COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9111, 10 June 1908, Page 3

COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

1 The following report of the County Engineer (Mr D. McLachlan) was adopted by the Masterton County Council yesterday : Opaki Riding.—Ruaraahanga protective works—The works, mentioned in my report at last meeting as necessary for the protection of the western bank above the Te Or Ore Bridge, have been duly carried out, and when the work, contemplated bv th 3 settlers up stream, is completed, the bank should be tairly secure. VVaingavva to Camp Koad—Contract No. 162.—Metal repairs now in progress to above the road on the north end of the section, should be completed this month. Upper Plain Road—Contract No. 166—The spreader has reported that the whole of the metal is delivered. Opaki District Road.—l have arranged for the expenditure of the balance of the grant and loan be tween the school house and the Mount Bruce Bridge, weather permitting. The necessary re-sanding has been done to the footpaths between the Waip:>ua Bridges. Rtngitumau Riding—River protective works. —Repairs required to tu groin on the Matapihi Road have been executed. Judicious willow v/jrk could be done before spring i.i the direction of establishing jui'iiianent banks by wattling them with willows for a length of four or ii"e chains to resist the encroachment of the river in the vicinity of the groin.—Engineer authorised to plant w.llows as suggested. Te Ore Ore-Bide ford Road.—Repain are being effected to the watertjblas and drains on the northern end of this section. A culvert and some tilling, giving access to Shaw's Road, was made during last month. Te Wiiiti Riding:—Masterton, Gladstone and Branch RoadsContract No. 172 —Delivering 570 cubic yards of mesial has been completed. Wcraiti Road-Contract No 188.Bailding two bridges. A considerable amount of the timber has been delivered on tha ground. I have arranged for tha stripping of a likeb potion of the limestone side cutting with a view t) testing its quality for metalling purposes. Master ton- Waimata Road.—Cont -id No. 165—Metal repairs from Diver's corner to the Taueru. The contractor has been engagjd on the bog hauj irom the Taueru to Otohua s-iddle, the saddle to Te Ore Ore pit has yet to be completed. VVainuioru Riding. —East Coast Road—Contract No. 156 Mutuwaireki to Beaumont mail gate. Sjventy chains uf metalling was finished last month with tne exception of stone knapping which the contractor now reports finished. Homewood-Kaiwhata Road (£IOO Government grant).—The above sum 'has been expended in making passable one mile of ths steeper sidings o:j the proper grade line. There is yet another mile to form on this length, which is, howaver, generally of easy character, with the exception of one gully, which may be headed with vehicles; thus the circuit can be made by wheels from Masrerton via Wharau, Kaivvhata Road to i Homowood, thence to Masterton via j Wharearna and Blairlogie. A fur- ( tiier sum of £3 | '«o would complete the i unformed length, thus making the formation continuous to the South ) Cumty boundary. f Masterton-Waimata Road—Con-1 No. 146—Delivering, etc., | l v 7*;)3 cubic yards of metal. The' above has been completed. Contract No. 173. -Building roadmen's cottage at Rorokoko. The contract is reported complete by thecontractor. Metalling to the extent of 100 cubic yards has been done on Pilmer's Road, Mr Pilmer contribut-/ ing half the cost. Brancepeth Road. —Repairs tojthe extent of 629 cubic yards have been eifacted. Alfred ton Riding —Hinemoa Road I have tested the foundations on the proposed bridge site at the Ihuraua, and have found them to be satisfactory, a firm clay being found at a depth of three feet en the eastern side and a papa rock was reached on the western si le. Upper Tauaru Riding. A shelter whare, eight feet by ten feet, has been supplied for the use of the roadmen on the Mangaparuparu Road. As a result of the favourable season the roads throughout the County are in fair order; although many of the metal lengths are in a weak state as a rasult of the previous . wet weather.