Wairarapa North County Council.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2895, 10 May 1888, Page 2

Wairarapa North County Council.

engineer's report. Masterton, May 8,1888, Sir—l have the honor to lay before you my report for the past month on tho works in progress within tho County as follows Msstertoa Riding—Xq Ovq Ore to

Bideford road—ln connection with y Mr Cave's complaint, relative to tho flooding of his garden by the storm waters discharged off the Te Oro Ore section of this line, I visited ground with the Chairman, and nrefc. the different gentlemen interested in the question of the road's drainage. After an examination of the circumstances, I have decided to recommend that the present culvert conducting the water to the main outlet be removed, and one of larger capacity substituted in its stead. The settlers are willing to subscribe to the extent of £7 towards increasing the size of the outlet drain, and with these alterations I think the cause of annoyance and damage to the surrounding properties will be removed..

Masterton to Waimata.^oail— Contract No. 32 (river works ali Te Ore Ore) is still in an. incomplete state, A . Through constant interruptions small floods, and pressuro of work in - other quarters, the contractor has not devoted such constant attention to the work fis would ensure its immediate completion, and I fear that it may be necessary even now to defer further operations until Spring. Upon resumption of the work a week ago, a slight rise in the river again forced hirnio temporarily abandon the work, since then nothing further has been done. If, however, the weather should remain favorable, and energetic measures are adopted, I still hope that the work may bo put through before the floods set in.

Waingawa to Oanip Road. —The : river protective work at Waingawa (Contract No, 5) on this line lias been satisfactorily completed by Messrs Blane and Bassett; the broken bank lias been rethatched, and a substantia groin constructed, so as to shelter the bridge approach from the action of the current. With these additional works , •' it is improbable that any further lay will be required'in this direction during this Winter, The improvement to the drainage level along the Opaki flats, fronting Mr Wilson's property, has been completed, and with the formation of the side width, which has been carried out in conjunction with the deepening of the drains, will form an appreciable improvement on this portion of the road. Castlepoint Riding,'—MastertotiW Waimata Road,—Contract No. 33 has . not yet been started, owing to the Taueru Sawmill being unable to carry out the order for the supply of the timber. Inconsequence of tliip, the material has had to be procured at a great distance from the site of the work, and cannot be delivered on the ground for a day or so. Under these " circumstances, it is anticipated that the work cannot be completed before the end of the present month. The general condition of the roads through • out this district is at present good; such temporary repairs to culverts and bridges as are essential to the requirements of the Winter's traffic have been mostly effected, and with these I propose to carry on until after the next season's wool traffic, when renewal and alterations will have to take place in several cases, where old works are no longer fit for the increasing traffic they have to carry, W Alfred ton Riding.—Eketahuna "to. Tinui Road—(Eketahuna to Tiraumea section) -T-Contract No. 17 (suspending wire rope and chair over Tiraumea. River) has been satisfactorily completed. Owing, however, "to the length of the span, and consequent weight of hand rope which has to be used, the operation of crossing the river is attended with considerable physical exertion to persons engaged iu pulling themselves over, l'he convenience, however, in cases of urgency, when the river is flooded, will to some extent, I have little doubt, repay the additional outlay of energy. Of the suspension rope their still remains a sufficient length to provide;s another crossing to the river, which is desirable a mile or so further up, I would recommend that permission be Efiven to the Alfredton *load Board to utilise the surplus for this purpose. With reference to the Alfredton Road Board's letter on the subject of raising the level of the formation through a ■ portion of the swamp, the work be of value providing the Board wm first fulfil its promise to clear the creek of rubbish below the bridge, but not, I think, otherwise, as the damming back of the water would, I feel satisfied remove any loose material deposited on the present surface of tho road. Under any circumstances, it will not be advisable to deal with the matter until the spring, as any fresh covering laid on the road at this season of the year must only add to the depth of mud which has at present to be contended with. The log complained of has been removed. The clearing of the watertables and general repairs to the road ' surface have been completed, and the line throughout is in fairly good order. Contract No. 18 (formation) is now iu course of execution, but as I have not been upon the ground since the work , _ commenced, I cinnot report as to what * progress has been made. Operations ' upon Contract No. 18a (metalling) have been suspended by tho contrW . tors, owing to the soft state of W unraetalled road over which the materials have to be carted. It will be advisable, under tho circumstances, to postpone the work until spring, when it can be completed %ith less damage to the road and = greater economy to the contractors, Opaki to Manawatu road. The metalling operations in the Pahiatua riding on this line have been finished, and the short length within the Alfredton riding will be completed in the course of a fortnight, The bridge repairs near Pahiatua are still nnfin-

ished, owing to the difficulty of getting timber on to the grounds from the Woodville mills. I hope, however, to be able to report the completion of the work by the next sitting of the Council. Owing to the somewhat unsatisfactory manner in which the fencing in of the gravel pit in the Pahiafcw township has been performed, IhavT.'. retained a small balance until the de- ' fects have been remedied and failing this being executed by the contractor, i the work will be finished by the Coun- ■'{ cil and charged against the balance in hand. _On the question of the wheel lire • by-law Jt aui ausious have

definite understanding from tlie Council as to whether passenger and mail coaches are to form any exception to its general application, At present this cl#f traffic continues to uso the roaus in violation of tho conditions laid down by the Council, and a doubt exists in my mind as lo whether the Council intend that the by-law shall be put into strict operation with respect to all classes of vehicles. I am, ic., C, E. Bremner,

I have omitted, in dealing with the Opaki to Manawatu Rood, to suggest the advisability of tho Council seeming from the Railway Department, if possible, a portion of the lands severed from Mr Macara's property at Mauricevillo, for of a gravel and roadmen's reserve. The portion I refer (to is practically valueless to any priindividual, and cannot, I think, be utilised to any purpose by the Department.