MASTERTON COUNTY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10683, 10 July 1912, Page 3

MASTERTON COUNTY

! I ENGINEER'S REPORT,

The-following report erf tlio Enginoc war? r; ad at the meeting i.f tho }.\;.; terto'n County Council yesterday.— Opaki Hiding.

Kiriwhoikapapa Road, oc> itrae'i Xo. 281), 8.8 chains o.f iforniation. Tii? above contract bar, ■boon duly complotod and taken off tho contractor's hands.

Waingawa to Camp Road, Contract No. 281. The eo'ntract o,f M. Kerins, lot on 20th May, was not started on 2nd hist. T d'oMned it advisa'ble to readvertiso the work for consideration at- thiii -meeting. Two oai ill dilapidated culverts en tlir.' Akura Koad have boon replaced with concrete pipes. Upper Plain and Branch Heads, co-n----trnetVlYo. 232, deli verbis 11*) eubv yards rf metal, was .started on 20t'h ult., and th* contract is being proceeded with as the weather normits.

Northern Approach.— The? re-niodd-ling (J the formation surface- with metal has been carried on intormitte'atly during the pert three mmthy. It would be advisable, while the .surfae? cf tlie .formation Is -sufficioiTMy moist, to roll the metal layer, to hasten consolidation.

To WhitJ Hiding. Masterton-Waimata 'Road, contract No. 2313, delivering 1220 cubic yards metal. The contractor is proceeding with the work from the divers corner t'nd of this contract.

'Madertr/.i-Glr.deoior.e ivrad: Surface repairs in this action a'ro being carried out by hired team's. i To Ore Ore Estate Roads.— The weaker portions of the metal- surface on tho above road:; have been mended.

Rangitumau Riding. } Kaka-anwi Road.— -Some small metal repairs on. the above road were made last month.

Wainuioru Riding: Riversdale Road, Contract No. 284, 94 chains o.f formation and culverti'ng. The contractor had about 30 chains of the (formation broken on,' my visit of li'iVipection of 21st -ult.

h\ accordance with a resolution, cf s the Council, I 'have called tenders for breaking, etc., SCO cubic yards cf rock, to close <at noon to-klay. Upper Taueru Riding.

I met Mr Cruiiekshank's representative on the grou'nd with regard to the removal of culverts, which he complained of as draining into his £>heep yards. I did not Iflhink it advisable to take up both culverts, but conceded tho right to Mr CVuicktshank to dig a .small drain, on the lower side of the road reserve diverting the water to a uaitiwal watca-ccurse in the oppoiite direction from which the water is now running. The casing of prominent points en. the Te Ore Ore - Bideford road and iMluigaipurupnru roads is being carried out.

Alfredton-Webor .Head.— A slip threatening the ■s.ifety of the metal surface of the road necessitates., the strengthening and widening cf the formation along a chain length, and the work is being carried' out *by the, roadman, cJnd assistant. i

• A similar Ara.sting of the road i« taking place at a point known as Gronin'.s. Hill, which will 'necessitate widening before the summier traffic. Ihuraua Bridge painting.— I 'have examined the painting reported finish- , <ed iby the contractor. Ihere is yet some work to do to complete the painting as specified, which the contractor has agreed to rectify. Repairs, are being made to .the Kgarata and Oastle Hill roads.

Building Te Hoe Biridge, contract No. 278. A portion of the timber lias been delivered for the above contract.

•Road Maintenance.—l beg to direct the Council's attention to tlio necessity of the better upkeep of the metal surface on the roads generally within the County, and particularly where the rraetal is of indifferent character. The extra metal required to bring the read bed to a stronger and better camber would ful'ly compensate 'the ratepayers for the outlay.

It is apparent that maintenance cim a weak and irregular shaped road bed •cannot/ he- anything else than costly a'nd inefficiemit. 6in.ee the advent and multiplicity of the motorcar it isotms moro imperative to keep up a better class of road," as where there is a 'weakness or lc%m'ei!it of water the road ibed soon becomes rutted and churned. The motor car is also severe on the roads, in the summer .seasons; where the surface is least adhes'ive itihe small pan-ticks which bind stone are torn up and carried away.