THE NEWCASTLE DISTRICT ROAD BOARD AND ROAD WORKS.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1233, 25 May 1880, Page 3

THE NEWCASTLE DISTRICT ROAD BOARD AND ROAD WORKS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — I have seen plan and specifications, and plans and specifications, and I saAV the other day that the correspondent of | the Star or llcndd states that the plans of j the Awawa road contract were not as plain as they might have been. True this was so, but let him go and look at the so called plans and specifications at present on exhibition in Mr Eflgecumbe's office^ Hamilton, and at Whatawhata, issued on behalf of the Newcastle Board, for work required to be carried out in their district. Why, sir, they are simply a disgrace to any Highway Board, and are quite unintelligible to any ordinary man. The English is bad, and the writing ditto, and as for the conditions, attached no sain contractor would ever submit to them, as they would place him wholly and solely at the mercy, not even of the Board, but of one man,andthat onetheraan who is supposed to be the author of the specifications referred to. Sir, as a ratepayer, I must enter my protest against the manner in which the money is about to be spent, and I will give a few reasons i for bo doing. Gunti'aot No. 1 m fay

forming a road past Mr Day's house, &c, &c. Now, that portion of tlio road southward of the house is at present a first-class bit of road, hard, sandy, and dry, and requires absolutely nothing to bo' done to it. From Day's to Koromatua Creek only wants gravelling, which would render it fit to bear the traffic of the 20 or so cows which traverse it night and morning through the winter. But next oomes the grandest idea of all. In Whatawhata the road is to be formed 100 feet wide with 16 feet foot-paths. Now, we know what a fine bit of ground the Whatawhata flat is, and to have it turned into a quagmire and a bad road (100 feet wide too) is rather too much of a joke. And all this whilst bad, very bad portions of the road are being untouched, and will be almost impassable. I have come to the conclusion th;it the Engineer has been sleeping with Mr Day. Nothing else could account for these contracts as far as I can see. Then, think of asking a man to do all this in &Lv iveelcs at this tirne of the year. Bah ! The thing is too absurd. And then the culvert, 12 x 10, with plenty of timber inside to ill up the space and catch the debrh. One thing is | certain, it will be the only one of its size in this part of the world, and I certainly shall go and have a look at a 10 x 12 box culvert made with 9x2 planking. Why, a good bridge could be built with less timber. Just one thing more and lam done. One clause says that the contract is to include every thiny specified, and any other thiny that is nerc^ary, not stipulated but intended. Good ! And all these things are to be done out of a special vote ! Is it any wonder that Government are chary in giving grants of monies to Boards when* they are used like this. I heard that Mr Blackett, Chief Engineer, P.W., expressed intense admiration at the Leslie's hill embankment, which lig considers. a marvel of road engineering ; what would he not say if he saw these specifications, and that big box culvert ? " Nuf sed" for the present, more anon from One who takes

Sir,— The Newcastle District Board in that spirit of blundery for which they have achieved such an unenviable notoriety, are calling for Tenders to render impassable about four miles of the Waipa main road. It is scandalous that a public body should be allowed to squander the peoples money in the way proposed — in reforming and gravelling this road with winter just coming on. Ratepayer.