WAIRARAPA EAST COUNTY COUNCIL

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1485, 17 September 1883, Page 2

WAIRARAPA EAST COUNTY COUNCIL

Enginkbk's Bepokt, Si.ii,-I have tho honor.to' submit tlio following repurt ou the Public Works of the >* airarapa i£ast County. ■ ~ , . Opaki-Manawatu Koad.-Tho maintenance, men employed on this road have been occupied during the month in attendim; to 'surface repairs and drainage, 40/ ■ • Bridge Contract. No. 15.-The whole of the works included in this contraot are nowcompleted in a satisfactory manner, and th ondgo has been open for traffic for about momh.

bridge ContfadtNQ. IQ.—Tbjs bijdM has been open for tralfc>for about two Lb, aud with tho exception of tarring aiji Handinj* the deck planking tlio whole of the Worka noluded under the contract are completed Pahiatua Road.-,Coqtraot No. 2-ThU contract is now oonjploW, aqd the- works throughout are fairly woll exooutoq\ Makakahi- Boad.-Cohtract No.' J,i-.()n .this contract little ; or no work has been done during the month. ..

Hawera Koad.-Contr.ot No. 3.-On this cuutraot the bush ut felled throughout and cleared off. Fifty-four chains of the io'nna. tion are opened out but not finished and timber for culrata, &c, to tho extent of 3100 feet is provided. Making due allow auco for unfavorable weather tho proßrtFsfor the month on this contract is satisfy, tory.

Central Maugaono Road.-Contraot No 1,-The whole of the works inoludod in this contract are now nearly completed, and Be jar they are executed iaafirßt-ola'saniauner ' Preyer'sßock Road,-Contract No. 1.-l Very littlo work has been done on this" tract during "the"month,'' but'prep'aratioiiß^T are now mado by the contraotorfor its early " completion. " .; ' ■ '■.-.>'•'■'■'>■• -'•■ - To Ore Ore-Bideford road.-Conkact No 1.-On this wntmo't about 74 chains of the formation aro, opened out, but not j finished Contract No. 2.—The "contraotor -have commenced operations od lhi« contract • but owing, to unfavorable weather Very' liHle progressis..made,';'.,,' ]'\'". """/ The location of the road connectinij'the ' Te Ore Oro Bideford and Eketahuna-Tinui roads is now completed. This line'Li about 13 miles hi lougth; the steepest grade being ' ;

Ekotahuna-Tiuui. Road.-Contract No. 2 •■ •ut -After executing about nine chains of the •■' '■■■ • formation, the contractors for this work withdrew tlioir hands, and allowed- the -fi* time for the completion of the contract to ' '>■■'■'« lapse. Fresh tenders for the work, to elose v '^ : on Saturday, tlie 15th just.', are.advertised ■■'> for. ..:. ■,-,...,.. . '.;.;,.,.■ - ■ ,|'

In compliance .with ytur instructions, I examined the Wharearni river- between Tinui and the.Black Swamp, A\ the Tinui bridge willows are growiu/; qi) the jjankj, and are.rapidlj, extending oyer.a groat part' of the channel. About two miles, by the roid, from Tinui the ohannel js only about • from 12 to 14 feet wide, and at this point willows are growing thick, and, stj-ay for, considerable distance along, the banks and even in the river bod, These willows' ma other vegetation which grow ysry atronrfy along the banks occupy a large part of the bed of tho stroain, and during foods retard the flow of the water considerably, Q )v j to the check given to the free flow of the water, a great part of the material held in mechanical suspension is depofifced thus still further limiting the sectional area of the channel, and causing the adjacent lands and main road to be flooded. At places tile main road is the only part of the vallev clear of rank, vegetation, and durine a "flood tho water flows aloug these sections ■ of road witjr great velocity, causing eon-, siderable'damage. At about' five milss by the road from Tinui, the river bed is from • 50t060 feetwide,'aH'a•Jitt'e'aboTe this point it has Yulc'ietttcipWty'ior'the water during an ordinary flood.. I'am• of opinion that the willows here referred-to have oon>tnbuted largely ito | the silting'up •'arid oontraotion of-the-river bed.JJUnless'the • ■chaunei is Cleared of willows and otherwise improved, the. main road will "be subject •'■■ from tiiiieVto" time to:*Beribns 'darn Vga | and '" improvements' : iiiade thereon '.-(generally'■ speaking)''.'will billy ho'lervicoable fa) the ; " short pefiod'hotween''tlie ; (inio^Vhen'the' ! work is done'and'the first flood,''"'"-' • -»■■■-' Mangapakeha",B6ad.-I havelMminedthe Mangap>M* 'river; for the^nifesTof ' x J selectirig'Vsite 1 lor W proposed'Dridg'e ''but' I have not , iye^been : "able'to L ''isoirid i 't6 i ;'i '' decision onthe subject. ' John Kino, County Engineer^