ROADS, BRIDGES AND OTHER WORKS.

Shannon News, 10 May 1929, Page 1

ROADS, BRIDGES AND OTHER WORKS.

COUNTY ENGINEER’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR.

A review of the principal works carried out for the Horowhenua CountyCouncil during the past year was presented at the meeting of that body on Saturday, by the Engineer, Mr J. T. M. Brewster, as follows: Owing to various circumstances, suoh as the change in the head of the engineering department, and certain unavoidable delays during the period when overtures were being made to the Main Highways Board to have! the subsidy on Highway construction increased from £1 for £1 to £3 for £l, it has not oocn possible for the Council to carry out as much work as would be desirable, 'but it must be admitted that the result of the year’s working is very, satisfactory. The outstanding item to be referred to is the completion of bitumen paving of a further length of Main Highway. The portions completed are: Foot of Simcox Hill to near the railway overbridge south of Manakau, Arapaepae Road near Waoku Stream, (£ueen Street, and Shannon to Makerua. The formation, and part of the foundation work on D’Ath’s and Beyan’s deviations were carried out in readiness to have the paving .completed ne:st paving season. Formation and foundation of 1 oltomaru River to North Boundary of County were completed. The construction of a bridge over the Kara Stream on No. 60 Highway was completed, resulting in a structure that should give service for a considerable time.

Surveys on Main Highways in various parts of the County have been carried out. At first glance, some of this work might appear unnecessary, but there is considerable value to th* Council to know where the. road reserve boundaries really are situated. The plans resulting from such surveys are permanent records in the office and may be of considerable usefulncs- in the future.

Very little work has been carried out under subsidy by way of Government grant from the Public Works Department. The only works commenced during' the year under this heading are Marks, now .Kukutauaki, and Waikawa Beach roads. Metalling was carried out *on the former and formation on / the latter road. The metalling of Waikawa Beach Road wib be completed early in the 1929-30 year. Other works coming under the heading of Government grants and where a move has been made to get the works, under way are:—The Waihoanga and Taungata' suspension bridges. Plans of these structures were submitted to the Public Works Department for approval, and it is hoped ihese structures will be erected during the current year.

The only damage of a serious na ture caused by floods -was the destruction of the Albert Road bridge. The flood in this area was quite local, being practically confined to the one valley. The new bridge will be completed early in* the 1929-30 year. Maintenance work generally has been carried on throughout the County, and although, in places, the roads became a- little rough, the best was got from the machinery on hand to deal with the matter.

A matter that requires more attention than has been allotted to ;t in the past, is the maintenance of water races, more especially that system taking its supply from the Ohau River. On two occasions during the past year the main intake race broke its banks In each case the broach was repaired bv constructing a concrete wall.

“The machinery owned by the Coun cil is standing up to work fairly sat isfactorv, with the exception of the old Thornyeroft lony. It is not.- afiti oipated that any more machinery will be required to complete the Main Highways construction programm: and at the same time deal with maintenance work, throughout the County, unless' it might be a tractor and. grader to replace the one at present in use.