CIVIL ENGINEERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1920, Page 6

CIVIL ENGINEERS.

TARANAKI BRANCH OF SOCIETY. The half-yearly meeting of the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers wp.s held in the Tarv nalci County Council Chambers. The.:e were thirteen members present. In tiu absence of Mr. J. Blair Mason (chairman), Mr. L. C. Sladdcn was voted to the chaifr.

A welcome was extended to Mr., L. B. Campbell, District Engineer, Public Works, Stratford, and Mr. K. L. Hollands, both of whom have joined the branch since last meeting. The movement to build a permanent home for the Society in Wellington received favorable consideration.

It was decided to hold the next meet ing at Waitara.

Mr. L. C. Sladden read a short paper on the "Survey of the New Plymouth Harbor and the use of the long wire dra" in sounding." The paper described .the methods and operations carried out, and gave useful hints on this class of work. A plan of the harbor, and a detailed drawing of the apparatus used, were exhibited. The author answered questions asked by members, and a useful discussion ensued. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Sladden for his paper. Mr. R. D. Tos&will, late engineer to the Eltham County, read a paper on "Notes on Traffic on Eltham Road." The writer described a traffic census recently taken at one of the toll gates on that road, and showed its classification according to the British Road Board method of analysis of unit weight, and gave the percentage allotted to vehicles and other classes a{ traffic. The methods of maintenance were detailed, and the cost allocated at per ton, mile per yard, width of road per annum. A very interesting discussion ensued on annual costs and maintenan ;e of various classes of roads, and some good information v/as put before members. Mr. Tosswill received a vote of thanks for his paper. The secretary then read a paper on "Tar and Bituminous Pavements," by M:. A. G. Walker, of Auckland. This pap'jr had been read before the Auckland branch, and it detailed the experiments ►and methods used and finally adopted by the Auckland tramways in making and maintaining the road surfaces on various parts of the tram routes in Auckland City. Detailed costs of various methods were given, and much useful information, regarding the use of tar and bitumen was put forward. After a short discussion, which could not be carried further on account of the writer not being present, Mr. Walker was accorded a vote of thanks for submitting his paper.