Piako Roads, Drains, and Bridges.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4466, 23 September 1909, Page 4

Piako Roads, Drains, and Bridges.

SUPERVISOR JOHNSON’S REPORT.

At the Piako Council meeting on Tuesday last the following monthly report was read from Supervisor W. R. Johnson:— Repairs to Morrinsville-Waharoa Road through Kereone Estate. —Since the bridge over the Piako River was washed away some two years ago this road has been neglected, and consequently is now *in a rough state for vehicular traffic, owing to the cuttings being washed out into ruts, and something must be done to improve matters. As the most economical means of repairing this road, I recommend that a contract be let to re-form up the full length of the road with the read machine. This should be carried out for about 2/6 per chain, making the total amount of approximately £55. McFarlande’s Road.- Cr. Manuel and myself inspected thiß road, and decided that as the Council had received no notice of the gazettingi of this new road, that it was unwise to spend any money on it until such time as the gazette notice was forthcoming, and that inquiries he made at the Survey Departments Office with a view to furthering the matter on. The requirements necessary for the construction of this road are :—Two sets of 12in and one set of 18in pipes and carriage to road, estimated cost £8 17/; making side drain, and grading down three small hills £lB 3/£25. Mr McFarlande promises to do the work at a cost to the Council of £lO..

Tauhuna Road Complaints. —I made inspection 'of this road, and found some places very bad, and almost impassable. IJmade arrangements with settlers in the locality to fascine the worst portions, and this work has now been completed. Re Spoil Drains: Some of these drains were not in a satisfactory state, one, owing to a settler, through whose land the outlet is cut, filling up same, thereby blocking the water. The other was overflowing through the outlet not beingflow enough, but these have now received attention.

Matthieson’s Drain.—Cr. "Bellamy and ! myself inspected this drain, and thought that the drain through Mr Mathiescn’s property should be cleaned out, and as the lifting out of the pipes was doubtful, legal advice was taken on the subject, and the result was that we must not meddle with the old original scheme of drainage at the present time. Tenders have been invited for the cleaning out of the outlet, returnable to you to-day. Fitten’s Drain.—We also inspected this drain at the same time, and did decide that not much could be done at the pre- , sent time, owing to too much water. Ronald’s Drain.—This drain is a roadside drain, constructed in from the fence line at a distance of about 9ft, and although it is in need of cleaning out. I cannot recommend it being done. If anything is done it should be the shifting of the drain out to the fence line, and as this would benefit the property 1 think they should be prepared to stand half the COBt, which would be £9.

School Road Drains and Pipes.—Cr. Hughes and myself inspected this drain, and we deema it advisable to let this matter stand over until this meeting, as it is more a matter of land drainage than a road outlet. This drain is far too small to deal with effectively with the volume of water it is asked to carry, and to improve matters to a degree of efficiency, the drain will require to be enlarged to a 2sft in the bottom, with a Jin 1 slope on the sides thereof. This will cost approximately £SO. I understand that the settlers interested are prepared to contribute to a large extent, and promised to have something definite before the Council to-day respecting amount forthcoming. Dunng the month we have experienced some very heavy floods, and some Ridings have suffered heavy damages in consequence of washouts and bridges being carried completely away. This applies to Manawaru Riding more than any other there having been about £560 damage, done, by the carrying away of the Stanley culvert and Franklin’s Bridge. This amount will be relieved by the deduction of the sum of £250, which is provided for by the Bridge Loan Account. The other Ridings have not received such damage of a heavy * nature, principally minor washouts, and a number of these have been attended to, while some have yet to be put right. —Te Aroha Riding.—

This Riding’s roads are in very fair order and will not require any large outlay for maintenance works until the next winter. The recently constructed concrete culvert is now being covered up so as to get traffic going over same as quickly as possible. Carroll’s Flat.—There is about five chains of bad road at the north end of this place and now that we have some assurance that the summer is approaching fast, I think that it Would be just as well to get this small item attended to. The requirements are . —Form up 20 ft. wide and gravel same with 11 yards pei chain Total cost, approximately, £9 12s 6d.

Thompson’s Track.—l inspected this track with the Government Engineer and found a number of slips had come down during the winter months and as there is an unexpended balance left the Government Engineer instructed that these slips should be cleared away so far as the money will go. The amount is £l4.

Diagonal Road.—The recent floods have played havoc with this road at the lower end and I had to get a portion fascined to keep the creamery carts going. This portion of the road should be layed with larged spauls later on when weather is dryer. Shaftsbury Bridge Filling. The recent heavy flood again rose over the top of this filling and caused a washout. This is the third time that this has occurred during the last three years and the public safety is very much impaired, as it is a trap for travellers Using the road. What is required here is a large flood opening and the filling raised up about another three feet. This would cost about £l6O. Rushbrook’s JLow Place. Gordon-Te-Aroha Road.—This piece of road is again in a bad way owing to the recent floods having washed off all gravel put on in repairing bad places. Unfortunately this place was not scheduled with the year’s works, but it was listed witb ( the Bridge Renewals and was not authorised to be done. 1 think that if this Riding’s finances can stand it, this work should be taken m hand and put through this summer. Cost about £3OO.

