ROADING AND BRIDGING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 68, 10 August 1914, Page 2

ROADING AND BRIDGING

IN CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL. SPECIAL REPORTS. In a report to the last meeting of lilt Clifton County Council on Friday, the engineer (Mr C. F. Dowsett) made reference to the reading and bridging requirements of the county. His report on -this matter was as follows.— Metalling Requirements.--Wc hear a lot about the excellent roads in the southern portions of this province,' but not quite s'o much about the extensive loan expenditure which produces these results. Owing to the very large increase in number, weight and speed of the traffic using the main north road, this Council must recognise the fact that they cannot metal and maintain this rood put of ordinary revenue. The metal is not precisely Where we want it, we admit, but some counties are worse off than Clifton in this respect and the shell rock at- worst, is second only to granite or Uruti for road metal. Whatever the virtues of the Onaero and Okoke gravel may have been under traffic conditions of a decade ago, these gravels are not going- to stand modern traffic, and nothing short of twelve inches of broken metal and tar-sealed, if possible, will withstand the present day requirements. I will therefore place before you what is necessary in the present and immediate future in respect of metal requirements for the different ridings;—

•WfliM .. 1500 yards .. £6OO Tikdrangi .. 700 yards .. 300 Ureuui Riding, Main Road .. 14000 yards .. 7000 j Okoke .. 500 yaTds .. 150 I Mokau ■ Riding Maintenance .. 1500 yards .. 900 j Pukearuhe .. 350 yards .. 175 j Ngatimaru Riling SOO yards .. 306 Half-cost of 4 miles j to Mt. Messenger 4800 yards .. 3200 ) Totals .. 2-1150 yards £12,685 i In addition, i[ tar-sealing is adopted this will increase the cost by 60s pecliain, or £5520. Further, if the machinery already scheduled is purchased, another £llOO will be required. Bridges.—The Council is adopting a sound business proposition in re-erect-ing in permanent materials. Theoretically, all works constructed out of loans should survive the loan period, and tins should be easily accomplished in respect of these bridges. But the scheme is not comprehensive enough, inasmuch as £llOO is at present required for temporary repairs to timber bridges, s'ome of which are considerably past their majority, and every year or so one or more 'will require reconstruction. No special provision has been made for either the repairs or renewals, but this is equally imperative and necessitous as the metal. Newly Gazetted Roads. —livery year 'sees a few more miles added to the Council's control in respect of tracks widened to dray roads, and as settle- ! ment and rating arc now in existence , over these areas the liability is in- ■ creased, with no further increase in in i come. Ajjain. "Muirds," which have iu j the past been cf potential value to this* ■ Council, are not perennial, and when ; through effluxion of time thev cen.se, this will mean a considerable lessening of the Council's receipts. In conclusion, the Council are requested to give these matters their most urgent attention, and they would be well advised if tWey endeavoured to emulate the constructive methods of those counties for whioh they express so much admiration.