Wairarapa North County Council.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2978, 16 August 1888, Page 2

Wairarapa North County Council.

Engineer's Report.

The following report was adopted by tlio Council at its meetiug 011 Tuesday;—

Masterton Biding Masterton to Waimata fioad—Contract No. 82. •Owing to tbo state of the river, which has been in a flooded condition siuqe last sitting of the Counoil, it has been impossible to proceed with the river works to the north of Te Ore Ore bridgo,, The depth of water, together with the force of the current, are such as to render it impossible foremen to contend against thorn,' and as the liatui'o of the work is such as to require exceptionally low water for its successful performance, I am decidedly of opinion that nothing further should be attempted until next summer, and that the contractor should be advised to that effect, Notwithstanding the continuous heavy rains recently experienced from different quarters, I am pleased to bo able to report no serious casualties, either to the roads or the river banks in this district. There have, however, re-appeared symptoms of subsidence in the road bed at a point at about a- mile on the Masterton side of the Taueru, which last year was a cause of considerable annoyance and expense, but I apprehend no great inconvenience on this score, unless a flood of exceptionally heavy character should occur, and, m the meantime, precautions have been taken to surface drain the slip, so far as is possible to do so, . :

Cashpoint Riding.—Maeterton to

Waimata Eoid, The fenoing in of .the Rorokoko roadman's reserve has been completed by the -roadman, but, owing to an exceptional pressure on my time in the preparation of the plans &0,, for the alterations to the lahumingi road; I have been unable to make the survey of the area enclosed by our fence, I will take the earliest opportunity to complete this by the next sitting of- the Council. In the matter of the timber dispute with the Ulerk to the Castlepoint Board, I visited the ground, and met that gentleman together witli the Chairman of the Board. Upon going fully into the question on the ground in their presence, and haying heard the Clerk's contentions against the Council's claim, I failed to in any way see that there is reason to alter-the statement of particulars; which I have already placed before the Council in respect to the quantity of its property used by the Board, -and beyond this I have contested nothing from the first. lam prepared to give the Council any further particulars which they, mayrequire to finally deal with this. quea-, tion at its present sitting. The survey, with working plans, aud specifications in.duplicate have - been completed. for the proposed alterations on the Kahiimingi section of this line. The work, although somewhat heavier in places than I imagined' would be necessary, has, nevertheless, on the whole fully realised my expectations, both m respect to the permanent character of the ground, and future ' economy which must attend the maintenance of the new road. Tlie gradients, curves, and general direotness of'tlie; routes, are highly satisfactory: when the natural difficulties of the ground are taken into consideration, and I have little reason to doubt, that the work, when completed, will meet with the general approval of those who have pledged themselves for its construction, and that the district generally will greatly benefit the elimination from this route of the dangerous sections, which for years past, have been felt to be a serious barrier to the progress of the Wharearaa and Tinui districts more particularly, and which, more or less, appreciably affect the welfare of the town district of Masterton.

Alfbedtoh Eidxnq—Eketahuna to I'inui road,—(Eketahuna to Tiruainea section). Contract No 18 (road formation). This work was repot ted finished by the contractor on the lGth of last month, On examination, however, it has been ascertained that there is still considerable work to be done before the contract can bo taken over by the Council. A list of the defects complained of lias been furnished to the contactor with instructions to rectify them, and, malting due allowance at the same rate of progress hitherto, obtaining on this work, it is probable the contract will be completed during the early part of next month. Opaki to Manawatu Koad,—ln accordance with the instructions of the Council relative to Eketahuna gravel reserve, I have caused printed notices to be posted, cautioning'the public against further interference with the Council's property. I have again .to bring under the Council's notice, the serious injury which the flaweraT|itaikara section of the road is suffering from the trespass of pigs belonging to Natives living about there. The metalled surface has been broken into in several places, and the side-widths uprooted to the boundaries of the road reserves. Similar injury is also oocurring on soino portions of the Te Ore Ore to Bideford road, and although the Natives in both instances have received verbal and written complaints from the Council, they decline to make any effort to remove the evil, In the absenoe of any power that I am aware of to deal with this matter I would request that the Council secure the passing of some measure toenable such nuisances being promptly and effectually dealt with in the futuro.