended to on the following sections, Koputauaki, Amedeo Bay, Strongman’s Hill, Waiaro and Quarry. Three loads of metal were carted and spread on Strongman’s Hill and the metal is ready for the Omaru Bay foreshore section which will be carted as soon ah weather and circumstances permit. Big Bay-Port Charles.—Slips were cleared and culverts were attended to on this road principally in the vicinity of Port Charles. Kennedy’s Bay.—A start has been made with getting out metal for the

repairs to the Kennedy’s Bay end of this road, and it will be carted and spread when the weather permits. Several small slips have been cleared from the Tokatea Hill.

Whangapoua.—The gang was engaged for a day cleaning slips and opening up culverts. Kuaotunu-Mercury Bay.—Arrangements have been made for the supply of some local timber piles for the bridge opposite Councillor Simpson’s and this bridge will be repaired as soon as they come to hand. Whenuakite Ferry.—The local car-, rier has been repairing some of the worst , places between Harsant’s road corner and the Ferry, and the surfaceman has been doing the necessary maintenance work. The gang was taken over from Coromandel and installed the culvert at the long filling and the angledozer was used to construct the filling, but owing to the very wet weather this work has been held up. The heavy carting to the Hot Water Beach has cut up the length of this road between Donovan’s and Hot Water Beach corners, and combined with the wet weather has made this road impassable. The work of repairing this is at present in hand. The battei' was cut back to the section boundary at the corner with Hot Water Beach road as requested, but the visibility cannot' be greatly improved unless the ground inside the property is lowered and the gorse removed. Ridings Coromandel.—During the showery weather the local gang have been letting the water off the edges of the main road footpaths, and attending to damage to the water supply main. Eighteen cubic yards of reject metal from the Tiki Quarry were carted and spread on the Long Bay road between the wharf and the mussel factory. The crusher at the Tiki quarry has been put into commission to crush metal for concrete, and as Egan’s quarry is covered with a big . slip all-in-metal will also be crushed for road maintenance.

Whitianga.—With the continued wet weather the Mo-ewai road became practically impassable at one place and 33 cubic yards additional river shingle was carted and spread. Attention is being- given to the roads in the Whitianga township but the constant rain has prevented much being done.

Kuaotunu.—The formation work on the access road into Stowe’s has been

completed but it requires culverting and the grader to finish off the surface. This latter canot be done until we get fine weather as the machine cannot get over the Black Jack hill or the Otama.

Whenuakite.—The gang was taken over from Coromandel and installed the culvert at Lilley’s on Harsant’s road and the angledozer was used for placing the filling. The continued wet weather since this was done has so saturated the filling that it has 'become practically impassable and arrangements were immediately made to get it metalled. Arrangements have also been made to have some bad places on the Te Kauanga wharf road metalled. Whilst in Whenuakite the angledozei’ was used for crushing the gorse on the road to the" school but the machine was not taken across the small bridge as it is unsafe for any but the lightest loads. The Angledozer was also taken to the Rangihau road as approved at last meeting but was unable to do any work as a stud came out of the _starting gear, and Auckland had to be contacted to arrange for the repairs. There is a big slip entirely blocking the Rangihau road where we were obtaining the metal for the crusher and the angledozer will have to be used to remove this immediately it is in commission.