WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 102, 17 October 1918, Page 2

WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY

Engineer’s Report. ”■ C,* The engineer, Mr F. Shannon, submitted the following report for tli o month to the Matamata County council meeting on Friday. In the Matamata riding in company with Crs Pohlen and Banks I met the settlers at Mangawhero, and after hearing a statement of the revenue and expenditure in this locality for the past three years, it was agreed that the matter of joining up the metal stand over for the present and that the first work to be done should be to grade, reform and widen the cutting near the Waihou bridge, and gravel the worst places; also to grade, form and sand the road to Quinlan’s. In regard to the application of Mr Moore for a road to give access to his section at Okauia, ho arrived from Auckland and with the councillors wo visited the locality. We found that the extension of the now road to give access to Mr Moore’s property too expensive a proposition to entertain. It was decided to widen and improve the old side track to enable a cart to get through to Mr Moore’s section, the cost to be about £125, tho Council to provide £25, and Mr Moore to provido £IOO. If any further expenditure is found to be necessary each party is to provide for such expenditure on the same lines, (Mr Moore to provide four pounds for each pound provided by the Council.) The county teams have been engaged in filling in the sand pits in Matamata, which are now completed. The team i 3 now working the grader on the Tauranga-o-moana road and will proceed to Quinlan’s road at the end of this week. The metal for repairing the road to Waharoa is coming to hand, - but not as fast as I would like. Hutcheson has taken the contract to cart the metal, and O’Neill is doing the spreading. Surface work and repairs have been carried out by O’Neill and Pemberton during the month. In the Patetere riding Simpson has made another start with his metalling contract at Te Poi. Kulitz lias completed the clearing of the bush on the Rotorua road. He and Weeks then felled the pine trees overhanging the railway line near the Tirau station. I have appointed Marsh as surfaceman in this riding, and he started work at Hinuera last week. I have arranged with Weeks to go [to the Tapapa ram on Thursday next to see what is best to be done to provide water for the stock paddock. * In the Taotaoroa riding surface work has been proceeding during the month. A grader team is urgoutly needed on Cambridge road. In the Maungatautari riding surface work has been proceeding. Mahood has started the plough, grader and scoop work necessary to widen the road, take all points and prepare the road for metal. I prepared specifications, and have called for tenders for the metalling of four and a-half miles, tenders to come before you to-day. In the Putaruru riding surface work and repairs have been proceeding. In regard to the metalling near and in the township I have arranged for the quarrying of stone in Mr Hudson’s place, which is close to the road to be operated on,' and hope to start the formation next week. Bissett has made a start with grader and surface work at Tokoroa, but has been delayed for want of labor and horse feed. The latter will be ovex--come in a few days, as I have secured 20 tons of chaff in Putaruru, the cutting aud delivery of which has been delayed for a few days owing to the late rain. Strong Ims started work again with the horses on the Ngatiri - Okohiriki road, and has about completed the first two miles. I have men working further on at the rock, and opening up the cuttings and preparing for the plough aud scoop work. In the meantime I propose to start Strong on the cuttings and fillings at Putaruru. A grader team is urgently needed to fix up the road from Pukoturua to the Waikato bridge. As the season advances tho scarcity of labor is becoming more apparent. I advertised for a grader team and men, and have arranged for a man to start at once. He is providing horses and plant. This will only partly relieve the situation. In connection with the report, as it referred to the Mangawhero roads, Cr. Pohlen said it was also agreed to sand the road in tho opposite direction to Quinlan’s from tho cross-roads (towards Kemp’s).