FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 419, 18 October 1918, Page 1

FRANKLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Engineer's Report.

The County Engineer (Mr J. P. McArthur) reported aa follows at the meeting of the Franklin County Council on Thursday of last week, viz:

Waiuku-Drury road~lt is proposed to form a special rating area and to raise a loan to construct and metal the portion of this road which lies between the Olenbrook hall and the Mauku Biding boundary. Ihe distance from the Glenbrook hall to the top of 'Oonroy's deviation is 125 chains and from this point to the end of the deviation at Brown's bridge is 31 chains, and from Brown's bridge to Mauku Riding boundary 30 chains, making the total length of the road which it is proposed to form and metal 186 chains. The formation of the road on each side of Brown's bridge is heavy and adds greatly to the cost of the proposal. The amount required to be raised to form and metal the total length is estimated at approximately £3OOO. Contracts advertised.—There are at present nine contracts advertised for works in the Mauku Biding, tenders being returnable 12 noon on Monday the 21st inst. Engineering surveys. The engineering survey of the MangatangiNew Brighton road has now been completed, the length of road laid out being six miles 64 chains starting at the end ot the present formed road and terminating on the foreshore at the Hauraki Gulf. The necessary drawings and estimates are now being prepared and when completed tenders can be invited for the work A start has now been made as to defining and laying out the Man-gatangi-Miranda road. This work will be pushed along as speedily as possible. Further engineering surveys of portions of the Waiau and Earaka roads are to be proceeded with at once and tenders will be called for the work without delay, so that if possible some of the most important pieces of road should be completed this summer. With reference to the Mission Bush loan, Waiuku Biding, the necessary signatures have now been obtained to sanction the loan and I would ask your Council's permission to proceed with the laying out of the work and the calling of tenders for the necessary stone for metalling purposes. Crushing plant and machinery.— The portable crushing plant has started work for the season and will be proceeding almost immediately to Earaka quarry where there is a good quantity of stone quarried and •tacked ready for crushing. It is intended to use the same for metalling the Waiuku-Drury road, starting at the end of the present metalled road at the Earaka school, and also the Earaka to Waiau road between the Black bridge and the Earaka school. In connection with the metalling of roads in the Earaka and Waiau districts, I would point out to your Council the necessity of acquiring some further plant for hauling and rolling purposes. If the necessary plant was now available metalling could be proceeded with almost immediately, the metal being available both at the Earaka quarry and Fapakura railway station. In my opinion the plant must be purchased if metalling is to be carried out this summer.

Teams plant.—The plant has now started constructing the new access road on the western side to the Central Drury station. When this is completed it is the intention to shift the plant on to construction work under the Mangatangi loan. In regard to the proposed Glenbrook loan Cr Beid said that from Glenbrook Hall to the boundary of the Waiuku riding was about two miles and it was proposed to raise a loan to construct and metal that portion of the road and to put a deviation through Brown's Gully. Beyond the boundary of the Waiuku riding, viz, in the Mauku riding, there was about half a mile of road which had not been included in the Karaka roading scheme and before he approached his ratepayers in regard to their proposed loan he would require an assurance from the Council that the half a mile cut out from the Karaka scheme would be metalled as the work would be incomplete with out the Bame.

Cr Montgomene pointed out that the money from the Karaka loan could not be expended on the portion referred to by Cr Beid as the allocation had already been made. The Chairman remarked that it might be possible to have the work done out of rates extending over a period of say three years. Cr Montgomerie accepted the Chairman's suggestion and Cr Beid expressed satisfaction therewith. In reference to the Council's plant the Chairman said that motor lorries would be more serviceable in every way than a traction engine for transport purposes. Enquiries were being made towards the purchase of such and a report would be presented in due course.

The 1' ngin*er's action in having surveys m«He was endorsed and it was decided to call tenders for the necessary works. The report was then adopted.