WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 64, 10 January 1918, Page 2

WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY.

Engineer's Report. The engineer, Mr F. Shannon, submitted his report for the month to the Matamata County council as follows :- In general, fair progress was made with all works throughout the county during the month prior to the holidays. All the workmen took a fortnight's holiday and are starting work again to-day. In the Taotaoroa riding, Thomson, with the county teams, has made good progress with the grader work on the French Pass road, and will complete this work in a few days. Laud has made fair progress with his metalling contract on the Cambridge to Matamata road. In the Maungatautari riding Mahood has completed his gravelling contract in a satisfactory manner. I gave him instructions to repair the 'road at Watkin's cutting, and it has now been completed. In the Patetere riding I took levels foe drains and culverts at Te Poi and let the heaviest of the drains by contract. The work has now been completed, but the country is so level in that locality that thorough and efficient drainage will not be obtained until extensive drainage is carried out by the land owners on each side of the road. I also let contracts for cleaning out the drains on the Brumblow flat and near the Okoroire station. Concrete pipe culverts have been placed in position at Te Poi; also some of the timber culverts. Others would have been completed but for Pemberton meeting with an accident. Simpson and Jones are progressing very slowly with their metalling contract. Only one lorry is working at present. I have notified them that I shall expect better progress to be made in future. Middleton has nearly completed the grader work at Te Poi and he will proceed to grade the road from the cheese factory to Hinuera. In company with the chairman I inspected the Hinuera and Okoroire roads, and decided to put the grader lightly over the rough places, in order to prepare them for sanding. I have also instructed Middleton to form up the road at Dee's corner and from there to the hot springs and to the Waiomou school; the worst places then lo be graveled or sanded. I have had new planks put on to the Oraka bridge, and also repairs done to the Stamford bridge. The latter will have to be renewed before long, and should be renewed in concrete.

In company with the chairman I inspected the Tirau to Rotorua road up to the county boundary near Steel's mill. We decided to spend the vote in stumping, culverts and formation, extending from Barker's to the boundary, a distance of about nine miles. I have prepared plans and specifications of the work and forwarded them to the Public Works Department for approval, and on their return the work can proceed at once. I have had the fourth grader repaired and hope to put it in commission during the week. In the Putaruru riding, in company with Cr. Rollett, I inspected the Tokoroa roads and arranged with Bissett to remove the slips and carry out other repairs, also to repair the hole on the main Taupo road. Rodger has been engaged in general surface work in other parts of the riding. I prepared a scheme of expenditure for the thirds of land revenue accruing to this riding and have forwarded the schedules to the Land Board for approval. Strong has made good progress with the roads on the Maraitai Block. Weeks has been delayed with the culverts owing to shortage of timber; the work should be completed in about a fortnight. The other roads in the block will then have to be gone over with the grader. The authority has now come to hand to proceed with the Ngatiri-Okohiriki road. In the Matamata riding Mahood has signed the contract for sanding at Turanga-o-mona and Waharoa and will start work on the 15th inst. O'Neill and Mackin have done good work repairing the filling on the Waharoa swamp.