MAIROA METALLING SCHEME.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 587, 23 July 1913, Page 5

MAIROA METALLING SCHEME.

INSPECTION OF WORK. REPORT BY GOVERNMENT ENGINEER. At last month's meeting of the Waitomo County Council a deputation of. Mairoa settlers waited on the council with reference to the work being carried out on the Arapae road. Since that time the local Governme.it engineer has inspected the road and at last meeting of the council, the following letter from Mr Donaldson was pad ''With reference to the complaint made by the ratepayers relative to the class nf work being carried out by lnnes Bros, under the metalling contract let to them by the council last year, the section of road from the junction of the Te Kuiti-Otorohanga road to the Oparure native settlement previous to the arrival at Te "Kuiti of your present county engineer or myself, and the contractors state that by a mutual agreement with the assistant road engineer, the late county engineer, and themselves, a portion of clause 4 of the printed specifications was altered and th3t instead of blinding the metal with two inches of screenings it was agreed to allow the sceenings to be mixed with the crushed metal. The contractor also states he informed by the council this portion of the road was finally passed. There is nothing on the files of this office to indicate that any alteration of specifications was made or that the council passed the work for payment, and I sliail be glad to learn what arrangement, if any, wa3 made and whether the contractoi has been relieved from the maintenance of his section of the contract or not. The section of the road from the Oparure native settlement to the junction of the Pukearuhe road was tested in a number of places and the depth, width and guage of metal was taken, resulting as follows -Average depth 9 inches, average width 11.6: 21.08 cubic yards per chain; original depth 12 inches, average width 10.0: 24.44 cubic yards per chain; a diiterence caused by consolidation and spread of metal. 3.36 cubic yards or loss by consolidation, etc. of 13.7 per cent. This loss, in my opinion, is not excessive and considering the nature of the ground the contractor has, I think, given fair yardage throughout. From 25 to 30 per cent of the metal is too coarse, and the contractor will require to have the top surface well knapped before the same can bs approved ana pas3ed for payment. The width of the sidelings formation beyond the Pukearuhe road is too narrow, and the council should at once take steps to have the road widened in order that the water table can be properly defined, a3 there is no water channel, ana the surface drainage will probably lodge under the metal. The present width of the road is a danger to heavy traffic, but there is nothing in the specifications to indicate that the contractor can be held liable for-the width of the road beyond the statement contained in the clause which provides forlbanking the metal with clay to a width of three feet on either side. I am therefore of opinion that the coun cil should have the road widened previous to the metal being laid in order to allow sufficient room for the contractor to carry out the provisions of bis contract which under the existing circumstances could not be done. "With reference to the contract let to Mr Rothery, a portion of the work on the Hauturu road for a length of about 30 chains is rot satisfactory. The metal (rubble) laid down being of an inferior quality. The contractor states that as an actional safeguard he arranged with the local officer appointed by the council to supervise the work to put an extra three inches of the same claS9 °* material or VI inches instead ot the 9 inches specified. I understand tnat the county engineer was not party to this arrangement and I cannot pass the work for payment until an additional course of approved rubble is spread to a depth of three inches over the whole of the above mentioned length to form a surface and thoroughly blind the present material. "The balance of the work was satisfactory excepting the ordinary maintenance of water tables, etc., which require attention. I shall be Phased if your council will have these matters rectified at the earliest possible date in order that the claims can be passed said what they had to consider was widening Which had been recommended by the Government engineer. There was an amount of about £2OOO m excess of requirements on the Mairoa road. If the people were anxious to carry out the suggestions embodied in the letter they might arrange to get j portion of the money so allocated. It was resolved to adopt this course if the settlers interested requested it to be w°th're S pect to Mr Donaldson's refersnce to what had been done by his nredecessor the following letter from Mr Williams the then Government engineer was read: ' you that I have instiected the Bection of the ab ° v ® named road that has been metalled hv Mr lnnes, contractor for the above named work. I understand that secthe old metalling has been improveS upon bv spreading add.'.onal metal to a depth of six inches but no reference is made of this work in the onntract I have n0 raeans ascGr " SK the total quantity of metal msd for patching the old metalled road 1 therefore conclude that * verbal agreement was made otherwise the would not have been undertaken. The contract states metal to be ae posited 10ft in width by 10 inches in 5 If this is also to include the SEciwor"hen S th, tots. dep.sj.ed; g I°°.! Sftrh^reffiy "finches in depto then a deduct.™. of 139.85 yards will require *° mM ]«. The total length of road pre-

viously metalled is 17 chains 11 feet leaving 12.5 chains 37 feet of new work. I wish to draw your attention to the width of metal for a distance of three chains west of the saddle near the commencement of the work. This measures only eight feet in lieu of 3 0 feet and three chains east of thp saddle also measures eight feet in width. I have a few suggestions to make regarding the work before finally recommending to relieve the contractor of the maintenance. The contractor should be called upon to widen the narrow section of road to the specified width according to agreement. To carry this out the contractor for the formation of the read will require to widen the road west of tha saddle for about three chains. On the eastern side of the saddle the additional wi Ith, viz., two feet, ('an be undertaken without widening the for' mation. The metal will require to be counter sunk to the level of metal as consolidated. The total length of the road as metalled to be repaired by filling in depressions with crushed limestone metal to two inch guage free from screenings. I attach voucher form made out as a sample for future guidance when forwarding claim. —C. H. WILLIAMS, assistant road engineer." Upon that letter being brought before the council at that time,

On the motion of Cr Were seconded by Cr Johnston, it was resolved that the report be adopted, and that the road be taken over on Mr lnnes complying with the conditions of this letter. The chairman said the position was that at last meeting a deputation came with a lot of complaints. Subsequent to that the Government en gineer, in company with Major Lusk, inpsected the road and wherever Major Lusk asked for the metal to be cut it was tested and according to the report the required quantity of metal was found to be there. The position was not so bad as had been represented, and when tha recommendation were carried out the cost will be very small —about £37. Considering the size ot the contract there did not appear to be a great deal to put right. Cr Were said he was glad the report had been obtained and he was satisfied with it.