Maniototo County Council.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 16 November 1917, Page 3

Maniototo County Council.

The following is the report of the engineer to last meeting of ihe council, and held over from . last issue; — Grader.—The Austin Grader id now at the Hawkdun Runs road, after having rounded up the following places in the Gimmerburn district:Fronting Higfcfield Station property 59 chains Station gate to Docherty's bridge 84 chains Bridge to Sharkey's corner 62 chains Barney's Lane 36 chains Sharkey's corner to School 106 chains The grader was run over the road from the school to Eden Creek bridge, roughly running off the high sides. ' j Hewkdun. About three miles of : the upper end of road fronting Run , No. 585 has been formed by the j grader, which worked at a disad- l vantage in the rough stony parts of, the road, through the surfaceman ; being engaged elsewhere, and no man j being available to take his place. The ' Wet weather also made the work more \ difficult, but taking everything int> consideration good progress has been made. The continuation of the r-ad across the water races and down the i steep hill has been lined off and the ! grader is now engaged on tbat section. I At the foot of the hill the road crosses j a swampy place, which requires ditching and gravelling, but beyond that j point the country in its natural con- \ dition is quite passable for dray traffic. i If the runs are to be fenced and buildings erected immediately, it may be advisable to form parts of the road, bot if they are to be left for some time in their present state, the probable traffic seems barely £.umVent to justify the expenditure. It is to be noted that the the actual greding does not end the cost, as the bridges, cul- • verts, drainage and gravelling of ; parts further add to the Cast. j With reference to the work dooe by I the grader recently, the continual rains saturating the loosened earthwork, makes some parts almost impassable, but this is the uaual condition of naw work in wet weather, irrespective of whether the work is done by a grader or by any other means. The men have not been available to co the finishing off work immediately after the grader, but this work is being done as they can find time. Culverts. A number of concrete pipes have been ordered for the Gimmerburn roa>is, Hawkdun Runs, Ida Valley back road, and Hyde road. Bridges.—W. Hanger undertook to commence the carting of timber for the Hawkdun Run bridges, over a fortnight ago, bat owing to a flood and other causes he has not yet been able to deliver it. The balance of the consignment of timber after these bridges are pruvided for will be available for bridges on Ida Valley Swamp road, and for Dunstan Creek bridge at the Downs crossing. Contracts. Marshall would have commenced the work on Wilson's road, Puketoi, before this but for the difficulty of getting a man for ihe pit. He expects to make a start this week. After completing his contracts on Reed's road and the White Sow Valley main road, his teams were engaged to do some patch gravelling near Wedderburn, and he also did some similar work on the Naseby-Ranfurly road. Linnburn tJridge (Approaches).— W. Johnston was to have made a start thia week on the Linnbnrn Bridge approaches, bat I learn that he is laid op, and will not be able to start for a few days. Satisfactory word has been received from Mr Knewstubb who writes that the timber for Linnburn bridge has reached Dunedin, and he expects to complete his contract in two or three weeks. So far, I have not received word of the landing of the timber at Ranfurly. Dunstan Creek Bridge. Before passing tbis work, the P.W. Department require full details of the cost of the different materials us«d on the bridge, and this information will be sent on. Lauder Flat Bridge.—A Dunedin firm have written that they! are in a position to supply timber for piles for the canted bridge on Lauder Flat, but no price has been stated. Ida Valley.—Teams supplied by Mr M'NaUghton were engaged to do some gravelling on the road near his place, and satisfactory work was done under the supervision of the surfaceman, C. Beck. In the meantime, Beck is employed on

the Hawkdun Runs road, as the grader ' I was not working to the best advantage, and no other man could be got. Gimmerburn. —On the roads recently shaped with the grader there are places where three culverts are required, znd the pipes have been ordered. The surfaceman ia engaged in doing drainage work where water lodges along the road, and will put in the pipe culverts when the pipes are landed. On the road between Sharkey's corner and iMarshall's last contract about two hundred and fifty cubic yards of gravel will be required to improve thirty chains of the worst part. The surfaceman has been instructed to prospect for gravel in the reserve, and Mr C. Dougherty has been good enough to let us try for gravel on his property, if suitable material cannot be got on the reserve. n Upper Kyeburn.—A stretch of road on the Naseby side of Spec Gully hill also requires to be gravelled, and if teamß are offered in reply to advertisement, this work could be done by them. Hyde.—l suggest that if teams are engaged, that they should also carry out the work on the Rock and Pillar road, for which we have not yet been able to get teams and men. Puketoi. The road to Cogan'a bridge from Fatearoa is bad in places, and it was intended to put it in order before the winter, but the surfaceman could not get the teams promised by the settlers at that time. The net sprirc has made these places almost impshaablc, and Mr T. Daffy has nt w offered to supply a man and teams. ]X possible, I will send one or (wc

men to take advantage of this offer' as che road is really in need of im~ mediate repair.

Cambrians. —I attach a letter from E. Dow in reference to contracts in the Cambrians and Lauder Districts.

A very heavy rain or waterspout was the cause of consideiable damage to the road from Dunstan Creek bridge to Cambrians, where the gravel was washed out over a long stretch of the road. This will be dressed up by the grader as sojd as it is finished at Hawkdun. Government Grants. —A statement showing the amounts appearing in the Public Works Estimates for works in the '•nunty will be before the council. Capburn Creek. —At Capburn Creek teams bad to be engage-1 to effect repairs after the last heavy rain, and the crossing is now in good order. Patearoa.—A foot bridge and planks have b en put across the two branches of the Sowburn for foot traffic to the Fost Office. Accounts. —ln conversation with the Auditor, I found that he was quite satisfied with the transfers of Riding balances as decided on by the council at last meeting, and with the transfer of balance of Land Fund account.

He suggests tbat the Linnburn Runs account should be closed by transfer to Riding accounts, and this can only be done by resolution of the council.

Beck's Bridge.—lt will be advisable as soon as men can be spared to raiße the wing wall at* Becks bridge by an additional layer of stones in wire netting, as a' further protection against damage by floods.