WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY.

Putaruru Press, Volume I, Issue 5, 15 November 1923, Page 1

WORK IN MATAMATA COUNTY.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer, Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald, submitted the following- report for the past month to Friday’s meeting- of the Matamata County Council:— , “ The fine weather of the past few weeks -has made it possible to push ahead with the work. Mr. Kinnear’s contract for metalling- at peria is finished and he has re-commenced his Maung-atautari metalling- contract. Mr. Gardner’s .sanding- contract on Tirau-Cambridge road is practically finished. Mr. McKibbon’s sandingcontract on the Pareree - Matamata road is making g-ood progress and the reforming- of the Tirau-Putaruru road by Mr. I-lenderson is well started. The metalling of tlie PutaruruArapuni l-oad by Hart and Brown is progressing satisfactorily. Mr. Heves has recommenced metalling- on the Kaimai. Mr. Murphy wishes to withdraw from his contract for metalling; through Mamaku bush. “ The erection of the ne\v bridge on the old Tauranga road, Te Poi, has commenced, and timber has arrived for Slade-Gully’s bridge. Metal is now arriving at Tirau station lot Waiomo loan, and*the county lorries wii 1 commence carting this in a few day’s time. The two grader gangs have made good progress • with out .“bad” roads, notably Turanga-o-moana to Matamata and Turang-a-o-moana to Waliaroa, Okoroire to Hot Springs and Tirau towards Hinuera, and they are now engaged on TirauPutaruru and Hinuera-Matamata roads. One outfit has a few urgent jobs to attend to near Hinuera, and will then return to Matamata riding, whilst the second has some small works to'do round about Tirau and Tapapa with a lot of work ahead preparing- for Waiomo metalling. The third outfit to go with the new tractor, which the Council proposes purchasing, will be required at Puketurua to prepare for metalling. No very definite programme can be laid down until the various metalling schemes and loan proposals are decided. “Tenders have been .called for and are returnable next Saturday vveoic, ihe 17th inst, for the following works: Metalling from Hopkin’s corner to junction of Buckland and Matai roads. Metalling past Hinuera school. Forming and metalling from Hinuera cross roads towards Tirau. Metalling Hinuera - Matamata road from railway crossing to present metal. Completion of metalling Hinuera to Te Poi. Extending metal Te Poi towards Tirau. Metalling portion of Te Aroiha road near Te Pol. Re-metalling for bitumen about 128 chains of Matamata road (te Poi). Metalling from Okoroire towards Hot Springs. Metalling four or five miles of roads at Puketurua. “ Tenders will shortly be called for the following works: Metalling Mamaku bush. Metalling Overdale roads. Metalling portion of TirauPvtnruru road now being velormed. Various pm-.:, Him; works m Moinmata riding (subject U> tl.e DhM'OO 10-m being sanctioned). . , . “ Mi- With-: h ■ been appointed mechanic ami has taken up Ins duties. - You,- commit l •-e went’ over Pure nui ,-oad with local resident.- and they will be reporting on the matter. “The Public Works_ Engineer accompanied me on a visit of inspection to Kaimai and Mamaku and correspondence relating to the formei will be submitted. “ A grant of £2O, £1 to £2, has been sanctioned on account of Pearson’s -hill repairs, Puketurua.” The report was adopted. Crs. Judd and Stopford recommended that still another grader be purchased- bv the Council, in order that the grading work throughout the county could be completed in the summer months. After discussion the recommendation was adopted. It was suggested by Cr. S. H. Judd that the engineer get definite guarantees of supplies of metal for the many metalling contracts the Council was now letting. At Cr. Pohlen’s suggestion it was resolved to ask the Farmers’ Auctioneering Co. for permission for the Council to use the. company’s railway siding at Matamata for unloading I metal. The chairman and the engineer, with the riding member concerned In each case, were deputed to deal with the tenders received for the various contracts.