HOROWHENUA MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Shannon News, 12 October 1926, Page 3

HOROWHENUA MAIN HIGHWAYS.

FAVOURABLE PUBLIC WORKS REPORT. "NO ANXIETY WHATEVER." Last week, at the request of the Horowhemia County Council, Mr A. Tyndall, Highways Engineer, in company with Mr R. Ronayne,' District Engineer, and Mi\ Littlejohn, Public Works Department, made a thorough inspection of the penetrated portion of the Main Highway between Manakau bridge and Kimberley Road, and a report on this work may be expected shortly. At Saturday's meeting of the Council, the. chairman, Mr G. A. Monk, said the report was not available until it had been before the Highways Board on the 21st inst. Cr. Ryder was present at the inspection as chairman of the Works Committee and if the Council wished would report on it. Cr. Catley said he would rather wait uhtil the report came to hand as it meant going over it again. The Chairman: I have the authority of the Engineer to say that the report is a favourable one. The Council desiring to hear Cr. Ryder, he stated that he reported with a good deal of pleasure. Some months ago he was concerned about the bitumen road, but to-day he could say openly and fearlessly that he had no anxiety whatever about it. The Main Highways Engineers made a thorough inspection. They did not spare the pick wherever they thought there was any doubt but delved into the road. In not one spot did they find any bitumen that was crumbling. It was ful! of vitality. They made no secret that the Council should not have gone so far ahead with the first course before putting on the sealing course, but they had not one fault to find with the road. The very fact of the water getting away from it spoke wonders for the foundation that the Engineer had laid down.- The inspecting Engineers emphatically stressed the point that the Council should see that road was thoroughly dry of water before the sealing is put on. It was no use sealing the road with water in the underlying strata. If they did it when the water was out, they would have one of the finest roads in New Zealand. '