COROMANDEL NEWS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32407, 15 March 1944, Page 8

COROMANDEL NEWS

surface drainage in the Whitianga township are receiving attention.

Kuaotunu.—'The local surfaceman has madie a good job of culvert cleaning and the watertables on the Opito road but the Otama causeway is very rarely clear of water excepting at low tides as the sand (blocks the stream outlet at the beach. This causeway and the bridge want raising at least three feet to be satisfactory at all tides, and I would recommend that this be given priority in the loan proposals. I interviewed Mr Stowe regarding the Opito stream crossing at Thompson’s and the access to his property. He stated that although the £5O which he contributed was spent in an endeavour to give him a road to his homestead, he would be satisfied if he could get the road completed to the boundary of his property. The cost of the crossing depends on its location and I am still awaiting the survey data from Auckland in .order to define the road boundary. With the crossing completed the grader could dio the balance of the formation and the necessary culverts installed and if instructed this work will be done out of ordinary funds.

ROADS & BRIDGES WORK ON THE PENINSULA REPORT FROM ENGINEER COROMANDEL COUNTY COUNCIL The following comprehensive survey of the roads, bridges and wharves on the Coromandel Peninsula was presented to the March meeting of the Coromandel County Council. No. 309 Coromandel-Mercury Bay. —The surfacemen have been engaged in cutting back the scrub on this highway, particularly along the sealed section and the Mercury Bay side of the saddle; a man has .been continuously employed for the past fortnight clearing the scrub from the Coromandel end. As a result of the heavy showers during the month the road surface is very rough and badly requires the grader. No. 7 bridge has been replaced with a pipe culvert and the pipes are on the ground ready for installing in the place of No. 8 bridge. Plans have been prepared for the temporary bridge alongside No. 15 and prices are beingobtained for doing the job by contract. The gang was engaged for a couple of days at the Tiki quarry crushingconcrete metal for this highway. No. 485 Tapu-Kaimarama.—Only surface maintenance has been carried out on this highway. No. 600 Thames-Coromandel. —The grader was put ovei* this highway as far as the Kereta Hill, but owing to breakdown was unable to complete the maintenance grading. A gang has been engaged in the construction of the sea wall at the Kereta slip, whenever the tide ana weather permitted and subject to these being satisfactory the work will be finished within a week. Main Roads Coromandel-Port Jackson. — The surfaceman at Colville has been engaged in cutting back scrub and general maintenance during the time he has not been spreading metal for the contractor on Waikawau Valley Road. Plans for the two culverts at Colville have been prepared and submitted to the Public Works Department for approval. Approximately 25 c. yds. of “all in” crushed metal from Tiki quarry was carted and l spread on the Kikowhakarere Hill.

Big Bay-Port Charles.—Arrangements have been made with the contractor for Waikawau metalling, to carry out some repairs on this road whilst he has his gang on the job. He has also been authorised to get the shingle, sand and boulders for the Waikawau fordway and I hope to put this in hand in the near future.

Coromandiel-Kennedy’s Bay. — A man has been engaged for the past fortnight in clearing the scrub and general maintenance work on this road’, and has made considerable improvement from the Ferry Falls to the Kennedy’s Bay Schoal. The work is to be continued over the Coromandel side of the Tokatea.

Whangapoua-Tererenga.—Owing to the grader being out of commission it has not been possible to do the work as promised at last meeting but it is first on the list after the repairs are completed. Whenuakite-Whitianga 'Ferry. — General maintenance has been carried out on this road by the local surfaceman, and I understand that the contractor for the maintenance metal has made a start with his contract. Ridings Colville.—The contractor has satisfactorily completed his metalling contract on the Waikawau Valley road; and the Claim for the grant is being submitted to the department. Whilst the contractor had men and lorries available repairs were effected to the existing metalled section on this road and also to O’Brien’s ’ Access road. The angledozer has been worked) to very good effect on the Port JacksonFletcher’s Bay formation work and practically a mile of new construction has been completed during the month. It is now possible to drive a car to within a mile of Mr Stewart Jackson’s homestead The surveyor is now on the job and is pegging out the deviation from the Murawai Valley road to the Fletcher’s Bay road. When he has completed these deviations, he will be proceeding straight away with the Sandy Bay-Stoney Bayroad legalisation survey. Kennedy’s Bay-Tuteawa: A man was engaged for a week to clear the blackberry and scrub overhanging this roadway and do general maintenance work. Coromandel.—Only a couple of days’ work have been done in this riding, it principally consisting of attention to the water services, metalling at the mussel factory and scrub cutting on the Hauraki road. Whitianga.—The blackberry and scrub was cut back from the bridge at Trickle’s on the Kaimarama road | as instructed and the footpaths and