MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Shannon News, 12 October 1926, Page 3

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

COST OF SECTIONS TO BE GIVEN. PROGRESS OF THE WORK. At Saturday's meeting of the HoroAvhenua County Council, a motion Avas moved by Cr. Kilsby as folloAVs: "That the Engineer give a report on the cost of building shoulders along the Ihakara —Potts Creek section, also the cost of cutting doAvn Pott's rise. Also cost of strengthening, the road." Cr. Kilsby said it seemed to him that there was nbthing to shoAv Avhere the pnoney was being spent. The Finance Committee had authorised a lot of money and the Council had nothing before it to shOAV where it Avas spent. The Chairman: Oh, yes, there is. Cr. Kilsby: I have not seen anything. The ratepayers should be given some knowledge of it and the councillors Avho came heze should have some idea of the cost. The foremen keep time books and it is only a matter of simple' addition to find out Avhat the cost Avas. Cr. Catley, though seconding the mo- I tion, pro forma, did not see lioav they could get the return asked for Avithout | a tremendous amount of trouble, but | if Cr. Kilsby could show that the cost \ Avas more than, Avas reasonable h/e was performing a public seiwicc. Until a section Avas completed, hpAvever, he did not see hoAV they could get a correct return piecemeal. Cr. Ryder supposed Cr. Kilsby did not want to knoAv to £1 or even to £lO, but the approximate cost. The same thing applied at the cutting at the Otaki bridge.. •'DOWN TC THE .INFINITESIMAL." The chairman said they Avould get the cost of the sections as they were completed, but they could not ask the Engineer to give the correct cost of one cutting. They Avould be able to compare the cost of each section Avith the estimate and sec if it Avas exceeded. He had seen men Avorking for half a day on the shoulder of the road and then taken off on to a culvert. If they were going to require "details of that sort, they Avould not keep Avithin the estimate. Like 'Cr. Kilsby, the chairman said, he Avould like to.--kn.oAv Avhat these items Avere costing, but they could not get down to. the infinitesimal. Cr. Kilsby produced an estimate given by the Engineer in the early stages of the scheme and the® cost given for the cutting on .Potts' Hill was £2OO. The speaker considered the cost was more like £SOO. The Engineer: That is only an estimate made for loan purposes. What does it say for water tables and shoulders? Cr. Kilsby said he could not see anything for that. The Engineer said that whe'n that estimate was made for loan purposes, there had been no survey and no in-/ strument had been put on thy road. It Avas not the estimate that Avent into the Public Works Department. On the motion being put it was lost Cr. Kilsby being the only councillor to A T ote for it. THE ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Engineer reported as follows on the Avork of the-month:— ' Waikanae—Otaki River flection.— Satisfactory progress has been made with the formation work in this section. The filling at Otaki bridge i:-: practically completed and a start has been made Avith the erection of shoulders betAveen Otaki Bridge and Te Horo. The strangthening of foundation course at Waikanae is well i;i hand and* should be completed from .Waikanaei Bridge to cutting north of Waikanae, Avithin the next tAvo Aveeks. The culvert gang lias been employed during the period placing and renewing culverts on thip.section, and should complete Avork Avithin the next week. It is hoped to have a crusher net up in cutting at Otaki Bridge 1 efore next , meeting. ' Otaki—Manakau Section.---The survey at this section has been completed, and plans, specifications, etc., have been forwarded to the Highways Department, Wellington, for r)>|:roval. NO. CO HIGHWAY. Levin—Potts' Creek Section:—The formation work on this seel lo'.r is practically completed, and the strengthening of foundation course is bang pushed on in a very satisfactory manner. Approximately 1-i miles .hv-i. been put doAvn.

Shannon —Makerua Section: —The Engineering Survey is practically- finished and the plans of same e:e well in hand. A survey and plars of same were made re road encroachment on railway, between Shannon a:>d Kingston Road and all information regarding this matter has been forwavi cd to the District Railway Office for their consideration. The next survey work to be taken in hand, is in the 1 lakerua — Tokomaru sectioa.