MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1917, Page 6

MOA ROAD BOARD.

. MONTHLY-MEETING, Tlib ordinary meeting of the- Moa Road Hoard was held at Inglewood on .Saturday, when there were present: Messrs A. Gorki! 1 (chairman), A. E. Laurence, J. W. Kenwood, T. S. Bowler, H. Trimble, J. Hunter, J. M. Hair, and J. B. Simpson. OVERSEER'S REPORT. . The overseer (Mr. R. L Hogg) reported as follows: Metalling work had been completed on Dudley road west. A distance of 20 chains had been re-coated with 120 yards of stone. Another -IO chains had beer, blinded and rolled. Twenty-six cubic yards of stone drawn from the river by day work bad been crushed and dumped for maintenance work, so as to avoid waste time. The teams were being used during any spare time in carting out. additional boulders, which would have the effect of considerably reducing the cost of metalling to ratepayers. Sixteen chains of Durham road east had b-en re-coated with 82 yards of metal. The plant was now engaged on Durham road west. About 120 cubic yards oi stone had been carted out near Mr. Corney's, which is being crushed. When this stone was laid on the road the plant would be moved higher up the road, where 40 cubic yards of boulders had already been delivered ready for crushing. There were,, several patches of weak road to 'be done, and when these were completed the road would be in a satisfactory condition for a considerable distance, 'He was endeavoring to fill in all the weak portions between these parts previously strengthened, so that the re-coating of each road would be continuous. John's and Surrey roads would be done, when the plant completed Durham road west, and then he proposed doing Ross and Ngara roads. It would be necessary to notify the contractor for boulders for Ross and Ngara roads that the, boulders were required not later than the first week in January. Failing this, the board would carry out tiie work. The maintenance metal for Salisbury road would be delivered when crushing on Ross road. He had not yet had time to prospect for metal in the Ratapiko district, but would do so in plenty of time to keep the metalling works under progress. All the Bin. pipes on the Kupara road had been replaced with 9in. pipes, which should reduce the blocking of the culverts to a minimum. The timber for the new bridge on the Mangaotca road and for strengthening the bridge on the Rugby road had been shipped, and the works would be put in hand as soon as possible. 'With regard to the loan work on the Mangaotea road, it would be advisable to defer the metalling work until tho plant had completed the round tour of the district, otherwise j it would mean leaving some of the district work for another year, which would | not 'be advisable,' as many of the roads I were in a weak condition. The formation works could be put in hand as soon j as opportunity offered. TFie Windsor! road drain had been partly cleared, and/ would be completed when tho foremi'2 finished with tho plant. Blinding n J: work of a general nature : h:ul Ik u done on the Bristol, Kaimata hortir a„t ( south, Rirautautaka, Wortley. Linton., Norfolk east and west, John's, and Sur] rev roads. Considerable time had beei' taken up in attending to proposed loan matters,- taking levels and preparing plans and specifications, and extra work entailed in the carrying out of the board's work by day labor. He had twice met tho ratepayers on Richmond road in connection with the proposed loan for formation and metalling, and had prospected for metal He had been able to procure all the labor required at present; and in addition was utilising the permanent men as much as possible and when conditions were favorable. It bad been necessary to renew some of the firebars in the fixebox of the roller, and he had ordered same from Messrs Okey and Rollo. The crusher scrcn had been altered, and other minor details attended to on the crusher. Six 3ft., three ISin., six 12in., and fourteen Din. pipes had been manufactured, and thirty-live 9in. and four 12in. pipes had been used, leaving 190 in band. The report was adopted. The overseer was empowered to dispose of Cm. tile pipes on Kupara road. The metalling of Mangaotea road will be held over until the ordinary maintenance work on the Toad is completed Tenders will be called for the esupply of gravel for pipe-making. NGATORO BRIDGE. Mr. E. C. Robinson, engineer, reported that work in connection with the erection of the Ngatoro stream bridge was progressing favorably. The piers had been completed, and the centreing for the arch was now' being built into place. The arch spandrllls and parapets would be constructed during the month. Hon. W. Eraser, Minister for Public Works, wrote acknowledging receipt of a le'tter from the board, stating that it proposed to erect the Ngatoro bridge according to its own plans and would not ask for the Government subsidy of £2OO thereto. He would probably be able to arrange, he said, that this amount be transferred to the purchase of land for deviation purposes and forming and metalling the new road. Meanwhile he was obtaining information from the district engineer as to what the probable cost for compensation and forming and metalling would amount to. Mr. H. H. Sharp, district roads engineer, wrote formally offering the board the expenditure of the £9OO which appeared in the current year's estimates in respect to the Ngatoro bridge, subject to plans and specifications being submitted before the work was carried out. The board's overseer reported that he had taken the permanent levels and prepared the plans and specifications for the deviation woric and approaches to the Ngatoro bridge, Bedford road, and had submitted same For the board's approval, When approved of by the board, the plans and specifications were required by the district engineer for hlg approval. ENGINE DRIVER. The overseer reported that enginedriver Bowier will be proceeding to camp early in January, and it therefore would be necessaryto call for applications to fill the vacancy. ■ In moving that leave of afwenee be granted, and that applications be called to temporarily fill the position, which would be kept open for driver Bowler on bis return, the chairman spoke in high terms of driver Bowler's services to the board, both in working the machinery and in keeping the plant in order. He had previously enlisted twice, but had now been passeH for the 01 camp. The resolution was passed. THE PIPE DEPOT. The chairman. Messrs Henwood, Hunter and Hair, reported in connection with the purchase of a site for the pipe depot and plant ahed that they had arranged

