MATAMATA COUNTY WORKS.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 121, 25 February 1926, Page 5

MATAMATA COUNTY WORKS.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald, county engineer, reported as follows to his council at the last meeting:— “ One Ford truck was stationed at Matamata, two Fords were at Te Poi and the fotjrth was there part of the month carting shingle to various roads. The trucks will commence surfacing the southern end of Rangitanuku road next week. The Wehr grader worked in the Te Poi area during the first half of the month and then moved to Tokoroa, where a considerable amount of maintenance grading- is being done. The Cletrac worked in the Te Poi area during the early part of January and is now engaged in banking up new metal at various points north of Tirau. The horse teams are still on metalling

work in the Putaruru area. The motor roller was laid up most of the month and has recently moved from Te Poi to the new metal between Tirau and Hinuera. The steam roller is attending to new metal both north and south of Matamata. A new motor roller is on order and is due to arrive about the end of March. Very considerable headway with new metalling has been made since Christmas and the road rollers have been quite unable to keep pace with the work. The Matamata-Gordon road should be metalled from Turanga northwards to the county boundary in about a week -or 10 days and efforts are being made to close the gap between Turanga-o-rncana and Matamata before next winter. The Wairere Quarry Company supplied 1014 yards of metal to this road during the month.

“ About 2i miles of metalling was done) on the main highway between Tirau and Matamata during January and it is hoped to close all the gaps by about the middle of April. Metalling of the Waiomo main road was recommenced and the gaps on each side of the Waihou river should he closed before the end of February, when, circumstances permitting, it is proposed to widen out the existing metal to 12 feet to accord with the county scheme (loan).

“ Murphy ceased work on the highway south of Putaruru on January 27, having supplied a total of 1922 yards of rock, and the contract has been relet north of Lichfield to Leaman and Stuart and south of Lichfield to Walsh, and it is still probable that all gaps will be closed before the winter. Scahill 1 s made a good start with metallic ; at the northern end of the Waotu main road. Middleton is re-fornting the river route from Waotu to Puketurua and will shortly commence metalling on Huihuitaha load. Graham has the surfacing of Kensington street in hand and this will shortly be completed, after which he goes to Te Poi to cart shin- i gle for the old Tauranga road. Bemrose, is still re-forming- the main highway near Hinuera. Strong will , finish his metalling contract on Whitehall main road in the near future. Hart and Brown have recommenced the carting of shingle at Okauia and are making- very good progress. Mahood and partners have recommenced metalling at Maungatautari but are making slow progress. Strickland has commenced the Te Whetu works. Gardiner will sand portion of Totman’s and Toatoaroa roads when his metalling- work at Okoroire permits and Kinnear will sand 1 portions of Parapara road when his metalling work at Hinuera permits. “ The bridge on the main highway between Okoroire and Hinuera requires redecking. The present double decking is rotten and it is proposed to replace it with hard wood.

“ The bridge near Okauia post office is collapsing- and will have to be rebuilt at once. It is proposed to give the new bridge a span of 20 feet to 25 feet as against the present 15-foot span ; to raise the level about two feet and to move the position to a point which will allow of the stream being- straightened. The plans have not yet been prepared, but the cost will probably be about £4OO, towards which there will be a Public Works Department grant of £1 for £l. “ The Main Highways Board approved the proposals for the rebuild-. ing of the Oraka bridge, TirauRotorua road, in ferro-concrete. The construction of the piles will be put in hand forthwith and tenders for the work will be called for the next meeting of the council. “ Tenders for the formation of Paraonui road are returnable next week. “ The Main Highways Board has let contracts for formation and metalling through Mamaku bush and work has been commenced. '-The board also has a survey party on the Kaimai as a preliminary to metalling- works to be done on that 'S'ectidri.” , The report was adopted.