COUNTY WORKS.

Shannon News, 24 May 1927, Page 4

COUNTY WORKS.

REPORT OF THE ENGINEER. The folloAving report on work done in the County for the past’month Avas submitted by the engineer (Mr. W. N. Anderson) at the monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday: — Tokomaru Riding.

I have very little to report on in this riding. All roads are in very fair order. A small grader has been at work on the main road, and number one grader has-been employed in cutting shoulders on the Tokomaru township roads and several district roads. A 24-inch concrete pipe culvert lias been put in to replace old box culvert in front of Mr. Biggins' property. The Makerua Drainage Board have re-erected bridge over the Kara stream on western side of railway and formed approaches to same, but these approaches are not yet metalled. No. 1 power grader has been at work on the main road in the southern end of the riding. Wirokino Riding.

Most of the roads in this riding are in good order, particularly the main roads. Several of the district roads are in need of maintenance and will be attended to shortly. Both power graders have been Avorking in this riding, number one grader practically full time, and number tAvo grader part time. Formation work on the Oliau West road extension has been completed. Te Whanga Road has received approxim-

ately half coat of metal; the balance will be put on. in the spring. Wailiau .Road has been formed and received half coat of metal. A start has been made with the erection of new bridge over the Aratangata drain on the Kopu-taroa-Foxton Road.

A£ instructed, I hereby submit the estimates for the following roads:— Lindsay Road extension £270, Paiaka Road extension £261, Mark's Road extension £4-50. In regard to road givingaccess to Mr. E. Saint's property, Ohau East, as no definite route has been decided on, I am unable to give estimate for same. I also submit’ estimate for high pressure water supply for Bruce, Butler and main roads, allowing for a two-inch main, which would give ample service for any future sub-division or services, the cost would be £BOO. Otaki and Te Horo Ridings. There is not a great deal to report on in these ridings. The whole"of the main roads are at present under the construction gangs. All district roads in both ridings are in very fair order. Tivo roads in the Te Horo Riding where traffic was diverted from main road, were somewhat damaged, but are now being attended to. Work has been started on the overflow drain.'ait .To Horo, and the survey has been completed in connection with the taking under the Public Works Act of a small piece of land in connection with same.' A quantity of metal has been removed from the Manakau stream on the South Manakau Road, which should relieve the flooding trouble at this point. A start has been made with the formation work on the.-Waikawa South Road extension.

Cr. Barber reported that the Kawa bridge approaches were now . being metalled by the Makerua Drainage Board. Foxton Road. Curves. Cr. Ivilsby said there were some bad bends in the Foxton . Road and an accident occurred, at one of them last week. The engineer should do something to widen them out. The engineer stated that a big expense would be involved to deal with the cants and corners. The corner which was cut off at Hor robin L a few weeks ago was as bad as ever. Unless he could fill up from 2-1 to 30 feet at each curve, no good would be done. Cr. Kilsby said that somethingshould be done to the corner at the foot of the hill. The engineer: Land would have to bg taken for it. The chairman: This would be a very good thing for gentlemen, to discuss when going round on the estimates. Cr. Kilsby agreed to the chairman’s suggestion.

Trees at Road Comers. Cr. McLeavey stated that several people at Kuku had approached him and asked that something be d.one to the trees at the corner of Muliunoa West Road.

The chairman said he was going to mention the same question. Wherever trees were encroaching on the view of a road, the enginer should be asked to interview the owners in the first place and ask them to cut them down. On the motion of Cr. McLeavey, the engineer urns directed,to interview such ‘owners where necessary,

Ohau West Road. Cr. Catlcy stated that the Ohau West Road was becoming particularly bad. Hie engineer stated that he would do his best to have it attended to when vehicles were available. ef Waitohu Bridge.. Cr. Ryder said he would like to see attention given to the Waitohu bridge at golf links, as it had been waiting for it for tw.o years. * The chairman: You will have to make provision this year on the estimates. Cr. Ryder: It is only decking and handrails that are wanted. The stringers arc good. Tractors on Roads. Cr. Ryder wished to know if tractors were to be allowed t.o run on the bitumen road. The .chairman: They can go on if they have road wheels, but not with the blades. Cr. Ryder: Isn’t our road too hard to be affected? The engineer: Not at the speed at which’they travel. It is prohibited in the highways by-laws. Cr. Ryder said that in Otaki people* could only get chaff cut by a man who tad no power but a tractor. The engineer explained that it was the front wheels that damaged the road most. There was a rib over the front wheels, and if it was a little out of the true it would plough a furrow in the road.

Cr. Whyte stated that one or two owners of tractors at Tokomaru ’ had false rims to put over the wheels, these rims being made by the blacksmith. Uses of Spoil.

Cr. Ryder said that the Borough of Otaki wanted to know if there was any chance of getting the spoil which was going to waste at the big crusher; if" the county would sell the spoil, also if, in the slack time of the year, it could have the use of a couple of lorries to cart it. . •

The engineer stated that the County staff would want all the spoil for use below Te Horo in binding. A lot of it was fine maintenance stuff.

The engineer's report was adopted