WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY

Putaruru Press, 18 October 1923, Page 4

WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY

THE PAST MONTH. Engineer's Report. •The report! for the ;past n.ontb\ submitted by Ihc county engineer, Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald, to‘last Friday’s meeting of the Matamata County Council was as follows: “ The promising weather of a month ago was short-lived, and we were unable to make much progress with tho many water-logged .lengths of road. However, advantage is being’ taken of all suitable weather for sanding, patching and attention to culverts. Grader gangs have made, a start in Tirau, Peria and Matamata ridings. A permanent .surfaceman has been stationed at Putaruru, and he is giving special attention to Waotu road. This man needs a light horse for ruling and harness work. The condition of the Kaimai road has suffered owing to lack of a surfaceman during the wet weather. “ Good progress has been made with metalling- in Peria riding and this work is nearing completion, but the metalling of the Putaruru-Ara-puni road has been delayed by the weather and the bad condition of toe road leading to the work. Contracts for metalling Puketurua roads arc being prepared and tenders for the work will be called during the month. “ Sanding contracts on the TirauCambridge and Hopkins’ corner-Mata-mata roads are progressing satisfacj. torily, the former being nearly' finished. “ Clark’s road, Peria, was inspected but it is not in a fit condition for taking over. li The proposed deviation of the road crossing Waieti stream was inspected in company with representatives of Waipa and Matamata counties and the Public Works Department. u The bridge near Tokoroa factory, was renewed anil the temporary bridge over the new cut at Peria was strengthened, it oeing proposed to erect a new concrete bridge at this point during the summer, when the stream can be temporarily diverted into its old channel ito facilitate the work. Construction of the Te Poi bridge will be commenced as soon as the overseer can be spared from more urgent work, and in assistant bridge carpenter has been engaged. It is proposed to place a sft by sft totara culvert on Te Whetu road at the point where the concrete culvert has washed away. The re-building of Muirhead’s road bridge *s held up pending the Council’s decision as to the site. “ Tirau pound has been fenced. Posts arc on order for repairing fences at the accommodation paddock on Rotorua road. “ Some of the metalled roads in the northern portion of the county are badly worn and a good deal of patching has been done*, but this can only be looked upon as a temporary palliative, giving indifferent results. Such roads, for instance the Mata-mata-Wharoa road, cannot be brought into anything like, good sfciape without recoating, and even if tins were done the surface would soon deteriorate unless it were bitumenised. Waterbound macadam, will not stand uo to present day traffic, far less will it serve the traffic of the near future. The change in traffic conditions is more vast and is taking place more ram’dly than most of us realise.” The report was adopted. COMMITTEE RECOMENDATIONS. The Works Committee reported that fifteen applications for the position of echanic on tlie Council’s permanent staff had been received, • and three were being submitted to the Council for final selection. It submitted the following recommendations “ That inquiries be made regarding the selected three applicants and that the chairman and the engineer be authorised to make the appointment at a salary equivalent to £6 per week. “ That the salary of the .overseer be reinstated at £25 per month ar* from October 1. 1923. “That about £SOO of the £2OOO balance in hand out of .the. plant loan be expended upon the purchase ot a bitumen sprayer, heating*' tanks, anti a horse-broom. , ... “ That it he pointed out to tue restrict Engineer, Public Works Department, Auckland, that portions of the old Putaruru-Arapuni road, particularly on Pearson’s hill, arc badly worn and dangerous to traffic as a result of heavy winter traffic m connection with Arapuni dam, this applying to portions that were graded by the Council only last year, and ' that he be asked to put the road m reasonable condition forthwith and not wait until the conclusion of the work. “ That owing to the difficulty of-en-gaging good men locally with experience in handling graders, two such' men be advertised for.” The recommendations v. eve adopted, and-with a view to expediting the grading this year It was resolved to secure another motor-drawn grading outfit, the engineer io enquire whether a Cletrac or other form of traction would be most suitable and economical.