HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 17 March 1920, Page 4

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL

ENGINEER’S REPORT. Mr -J. Malcolm (County Engineer) submitted the following report to the Horowhcnuit County Council at its meeting on Saturday last: — Southern Ridings. There is still nothing doing in the -two southern ridings but maintenance. I got the large pipes laid in the Otaki and To Horo Ridings. This adds a little to the wages sheets this month, but it had to be done. There is still a I set of large pipes wanted to take the J place of a small bridge near the end of the Waihoanga road. This small bridge 1 had to re-deck with planking from the big Otaki bridge. I do not know what we would have done without it. The small bridge will take no harm if we have to wait some time for the pipes. I understand the pipe factory is stuck up for cement. I got sufficient evidence to satisfy me that the To Manuao road at Otaki is a. legal road. The sections tire subdivided to if, and that must be enough. ,- it will cost about £]bO to form and metal it. I got the piece of road from the J Otaki bridge to beyond the old Han- j tore road crossing patched. 1 am t afraid the motors will soon have it as i bail again in this dry weather. Tin- 1 main road in the Otaki Killing .is standing the traffic well. The. roadman is : looking after it well. The contractor : for the AVaikuwn Beach road re-grad-i?;;>- and widening is doing all right. i - i Wirokino Riding. • It is still in (his riding that the ! | orin'-ipal works are being done, but we j have not got on as well as wo ■'■tight in j have done on account of the shortage jj t benzine. Winter lias had both ji ■ .oiors laid tip for the last eight or » cine day.- on this account. When we j ■ onmi we could not get benzine 1 <ie- j -ided to go tm with 1h- soldiers settle- , .■lent road at Lower Kuku, as it could j only be done-with horse teams, and it is now well in hand. I understand the benzine difficulty is f, nettled and the contractor will be able ■ to resume work cut Monday with the I crusher and the waggons. I propose calling tenders soon for the formation of the Kttwiu to poxton road to keep the horse teams engaged during the time the waggons are doing the (.Huron road. The tenders can be dealt with by the councillors for the riding if g found necessary before the meeting ot > the Council. Tit re Koputuroa drain, I | i tried to make an inspection of it: on j Thursday morning, but was unable to ; j’ do so on account of the water. 1 think j the contract; will have to be suspended j for this reason, as the weather can no longer be relied on. Another thing, it - will not bo possible to get the drain down to a reasonable depth unless the creek is cleaned front the floodgate up. How is this to be done —shall I serve notices on the land abutting oit it. or how am I to do' Tokomaru Riding. The asphalting of the .Shannon to Poxton bridge is now finished. 1 have ' asphalted several .small bridges near Shannon. I sincerely hope this treatment will be more satisfactory than timber has been. L have inspected tile road that Mr Ili-iiness}- waited on the Council about at last meeting, and I find the job v, ill i ?, be fairly large. In my opinion the mad: ' y should be made right through to connect the .-shannon East and Kata roads. Put this is not absolutely necessary at present. The whole length is about *•! chains, but about do chains would j serve. If fin chains are dune the pri.-r----j ciptil difficulties are, first, the crossing f of the Otattro stream, the bed ol which, is about b feet below the torn.nti"n. Icvel of lit** road. Tht* mean*- to muto* cuttings to enable them to lord it. and will be taking away what will be required for the approaches to the bridge, and I am certain if will not do withoii’ a bridge. However, the next and most expensive difficulty i* a terrace about ' feet high. I think from the look <•: ! i; i.a the surface that if wsll ne satiustone. This will require a cutting about six chains long, average 33 met deep. The balance 01 the T’'*a*.l w;l! i-e formation only. if it make th" toad right thro::.:; it : * another sandstone ctitung .ttar '■> the tilst on.*', ami my e-:i: at' - ! follows: —The through road formed a ml en tailed, -till'",: f, ;i cl.atns : ■ .-r: metalled. 417-j'). The roadman's cottage at Tokomaru is now completely finished very satisfactorily. The roads are beginning to show pot holes like all the others. I have given instructions to get them filled :<» teen as possible.