COUNTY COUNCIL

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 55, 11 July 1938, Page 4

COUNTY COUNCIL

THE ENG SNEER’S REPORT / Tiie following report was presented by the county 'engineer, Mr W. W. at the monthly meeting of the Opotiki County Council: — Contracts Completed: Contract No. 567 • ‘ Wilto'im'oad, access to Sundeli’s. Contract No. 571 for gravelling 56 chains' McCarthy’s road. Contract No. 582 for forming and metalling and culverting 8$ chains Otakana (McDonnell’s road). Waiotahi Bridge.—Several of the middle rails of this bridge were missing: these have no>v been replaced. The width of the spacing between the wheel guards and middle rail is 16 inches, and a . space of 16 inches be,tween the middle rail -and handrail. I do not think now that these rails have been replaced, that there is any danger of anyone falling through, hut if thought otherwise, a wire could be put in and stretched tight between the rails. Bend—Verrall’s Road.—l have laid off the bend on Verrall’s road, lately inspected by the chairman and riding members. The grade of the deviation will.be 1 in B|, and the. amount of filling required, for a 16 loot width road about 1400 cubic yards. Most of the filling would have to come from the side of the road and the quantity required would, mean that some distance, would have to be gone for it.. The grade on the piece of .road above the bend would average 1 in The cost of the whole work, including pipes and metalling may cost somewhere close on £200.. By employing men on No. 13 scheme the actual cost to the county could bo lessened.

Open Crossing Upper Otara: Ibis crossing is just past the r iutaotoko bridge and water has been lodging in it. 1 have had the outer part lowered and this has enabled a lot of the water to now get away. Ido not think, to put in a culvert would be very successful as the tendency would be for it to * get continually blocked with gravel; the same would I think apply if the drain and outlet were shifted.

Closing Roads Whinray Park: On the occasion of my visit of inspection in the Motu district I inspected the Falls bridge. 1 find that the repairs required are small, consisting of the

renewal of a few decl4 planks and a piece of handrailing. This coun ( ty and the Waikohu County have an agreement as to the cost of repairs which is on a 50-50 basis. Councillor McDonnell accompanied me and will be able to report on tlie . question of closing the roads as requested by the Lands Department. • '

/lload, Otara East: I have obtained a plan: showing the old road line from Lowe’s to Neill’s: some of the healings of the line are missing. Ip correctly locate the line would entail some expense.

Bridges : -. The timber and girders have arrived for the Waiotalii Valley bridge.' I hope to let tlie contract for the building of it shortly. The monetary authority has not yet been received for the Pakilii bridge. The district engineer lias asked to have it issued.

AVorks Carried Out: Plans and specifications have been /prepared and sent to the district engineer for approval for the expenditure of the grant on the R-uatuna road.

Gravelling repairs have been done op Warrington, Otara Bast, Otara, Kutarere Wharf, Paerata, and Shove’s roads. Some repairs have been done on Brown’s road, Waiotalii, but had to lie stopped owing to bad weather. The road will he finished next week.

The planer and grader have worked on the Whakatane, Waiawa, Shove’s, Paerata, Verrall’s, Waiotalii and J. Parkinson’s roads.

"Vwiite sign posts have been put in at ends of four culverts "on the Woodlands Road and drain outlet protected on the Tirohanga Road and .culvert repaired oil Keen’s road. ■

Damage* to Roads: More than the usual damage has been done to the roads this month and slips have been cleared. The recent high tide came over the Wainui flat and also over, portion of the Oliiwa road, causing some damage.

Transport; In several cases carriers have been carting greater loads than that permitted on the classified roads. There has also- been some evasion of heavy traffic licenses. A taxi proprietor licensed by the council is, 1 believe. employing a driver recently convicted for driving in a negligent manner. I may point out that as the county lias the privilege of licensing the taxis, it also has tlie control of them. ■„