—Manawaru Riding.— Nothing but surfacing works have been carried out in this riding during the month and this was somewhat heavy owing to the recent floods and heavy rains overflowing the roads in many places and as the most of our bye roads are very thin in the crust, such treatment does not tend to improve them in any way. Flans are in readiness for 63 chains qf I

Knight’s Road and also for the new bridge on Waghom’s Road. These works could be taken in hand at once. A further length of this road should be authorised to be taken in hand.

Lockyer’s Road. The unexpended balance of the Bridge Loan amount due still on this road should be now spent in raising up the approaches to the new bridge. The amount is £93. Stanley Road. This road is now stopped for traffic beyond Manawaru owing to two bridges having been washed out and I recommend that when these are being renewed that bridges be erected instead of culverts as was at first proposed, as I consider the sites are too sandy to make a satisfactory job otherwise.

—Waihou Riding—

The roads in this riding are in fair condition, owing to a good d >al of surfacing work having been carried out during the last month Plans are prepared for the improving of McKinley’s Road and this could now be gone on with.

Thomas’ Road,—l think that it would be advisable to again write to the Railway Department re enlarging the culvert through railway on this road, as there is a danger of our road being washed away, owing to the pipes under railway line being too small to deal with the water and consequently the large volume of back water tends to drive the flowing water through the culvert at such a rate that it is causing a large hole on the lower side of the line, and endangering the public road. A set of pipes on this road at McSheffery’s gate are too small to deal with the water and to make a satisfactory job, a set of large concreta pipes should oe put in. There are a number of these pipes made in this vicinity that can be utilised. Waitoa-Matamata Road.—Some time ago a sawmill started operations on the west side of this road, and owing to the extra traffic now put upon this portion of the road, it has got into very bad repair. There is no material in this locality sufficient ly good enough to stand this class of traffic, and I think that it would be advisable for Council to consider the advisability of preparing this portion of the road with good gravel. I have ascertained the price of this class of material on truck at Waitoa and I find that it will cost approximately 6s per yard, or put on the road at a lump sum of £25 10s. Perhaps it would be advisable for the Council to inquire into the imatter of the moiety acruing from the sale of millable timbers from Crown Lands, with the view of increasing their revenue from this source. - Waitoa Riding— The roads in this. Riding have dried up wonderfully daring this last few weeks. Plans are now prepared for the balance of No. 2 Road, which completes this road up to No. 7 Road. It is a great pity that matters in connection with these roads are apparently no further advanced, as we are missing the opportunity of undertaking the large amount of work that has to be carried out in the roading of this Block and in furtherance of a speedy settlement, I recommend that the Council and the Drainage Board sign a letter conjointly between them, asking the Minister to attend to this all important matter as soon aspossible. Waiorongomai Mangakawa Road_ to Aitken’s Plat.—This piece of Road is in need of something being done at once, and as there is the £IOO available for this work I recommend that a portion of this amount be expended in cleaning up the drains and cutting the ti-tree growing alongside of the road— Bay £3O. —Morrinsville Riding— Tauhei Road.—The worst places on the road have now been fascined and the road is now fairly passable. Quarry.—Now is the time for making a road into the recently acquired metal quarry on this road, as a portion of this road will net 1 metalling before the next winter hoves around. Horrell’s New Bridge Approaches.— This is a portion of the MorrinsvilleTauhuna Road that will require gravelling before the next winter. The balance of the grading on this road can now be taken in hand and plans prepared for the next meeting, Repairs.—The main road past the Quarry Road to the Recks drinking trough has cut up very badly, and needs repairing with good gravel from the CoHnty Quarry, Amount required is about 45 yards, and cost, lump sura, £6. Piako No. 2 Bridge Fillings.—This work is now nearly completed and matters at this bridge are very much improved. Prcudlock’s Contract.—This work has at last been completed and fair work has been done.

Sold old timber from this bridge to Mr Harbottle for the sum of £1 10s. Proudlock’s Drains.—This work is nearing completien and good work has been carried out.

-Walton Riding— Contracts in this Riding are now nearly completed, and good work has been done. Plans are prepared for formation and grading , on the Walton-Kiwitahi Road, a total distance of 103 chains ; also plans of culvert in connection with the Bridge loans at McFarlands gully, a sum of £2OO. Plans are also prepared for the balance of the WaltonWaharoa road and the approaches to the Scotchman’s Valley road new bridge. All these works can be taken in hand now at any time and the sooner the better. The balance of the Walton-Kiwitahi road, Ellery’s road, Valley road approaches to the new bridge when completed and Campbell’s road new bridge, can also now he put in hand and plans prepared. —General — Road Grader and Ploughs—The Council’s road grader and ploughs are out of repair, and something will have to he done to put them in order at once so as to he ready for the coming season’s operations. The grader itself requires a thorough overhauling, and I doubt whether it would not be advisable for Council to purchase a new grader of the latest type. The ploughs I recommend to be Bold as contractors have their own ploughs and do not use the Council’s. There are two single furrow ploughs and a rotary disc plow. This latter plow is in demand in this district, and should bring fair value in the open market. Whatever is decided upon I must state that I consider the price charged to contractors for the use of the grader is not sufficient to pay for wear and tear, and 1 think that the price should bo increased to 6s per day instead of 2s 9d. Stanley Culve.t—As this is going to bo a heavy drain on the Manawaru Riding finances, and is a decided benefit to the Matamata County, I think that the Act should be looked into with a view to ascertaining whether that County can Dot be legally requested to bear a half share of the cost of reconstruction.