EGMONT COUNTY ROADS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1918, Page 3

EGMONT COUNTY ROADS.

A TOUR OF INSPECTION The problem of the upkeep of roads, in order to cope with the ever-increasing motor traffic and consequent wear anil tear 011 the .macadamised, road surfaces, is one that is exercising the minds of members of local bodies throughout the Dominion. The JCgmont County, which is without any railways to carry its heavy produce traffic, is feeling this problem as acutely as any other local body, and the members of the present county council, evidently a very progressive body, realise the need for seriously facing the position. In order to become personally acquainted with the condition and requirements of the various roads in the county, members of the council, many of whom were elected to thai position for the first time last November, made a comprehensive tour of the roads in the county last week The party which set out from Opunake comprised: Crs. W It. Wright (chairman), T. Harvey, T. H. 11. Sinclair, A W Holder, J A. Rowe, M. O'Brien, S. M. Cornish and W C. Green (members), G. W. Rogers (clerk), and C. R. Pease (engineer), together with two press representatives. They travelled over all the main roads, and many of the by-roads, covering some 120 miles. The Eltham road was first visited. This main road requires some attention. At Te Iviri a divergence was made up the Opunake— Stratford road, which commences here. This is metalled about; a mile and a half along to the Puneliu river, where an expensive bridge is required, as the river (a quick-rising one) is subject to floods. Some of the members, in their anxiety to to thoroughly view the roadline beyond the river, crossed the stream by means of the stones, one councillor (a town representative) getting wet feet. The Puneliu bridge on the main road was next inspected. Though this structure has only been erected some sixteen or seventeen years, the timbers are rotting, and the bridge needs urgent renewal. The council has had plans prepared for a concrete structure costing £IOOO, towards which the Government has promised an £BOO subsidy, but it specifies a , much stronger class of bridge, Boating | considerably mory, so that-councillors are exercised as to' whether it would not be better to do without the subsidy. A bv-road was next visited (the Oeo road), and the excellence of its surface caused some debate with the road board members as to the advantages of county or road board control. Three miles up this road is what should be an important junction some day, as here the Stratford —Opunake road, unformed and unmetailed, crosses it, while the Wiremu road, which is the continuation of the Carrington road, ends here. About half a mile of this road is metalled, while there is only about two and a half miles of the Stratford—Opunake road to complete to , bring Opunake into direct touch with Stratford. Concerted action between the Stratford and Opunake local bodies should result in having this linked up. The party then motored down the Oeo road, which, during part of its length, is the boundary between the Waimate and hgmont counties, each of which control a portion, and, save for about two • or three chains being unmetalled, it is in good order. It passes through magnificent country. brief journey was made along the Main South road to the Waimate boundary where the tar-sealed road of that county was favorably commented on. After lunch at Oeo, the party returned via the Nopera, Skeet and Patiki roads to Pihama, where the Main South road was again encountered. With the exception of the Patiki, the by-roads were in good order. The Main South road was then followed to its junction with the Taranaki County at Puniho. Except for a few short patches, it is in good order, and if the council pursues its progressive policy this road should rapidly improve. En route, councillors inspected the deposit of metal on the beach near the Opua road. Here there is an unlimited supply of boulder stone handy to the road, and the engineer pointed out that the erection of a mast and the provision of a power winch to enable the stone to be lifted up the cliff on to a crusher platform, and thence into a motor dump truck, would enable it to be placed on the road for miles each side much cheaper than under the present system. Councillors could see the .advantages, though they recognised' 'that the establishment of the depot "would entail considerable initial exßSnse, but that results would warrant it was beyond doubt. Stone could be similarly obtained from the beach further along the coast. The days of the slow-travelling horse-and bullock teams in road making are evidently coming to an end. A stop for afternoon tea at Rtihotu was followed by the inspection of a piece of road, which the chairman stated proved the advantages of putting down the road wet. liie latest concfreta bridge over the Warea river wfta also inspected, and tie policy of re-erecting all bridges ia eoncreto was approved, and is being carried out as the exigencies of labor will permit A run of six miles up th* l\,r,iho road! l ollm 7 •***«« the two counties, Which IB being looked afcer by the Taraand'th«'p tj \ C J mnt i ll s ° intl - v for it9elf and the Panhaka Bfcad Board, brought the party to the Carrington road, which I milled for aW two m , leg ag fai as the Warea road. The advantages ot this road, wlrcn completed, to settlers along the coast was stressed, as it would save a considerable distance in the journey between New Plymouth and Opuna-Ke, besides opening up a lot of country between this and the half mile 0 f metal at the other end: or the county considerable money lias at times been expended on the road by the Government, in forming, clearing and culverting, but, except in one or two places, the road is not operi for anything but cattle traffic, and a lot of money expended will be found of little advantage when the road is, again opened. Instead ot this patch-work policy, it would aupear as though it would be better to continue working from either end. and complete whatever' little is done. Between the Puniho road and New Plymouth there is also considerable work to be. done. The journey to the main road vi-as made via the Warea road, which is under road board control, and its rough surface,evoked unfavorable comparisons. However, the road board has now gone in for road-making machinery, which should effect eonsiderablo improvements, as those who remember the ]'> mont roads prior to the introduction of*roadmaking machinery can bear out. Opunake was reached about 7 p.m. The tour should prove of incalculable benefit to councillors when discussing matters before the council, as the majority of the members had previously not been over any roads outside their riding, and some had not been over all their riding roads. The appearance of the country also surprised those councillors who' were visiting it for the first time. On the whole, it must be stated that, for metalled roads, the major portion of those in the northern ead are in excellent order and reflect great credit on the previous council's.administration, especially when ' the low; valuation of a great, portiorf'of 3 the county, and;tho §tarudc.j/