COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9053, 12 February 1908, Page 7

COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

| Following is the report of the tffounty Engineer, dealt with at yesterday's meeting of the Masterton* •County Council : Opaki Riding. Opaki District Road.—Contract No. 124 —113 chains formation and metalling, etc. It is expected that the contractor will complete laying the metal to-day; stone-bxeaking and dressing up the formation has yet to be performed. On the whole the metal is of good quality. Since the 20th ult. the bush fire in the vicinity of Mount Bruce Road extended south to the bush and dry timber, and for a time the suspension bridge was in great danger. It was deemed necesi aary to have assistance on the ground to combat the fire. The Masterton Brigade was appealed to, and ■•Captain Jenkins, with a brigade of four, were promptly on the spot and worked diligently all night until the Sbridge was in comparative safety. It was necessary for a further period of ten days to have the structure watched day and night, as much of the sur- "** .wounding country was ablaze and -sparks were carried for great distances by the wind; the Mauriceville >County roadman taking the day watch", and the Masterton County roadman the night, the adjoining .settlers rendering all possible assistance. Upper Opaki Road.—Contract No. . 152.—16 chains of re-formation and metalling. The successful tenderers —McCleland and Co.—are finishing •the metalling on Robieson's Road, ■ and will be starting the above con- ■'**>> immediately. F,' Te Whiti Riding. Robieson's Koad.—Contract No. 1147.—104 chains of metalling. The -work is reported completed by the * contractor. , ' Rangitumau Riding. Wangaehu Road.—Contract No. 144.—50 chains of metalling. Good j progress is being made with the delivery of the metal; the contractor • expects to finish within the "next ten <•■ days. Contract No 145.—91 -chains of not yet starred, but the assures me that he will iput on double the specified strength | ;a fortnight hence, following the com- j ipletion of his present work. - Bluff to Rangitumau Road.—As ; authorised by the Council, the defective bridge at'Mr G. Manning's has been substituted by a by 4ft by 42ft culvert and embankment. Alfredton Riding. Afredton-Weber Road.—Contract j No. 149.—7G chains of metalling, j The hauling, of the above will be j .finished in the course of two days. i * Contract No. 150.—81 chains of (.metalling. This contract ha 3 not yet | i'been started; the successful tenderer, A. McLauchlan, expects to finish < Contract No. 151 (39 chains of metalling) by the 15th inst., he will then proceed'with contract No. 150, and I that he will be joined by ■J. Andrew,/who is just completing Contract No. 149, when good proi gress may be expected. Contract No. 148.—133 chains of

metalling. Good headway is being made with the delivery on the northern end of the contract, some 60 chains having been completed (the Contractor is, however, at his own lisk, trusting to complete his work from the southern end, contrary to specifications). Should there he an ample supply there can be no' objection to this course. Th.3. embankment and ; culvert on Castle Hill Road have been restored, and the road is now open to wheel traffic. ReDairs have been effected tp the Flat Bush, Moroa and Tawataia Roads. Wainuioru Riding. Weraiti-Brancepeth Road.—Contract No. 154—building two bridges. Some delay has been occasioned in completing the above work owirg to the non-delivery of timber from the mills. East Coast Road.—Contract No. 125.—Patanui bridge The contractor has been on the ground for the last fortnight, and is proceeding with the sinking of the piers, the foundation on the northern side being of a particularly treacherous nature. I have deemed it necessary to have a layer of metal put in and the piers raised two feet; this wiP entail the strengthening of the wings, which will have to support a greater weight of earthwork. The alteration meets the view of the committee of settlers who conferred on Ihe subject, as from their observations the river-bed is undergoing a process of silting up. Mutuwaireka Bridge—soft span. The material for the structure is delivered on the site, and the erection of ths main piers was well on the way on my visit of inspection on the7th instant. The contractors expect to complete within the next 5 weeks. Beaumauris! Plat to Mutuwaireka —Contract No. 137—192 chains of

metalling. The contractors are making good progress, a length of about 120 chains of metal having been delivered. Beaumauris Flats.—67 chains of formation and metalling. The contract is being carried on satisfacy* torily; the formation has been done, and half the ler.gth of metal laid. 1

expect the work to be completed within ten days. Contract No. 158.—Building two small platform bridges and a 6 feet by 6 feet culvert at Twisty Creek. ' The timber is on the ground, and the work will »be proceeded with forthwith. Beaumont .to Mangapihu section

—Contract No. 140—144 chains of re-formation and metalling. , Ninety • chains of the metal length has- been laid. The contractor expects to finish within the next fortnight. Ngapukuturua-Homewood section. —Contract No. 141 —134 chains of re-formation and metalling. The contractor is at present engaged in . re-dressing the formation preparatory to metalling. Painting the Waihora and Manga-

pokia Bridges. —Contract No. 137. ' The above work, which was authorised by the Council to be let last season, was commenced on the 28th ultimo. Metal repairs on the BlairlogieKohewai section are being carried out by day labour. Weraiti-Brancepeth Eoad.—l havu taken levels for the bridge sites approaching the Weraiti Estate, and ask the Council's direction as to whether I should have plans prepared and tenders 'called, as there is much delay experienced in procuring timber for bridge work. —Direction was given to the Engineer to prepare plans and call tenders.