MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3958, 20 June 1929, Page 2

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

«. WITHIN MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL. ■ ENGINEER’S REVIEW. At the Manawatu County Council’s annual meeting on Monday the County engineer (Mr. 11. V. Bond) submitted a review of road reconstruction and maintenance work for the past year which stated inter alia: — During the past twelve months a great amount of preliminary work and re-organisation has been carried out in connection with the council’s highway re-construction scheme. Five miles of re-construction work was comlmenced between the Foxton Borough boundary and Himatangi corner early in January. A length of three miles has been completed with the exception of a little draining. A camp was established at Himatangi in the old County cottage in connection with this work. A further seven and a-'half miles of heavy re-construc-tion work has been put in hand during the last month between Himatangi and Rangiotu. Only a few chains of this work has been completed to date. It has been necessary to build a camp for 30 men. The whole of the above reconstruction work is being pushed ahead with all expedition and the whole costs have been slightly below the estimates. The class of road that is now being laid down is far superior and necessarily a more costly road than was anticipated v hen the scheme was first devised, but with the increased subsidy from the Main Highways Board the actual amount to be found by the council will not be to be hoped that a suitable subsidy will be forthcoming from the Main Highways Board in the very near future so that it null be possible to put the Himatangi-Sanson road re-construction work in hand.

The metal from the Rangitikei river being unsuitable for reconstruction woiik on a sand foundation, negotiations were finalised with the Railway department- to operate its pit at Terrace End. This was put in hand in January with satisfactory results, an output of 200 cubic yards per day being, obtained. This metal has proved quite successful as a foundation. The top-dressing metal is being obtained from the Rangitikei river at Bulls and the Manawatu river at Tiakitabuna. Maintenance: At times when the graders are down for overhaul, the roads get rather bad but this position will be relieved somewhat when a few r more miles of bitumen are laid thereb- cutting down the road mileage for each grader. No. 1 main highway between Hima - tangi and Sanson is in such bad shape that it is impossible to improve the surface until constructional improvements are carried out. The Eoxton Beach road has been declared a main highway during the year. The actual expenditure on maintenance of highways has been £3354 12s 7d less than last year, the reasons for which are as follows:

1. Ten miles of highway which takes the greater amount of traffic has been under construction, which therefor relieves the maintenance account. 2. Heavy maintenance expenditure was not undertaken on a further ten miles of road as anticipated, which has since been put under construction. Bridges: The approach road and the new Shannon bridge was completed in December last and was opened for traffic. The Shannon punt was then put out of commission. A general tightening up of the biridge will be undertaken during- the coming year. The old Shannon bridpe was dismantled by the Public Works Department, who handed a large quantity of useful timber over to the council. Bulls bridge has been rather extensively repaired and all other highway bridges have been maintained. The construction of two concrete bridges on the Bulls road will be undertaken when the weather permits and will replace two timber structures. Two wooden bridges on the Hilmatangi-Sanson road will also he replaced by concrete structures when the re-con-struction of that road is undertaken. Ridings: All riding roads and bridges have been maintained in. a fairly satisfactory state, and improved as finances allowed, but roads will be improved by more grading when graders become available. Wooden culverts are being replaced by concrete pipes where necessary. The Awahou riding finances have benefitted by the declaration of the Foxton Beach road as a main highway. This riding continues to suffer from the effects of flood waters. In conclusion the engineer touched on the road making plant all of which had given good service and was in first-class order.