COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9164, 12 August 1908, Page 6

COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The following report was submitted by the County Engineer (Mr D. McLachlan) to the meeting of the I Masterton County Council yesterday : Opaki Riding. Black Creek Road , deviation—Contract No. 178—Considering the season of the year, the contractor is making good progress with the work. Upper Opaki Road.—Repairs to

the extent of 64 cuoic yards have been made on a weak portion on the southern "end of above road. I beg to direct the Council's attention to the necessity for improving the waterway through and in the vicinity of the old hospital grounds at Lansdowne. The meagre waterways allowed at private crossings, too, contribute largely to the flooding of I adjacent sections. The water, where confined, overflows and finds its way across the footpath to the roadway, thereby doing considerable damage. From a personal inspection made during the flcod this winter, I found that the main outlet culvert was running only two-thirds full, while the road was considerably flooded. The deepening and widening in places of the waterway between Mr Holloway's frontage and the Lansdowne Road would largely remedy this. I think, however, that it may yet be necessary, when the water has been fully concentrated, to enlarge the culvert on the Te Ore Ore Road, which may fail to the abnormal flood water. I would further direct the Council's attention to the need for removing temporary and inefficient culverting in watertables giving access to private holdings, and calling upon settlers for replacing same in a proper way. In many cases culverts have been fixed without the permission of the Council and obstruct the flow of drainage. The necessary extension of the willow work at Te Ore Ore, mentioned in my last report, has been completed, and the settlers (Messrs Connell and Pinhey) are extending protective works up

stream in the shape of groins and willow planting. This, I think, will make the western bank fairly secure. Shelter sheds—Contract No. 177 The contract has been very satisfacfactorily carried out. 1 am having the floors now laid and the necessary gravelling done. Rangitumau Riding— Bluff to Rangitumau Road—An old 2ft by 2ft culvert at the factory has been replaced by a new. The loose metal on the Waingawa to Camp Road has been raked in and broken. Matapihi Road protective worts— The protection of a further length of this road has been effected, by means of stone and wilow work. Te Whiti Riding—Weraiti Roads: Contract No. 168: Building two bridges—The abutments are constructed and the trusses of the 65ft span are now being erected. A length of twelve chains odd metal at the saddle has been laid from limestone on the roa'.i reserve. A further three or four chains may be done from the same source. The following length oi about 20 chains being of a soft foundation and shaded aspect, specially requires the best waterworn stone which cannot be hauled until favourable , season. Mr Perry's complaint—ln company

with the Chairman, I inspected the Waingawa River, and from the indiscriminate manner in which sand and gravel had been taken away from near the bridge approaches, it was deemed necessary to fence the river off and erect a gate thereon, in order to control the traffic. It was also arranged to expend about £lO in making a channel and disturbing the surface of the island for the purpose of giving a better waterway at the centre of the bridge, the direction of the waterway being now favourable to assist the project. Alfredton Riding AlfredtonWeber Road- The roadmen have been engaged in raking in and reserving, as far as possible, the newly metalled lengths. The remaining length of road is open to wheel traffic to within the last mile, where there are as usual at this season of the year, some treacherous slips. I propose leaving those until later in the year, when they will be more economically dealt with. The principal bye-roads are open for light wheel traffic. The' Flat Bush road, which has been shockingly cut up by heavy traffic during the winter months, is beyond measure of repair with available funds. Contract No. 159, building a roadman's whare—On my visit of inspection on the 4th instant, 1 found the timber work well on towards completion, and the bricklayer had made a start with the building of the chimney. Upper Taueru Riding.— I would respectfully suggest to the Council the advisability of bringing all the roads in this riding under the provisions of the heavy traffic bye-law, aa much damage had been done this season by the transport of a few heavy loads. Under the existing condition the length of road within the riding cannot be efficiently maintained by the funds available, and I foresee, during the next two or three years, a heavy outlay to ro-build and maintain some" of the*old bridges if it is contemplated to do the work out of ordinary revenue.