to purchase two sort ions from Mi":.-ts Henry Brown and to. for ..C!! I '. They were also negotiating in,- the purchase of the ibuilding on the Primitive Church site.—Tiie report was adopted. The overseer submitted list siiowin;; cost of manufacturing concrete pipes, also'the price at which the boiud duiiM tell, being an increase on ilie prices previously charged. It was agreed io adopt the price-list, subject to a rebate of P> per cent, to ratepayers. Mr. J. Ji. Simpson said the board should advertise the prices at which the pipes were sold, so that the ratepayers should get the benefit. The chairman stated that at present the board's foremen were busy working With the road plant, which did away with the employment of casual labor and was an economical way of working. The overseer was instructed when arranging for the erection of sheds on the new site to leave space for tiie erection of oflices. Later Mr. Collingwood, on behalf of the Methodist trustees, waited on tiie board and made an offer for the sale of the Primitive Methodist Church: r Jbe board submitted a counter-offer. MAKARA BRIDGE LoAtf : Mr. ,T. H. Lyons, of Bristol Road, wrote protesting against section ,101 block 11, Huiroa S.D., being included in the special rating area covering the loan for building the Makara ■ bridge and metalling Cooper's hill. He considered that the inclusion of Cooper's hill in the loan was an injustice, and was brought in as an afterthought to induce persons in that locality to sign. He pointed outthat his present rates totalled 3s Lid per acre, or a rental nearly equal to that paid the Crown for native land. On the motion of Messrs Trimble, and Laurence, the chairman and Mr. Hunter were appointed to represent tiie board should there be any objections lodged to the Makara bridge loan. GENERAL, Tho overseer submitted fresh scale of charges for the hire of the plant.—Consideration deferred till next meeting. The matter of the Lincoln Road maintenance metal was left in the hands, of the chairman and Mr. Laurence, with power to act. The State Advances office notified that it would be necessary to pass a fresh resolution making the special rate in connection with the Mangaotea road special loan for £445, owing to an apparent clerical error in describing tho special rating area. Being the last meeting of tiie year, the chairman wished members the compliments of the season. Accounts were passed for pavment? as follow: General £lOll 18s 2d,'Xgatoro bridge loan £ 116 8s 7d.