MANAWATU GORGE ROAD.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9123, 16 April 1908, Page 7

MANAWATU GORGE ROAD.

At Tuesday’s meeting of Kairanga County Council a letter was read from the Chief Engineer, Department of Beads, with reference to the deputation which waited on the Minister for Public Works relative to repairing this road. It stated that a report had been obtained, in which the cost of opening the road f o r traffic was sebimated at £I2OO. As funds are not now available, the Minister was unable to make a grant. The matter would, however, be considered in preparing this wsr’s estimates, and so soon as the road is open for traffic and brought within Section' 109 of the Public Works Act the necessary Governor’s warrant will be issued, apportioning {he cost of maintenance in terms of the report of the former Commission. „ , . . • . Hr G. P. Robinson, District Engineer, reported having inspected the road with Mr Nathan, Assistant Scad Engineer, and estimated the cost of widening the road where necessary and of the renewal of two burnt bridges. The estimate was fairly correct excepting in the case of {he big slip, hut this it was impossible to accurately compute. In respect to the big slip, they might either build a concrete retaining wall, down near the river level, about 20 feet high and of sufficient base and weight to withstand the pressure of spoil placed against it, to reinstate the road carried away ; or to excavate a new road in the face of the cliff, cutting back the rock shoulders on each side 25ft. to 30ft. so as to obtain easy curves. The concrete wail would cost about £9OO, and the filling against it to form the road would bring the total cost to about £IOOO. The cost of removing the present slip, cutting in a new road cutting off the rock shoulders at each end of the slip, and utilising the larger rocks for pitching the toe of the embankment against the river, would he about £SOO. This, however, depended on whether rock is struck for road formation, or whether the whole face of the hill (over 100 ft. high) is of loose rubble, which will continue to run on removal of the base, in which case the cost cannot be estimated. , During February fires have laid bare a large extent of the hill side, and winter rains will bring down numerous large slips. From about 1880 to about two years ago there have been few large slips, but now the surface has started moving it is hard to say to what extent it may continue.

About four miles of the road require regular maintenance, about half being in Pahiatua and half in Kairanga County. For most of the year the services of two men would be required. He advised the sowing of all burnt parts of the sides of the Gorge with lupin or broom before winter. The Council discussed the report at length, aud resolved that the Engineer be instructed to put on day labour to remove tbe'slips and open the road for traffic.