WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 68, 7 February 1918, Page 4

WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY.

Engineer’s Report. The engineer, Mr F. Shannon, submitted his report to the Matamata County council on Tuesday as follows : *■ In the Taotaoroa riding Thomson with the county teams has completed the French pass road and the grader work at Whitehall, and is now engaged in sanding' the road from the Karapiro creamery to Cambridge. I put in several days taking levels and prospecting for a road deviation to avoid the Whitehall hill, but through press of work haves not been able to complete it, but will do so at the first opportunity. Laud has completed his metalling contract on the Cambridge to Matamata road, over 1000 yards of metal having been placed on the road and 111 chains of road metalled. In the Patetere riding Middleton completed the grader work at Te Poi, also from the cheese factory to the Waihou on the Hinuera road, from there to Dee’s corner ; also from there to the Waiomou school, and out to Griffith’s hill; and is now working between Dee’s corner and Okoroire hot springs. These works will be completed in a few days. I am then sending the machine and team to form up the lower end of the Kaimai, at the request of the Public Works Department. This will take a week or ten days, and they will then return and complete the Okoroire to Hinuera road, the Hinuera valley road, and the road from the Willow bridge to Lockheart’s hill.

I have had the other grader repaired and put into commission. Ashley is providing the teams he is in charge of, and is doing satisfactory work on the Rotorua road. In a day or two he will be moving on to Dobson’s corner. Simpson and Jones are making slow progress with their metalling contract at Te Poi. A little over 1600 yards have been delivered on the roads, and about one mile has been metalled.

The plans and specifications have been approved for the Omahine stream bridge and the authority is to hand. I propose calling for tenders to be in for next meeting. Specifications have been approved for the vote on the Rotorua road, and the authority is to hand. I propose to put the work in hand as soon as possible, and to use the county team for that purpose. The authority is also to hand for the Ngatiri to Okohiriki road and the work can now proceed. In the Putaruru riding Strong’s gang has nearly completed the Maraetai roads, they would have been completed but for the delay in getting timber for the bridge. They are now working on the Lichfield to Waotu road. In company with Crs. Barnett and Rollett I went over the roads from Putaruru to Puketurua, and from there to the Waikato bridge, Waotu, and back to Putaruru. We found that general repairs and surface work was required in many places, which best could be done by grader. There are also several bad places that require metal before the winter. Grader work is required on the Lichfield to Taupo road, Litchfield to Waotu road, Rollett’s road, Halse road, and the Tokaroa road. To do up the whole of those roads will cost from £SOO to £6OO.

In the Matamata riding, O’Neill and Mackin have been engaged in surface work and repairs, and are now spreading sand for the contractor on .the Turanga-o-moana roads. In regard to the culvert that required to be lowered in connection with the drainage work. I had it taken up and replaced with three feet concrete pipes. The big drain having cut through the road at the Waharoa swamp, a tempory crossing has been made to carry the traffic until the drain is completed. The culvert can then be erected. I let the cleaning out of drain near Wardville to tho men engaged un the drainage works.