ROAD-MAKING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 209, 23 January 1913, Page 3

ROAD-MAKING.

TAR-SPRAYING MACHINE. The tar-spraying machine recently purchased by the Eltham County Council has now arrived and is in daily work. It gives every promise of being an eminently satifactory investment, says the Argus. Mr. Basham and his staff of workers had a little trouble at first through some dirt which got amongst the tar, but now the machine is working splendidly. It is known as Aitken's pneumatic tar-sprayer, and contains heating arrangements which keep the tar in a liquid state at a temperature suitable for spraying. There are three jets or sprays on the lower part of the machine. When the spraying is required the horses pulling the machine are | set in motion, the pneumatic arrangement is brought into action, and the hot tar is blown through the sprays on to the ground, and with a force sufficient to ensure a speedy soakage into the road.

The work is done very rapidly, and one load of tar is sufficient to give a good coating to from 14 to 18 chains of road, depending upon the condition of tlie road. At present the road at Briscoe's Hill and beyond, where the machine is working, is very dirty, calling for a good supply of tar. When further arrangements have been made to expedite the loading of the tar it will be quite possible, Mr. Basham believes, to tav about a mile of road per day. The Argus thinks the Eltham County Council will have every reason to congratulate iself upon its latest move' in the direction of keeping well abreast of the times in the matter of road-making, and the settlers, to whom a good road means much, will have reason to appreciate the activity of the Council and its engineer.