MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 461, 2 September 1919, Page 1

MANUKAU COUNTY COUNCIL.

A Trip to Taranaki. FIRST-HAND INFORMATION. ON ROAD-MAKING METHODS. Recently a number of the members of the Manukau County Council visited Taranaki, in order to observe for themselves the splendid roading methods obtaining there. The following is a re;ort of the observations made, as composed by the Manukau County Engineer (Mr W. J. Lopdell) "In company wiih the Chairman and other members of the Council, a visit was made to Taranaki on the 28th July to stud}' the road-making methods and modern plant of tho district. Tiio local bodies visited were New Plymouth, Stratfoid, Eltharu borough councils, and Taranaki, Stratford, Uaworn, Waimate West, Egmont, and Kit ham county councils. In this report I do not intend to individualise, sutP.ce it to say that in each district wo lound the local bodies and their engineers the very essence (if hospitality, and ever willing to pass on their experience to us. During our sojourn in that province we gathered much valuable information, which wo trust wiil be made good use of in the near future in this county. We learned that there are three systems of road treating in operation in Taranaki namely, tar sea'ing, tar grouting, and tar macadam. Tar sealing consists of thoroughly sweeping a wellformed water bound macadam road with a road broom drawn by a horse, also U' ing hand brooms to assure a clean surface for the boiling tar to adhere to. The tar is then heated to about 2ao to 300 degrees, and then sprayed on to the surface with a force pump. Isy this process nine men can comple'.o one mile per day. The tar is then covered with stone screenirgs, and left open for the traffic to work in. Some weeks (or months) later a finishing coat is applied, the first application taking about tluee quarters of a gallon to the square yard. The cost per mile of tar sealing (exclusive of the road itself, and including the surface only for a 12ft road width) is as follows, the figures having been given by the various local bodies

New Plymouth Boro. Council 260 Eltham County ~ ;',lO Waimate West County „ 320 Stratford County ~ 315 All for two coats of tar. Tar grouting consists of scarifying an old road, and re coating same with at least three inches of metal. When this is rolled to an even surf ice it is Rprayed with prepared tar, as i-i the v. am of tar sealing. iS'iuo few weeks later tho tar sealing coat is applied The cost of this class of r.iad is about one-third more expensive than that of the tar sealed road, plus cost id' metal Tar nmcadii!!! consists of the metal and tar heing thoroughly mixed, either by lit ichino or hand, prior to being placed on tho road This, we learned, made the heft* r road of the three, but the system lends itself mere to In.rough councils' ilian to county work. Ihe chief thing that stunk us was that in the counties, whore the otoatest mileage of tarred roads existed, the lighter was :!i•< rate. The eh .itman of the Waimat W e--t < ounty Council (Mr Mcl'hil--1 p.l informed us that they have 1"> miles of tarred no's out of a total of fill. Whereas their rate for main tenanc prevn us to the advent of tar was -">1 1 i.-i the X on the capital value, they now only requie lAd in the £ Also, the co-'. ; el running expens s, In a h oi' mi.tor and otlni ;;:aidiiii<ey, is ledut.cd to a minimum. Cost ( f Brola n Stone, and quality -- It has of'.en b. en said that nr.dniaking stcno v».!» jdentiinl, good iu quality, and chi ap to hand.'. This, how« ver, does not appear to be tho opinion held by those who have to make the roads In the Taranaki province the psi es vary. Stone is seldom found on roads under log per cubic jutd, mi i the quality is very inferior to cur own. We learned that in tomo ot :he districts they l'ound it cheaper to get good metal iroui ijo'mont, Wellington, and rail it up to Taranaki. It will, therefore, bt. s; eu that none of the metal used in that province l.ui bo termed

C list! p. I The advent of motor t: action ! forced the hands of local bodies to J Link for something iiiiiio lusting ] than the ordinary modem roads, and ;his, they claim, lias Keen found iu , di-tilled tur. .At present some j counties are purchasing the prepared tai from companiis, ready to be! heated and p!.i< cd on tin) roads. | Oilier counties aie doing their own iviiuiug. This rnjuiies a J'airly ex-j pensive and win 11 the ioss . (' ; by-products, overhead charges, ami depreciation on plant ,;ie t.iken into ! account, perhaps no groat saving is shown. In the case of our own County, we should ho aide to get lmth metal and tar at a cheaper rato than in Taranaki, besides having a better climate and a longer summer. I cannot conclude my report without making mention of the kindness

extended to our Council by all whom we called upon. Especially would I mention Mr Newton King's staff, who pla.ed their cars at our disposal, and spent a whota day in running us to see evory depot where any machinery was at work. As it is our intention to place our views before tho ratepayers at an eailj date for a machinery loan, aud riding loans, no advantage will be gained by making this report too lengthy. I take the opportunity of thankirig the Chairman and Councillors for their loss of time in assisting me to acquire the information which could only be gained by personally visiting and seeing for ourselves."