Piako Roads, Drains, and Bridges.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4451, 19 August 1909, Page 2

Piako Roads, Drains, and Bridges.

SUPERVISOR JOHNSON’S REPORT.

At the Piako County Council meeting on Tuesday. Supervisor W. R. Johnson submitted his report for the month, as follows:

During the month very little but repair works have been undertaken, bub such repair works has been somewhat heavier than usual, owing to the incessant rainfall, which had a disastrous effect upon the roads generally. However, the worst portions have been attended to and they should now stand fairly well until the summer months set in, when works of a more permanent nature can be undertaken. The contracts that were ordered to be suspended for the winter months, at the last meetmg, have been dealt with as authorised. The two bridge contracts in the Walton Riding have been started, but slow progress has been made owing to the wet weather.

The Piako-Kereone Bridge Contract has now been completed and the adjustment of accounts will be attended to as soon as time limit will allow, which will be in two weeks. The contractors who have the work of filling up the approaches to this new bridge have made a start with the work and light traffic can now proceed over the bridge. I found it Inecessary to fascine a further length of the Tauhei Road to keep the traffic open. I had also to fascine a portion of the Walton-Waharoa Road, which had become very bad. The Tahuna-Morrinsville Road, where contractors were stopped from proceeding further with their grading contracts, is in a deplorable state, but nothing of a permanent nature can be undertaken until the dry weather sets in. This applies to the No. 1 Road on the Waitoa Estate.

I may here state that I think that the Waitoa Drainage Board might push matters along with respect to a settlement of the question of who is to have control of the roads, for if a settlement is not come to soon we will have the summer past again and no roads constructed.

Re Mr Mathieson’s complaint re road water doing him damage through the Council cleaning up the road drains and thereby accelerating the flow of the water from other parts of the Estate down to the point where it has to find its way in to the Ohine Creek through Mr Mathieson’s property per medium of Cribb’s outlet drain, I have to report as follows This is one of the drains that I referred to in my report re roading the Block and it was then my intention to carry this water along No. 1 Road to the intersection of No. 4 Road, but I have now altered my opinion with respect to this portion of the scheme, for since the Council cleaned the portion of the No. 1 Road Drain from No. 4 Road to near where Cribb’s outlet turns across the road and into Mathieson’s property, I find a very bad sand bank has to be encountered and I therefore am now of the opinion that, if my scheme is to be gone on with I must recommend the Council *to delete that portion as above-mentioned w and use Cribb’s outlet instead.

Re damages, I have to report that the road drain iat this point did overflow on Mr Mathieson’s land, but I am unable to state that there was any damage done. I have no recommendation to make in the meantime re this drain, and I think (it would be wise to wait until the settlement re control of roads before doing anything. The same applies to Fitton’s complaint, which is from the same road drain lower down, and is the other outlet for road purposes as laid down in my scheme. Destruction of willows, I have written to Mr North for a drum of his “ Noxine,” and he wrote l stating that he would send along a drum in a few days but up to the present time it has not arrived. Mr McKibbon’s request to open up the road at the back ot the Hotel, Waihou, I have [inspected this, and have to advise that, as wo have numerous works of a more urgent nature than this is, that if Mr McKibbou is prepared to contribute up to two-thirds of the cost of construction that the matter be considered.

Re making up shop front, I recommend that Mr McKibbon be given authority to put in a set of six inch pipes extending a distance of 24 feet, pipes to be laid in the solid ground, and proper inlet and outlet made for the free how of water, filling over the same to extend for same distance and graded at either end so as not to make a dangerous place for pedestrians travelling at night. Re footpath in front of shop, I recommend that he be allowed to raise up same in a like manner and grade at the ends as above.

Concrete Bridges: The work of constructing Rowe’s Bridge has been hampered very much through wet weather, but it is now nearing completion.

Concrete Culvert at the Gordon. This is now completed and a good strong job has been made. The earthworks can now be undertaken at any time. Concrete pipes, I have now succeeded in bringing this work up to a high state of efficiency by reducing the weight of the pipei from 10£ cwt to about 6 cwt, by the use of reinforcing wire and reducing the thickness of the wall from 4 inches to inehes concrete and giving a greater carrying capacity of volume of water from 28 inches to 31 inches, the cost has been reduced from 17s to 14s. Also, patching operations are at present being carried out in Te Aroha, Waihou, and Manawaru Ridings where necessary. I submit for your inspection, plans and specifications of the Waitoa-Walton new bridge, but I cannot recommend this work being proceeded with at the present time, owing to the high state of the water in the river.

I. am proceeding with the laying out of the numerous new works in the various ridings so as to ensure an early start in the spring with all the earthworks.