MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 79, 25 April 1918, Page 4

MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Engineer’s Report. The engineer submitted his monthly report last week as follows ■ “ In the Taotaoroa riding grader work was done on the Cambridge to Tirau road. Laud has done repairs on the Buckland road. I have secured a quarryman, and propose to take off the point on the rock cutting near Ferguson’s gully. In regard to the deviation of the Whitehall hill, I have arranged to leave it in abeyance until the new valuations take effect, then to call a meeting of ratepayers and place the matter before them. In the Maungatautari riding Stokes has carried out repairs on the road to Cambridge, and general surface work. I have procured pipes for several culverts that were required. In the Matamata riding Mahood made good progress with his sanding while the weather was good. He has completed the Turanga-o-moana road and the Waharoa swamp. The sand-pit owned by the N.Z. Dairy Association has been sold to Mr Casey, and new arrangements had to be made to obtain the sand. When this sanding is completed I propose to do some grader work and sanding at Okauia. I have called for tenders for the Waiteariki bridge to come before you today. The old bridge is absolutely dangerous for traffic of any kind, and I have given instructions to have it fenced at each end and notices posted closing it to traffic. The effects of the heavy traffic by the motor lorries on the Waharoa to Matamata road is becoming more and more pronounced. General surface work has been proceeding. In the Patetere riding Middleton completed his grader work and started work on contract No. 13, and made good progress while the weather was fine completing the section at Dee’s corner and the hills at Okoroire. Had the weather been better this contract would have been completed. Campbell has nearly . completed the drains near Okoroire station. I have procured timber to complete the shute under the Brumbelow bridge, and this will be attended to as soon as the weather clears up. Simpson and Jones have made slow progress with the metalling contract at Te Poi, chiefly owing to wet weather and a shortage of benzine. I sent Weeks up to clear the scrub at the hydraulic ram at Te Papa, but owing to the rain he had to leave it until the weather improves. In regard to the Omahine stream bridge I wrote to the district engineer, and also the Minister for Public Works for further help, with the result that a further sum of £2OO has been authorised, thus increasing the Government subsidy to £SOO. In regard to the extra grader put into commission I found it necessary to dispense with it for the present, as the results were not up to expectations. Thomson, with the county teams, has started work on the Rotorua road, and has made good progress considering the weather. I propose stopping the work until the spring when the first half is completed.”