MASTERTON ROAD BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1678, 6 May 1884, Page 2

MASTERTON ROAD BOARD.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. Sir,—l have the honor herewith to submit to yon myannual report with respect to the expenditure which has taken place under m> control within this district during tho past twelve months. As compared with that of previous years the outlay is considerably in excess of that which has been expended within a similar period Heretofore, and as a consequent a very much greater length of roads has been opened np in various parts of the district, _ This expenditure is divided into two distinct headings, viz,, the outlay of the ordinary rates collected by the Board in the opening up of new formation, metalline and maintenance of present oxUfciug lines; and that of loans raised under the Roads and Bridges construction Act for the purposes of forming, forming; and .metalling, and for building bridgos leading;.to properties individually interestedin their construction, and whioh ate specially rated to meet the annual .interest on these loans. The amount of the 'ofdihary rate available for •expenditure upon Public Works durag the past.year lias been to a large extent applied in effecting repairs to'rbads which had already been formed and ,'whioh have cost iri.this respect £llOB llsGd, •The balanpo.of:,£6(lp;.los;;4d-hasibeenex. pendfld in tho opening up of 5 miles 58 .ohains ;61\ links '.Of: 'new: formation; and i'mile jSii.ohainsvSl.linksl'lof' both oldl and new formation,; ■• A -.portion of thhv ,';'ttuaer> f 'the : ; : ;headirig'

.o£% repairs,\and/.. improvements on tie balanoa' qhoet' owing to "the outlay having ! ( been iuourred in the improvement of existing roads. The amount' of tli'ese improvements is included inthoeum of £llOB lis fid. In : addition to this a sum of £6B 18s has been ■ expended in the .erection of a cottage for the ; accommodation'of jhe.' roadman in No 4 Ward. The particulars with respect to the Wards in which ,these,.and the works under the works under the Roads and Bridges . Construction Act have heen carried out can be seen by reference to Schedule Nofl attached to this report, The products of the expenditure 6i the £10,191 14s sd. raised under the Bonds and. Bridges Construction Act, and many of which arc still proceeding consist of 16' miles 11 chains 14. links of now earthwork formation, 2 miles 50 chains of motalling, and 772 lineal feet of truss and platform bridging. These latter works are fairly distributed throughout tho district although the largest proportion of expendi.tare and nearly" ii per cent of the total length of formation works are being cxeoutcd within thu boundaries of No. 4 Ward. The field.works executed within, this period have been exclusively what are termed formation surveys (or the marking out on tho ground of work which it is proposed to construct immediately),' 01 this diss of work a total length of 16 miles, 76 chaius, 68 links, has been laid off, of which the greater portion lias been carefully and creditably' performed by Mr MoKenzie.' Unfortunately a considerable amount of this work has been practically thrown away, owing to tho estimates in some cases having proved in excess of what the settlers considered themsolves justified in raising by special rate, and in others the financial position of the Wards in whichlhe proposed Works were situated would not;admitiof their being carried out. The total length of roads under the jurisdiction' of .this. Board during the past year. has -Jjeen approximately 198 miles, as against! 300 miles for the year before. Tho redaction' is attributable to the severance of theformer No 5 Wardfamn this district, and.the proclamation of the Masterfconto Bideford and Masterton to Waiinata as main roads, Of this 186 miles, 92 are formed, and, where , metal is procurable, are, in many places,'' , metalled. Tho balance of 101 miles are what may bo termed in course of construe- : tion, by which I mean that they have bad moreorkis done toward making them | practicable for traffic of one sort and another. For the further information of the members of the Board, I have apponded Schedule No.' [ shewing the exact allocation of my salary i with respect to the various works which _ havo been carried out- during tho year. _ The sohedulo of new works executed dur--1 log the past year attached to tho report i gives a total of 5 miles and 58 chains of r formation, and 1 mile and 34 ohaius metalline; in the various wards, and of 16 miles 11 chains formation and 2 miles 51 chains metalling on works under tho Koads and 1 Bridges Construction Act, f In conclusion, I would wish to cxpross f my appreciation of the kindly assistance frequently lent mo by members of the Board in the execution of my duties, I have, etc,, 1 >' ' O. E, Bremneb. ' Ifatcrtoa Road Board Office, May 3,1854