PROGRESS OF WORKS INWAIKATO.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1588, 7 September 1882, Page 2

PROGRESS OF WORKS INWAIKATO.

[BT TELEGRAPH — OWN CORRESPONDENT.] / Wellington, Last Night. It will be seeu from the annexed that satisfactory progress has been made during the year with the opening out of the country in the direction of Raglan and the Lower Waikato : — Lake Wangape to Block 7, Awaroa : This road has been commenced under appropriation for a previous period. During the pi-esent year 5J miles have been constructed at a cost of £837. More than ordinary difficulties have been met with on this line, owing to rock cutting and the work of keeping open the road across the swamp. A good substantial cart' bridge has been built over the Maere stream of six feet span, complete in every respect, and of good totara and rimu timber for the sum of £90. The road may be taken as a fair specimen of the style of bridle road making all over the country. Taking 1 3£ mues of part bush, and part open, the side cutting, 4 feet in solid, all streams bridged, the cost has been at the rate of £118 per mile. The work was done by day labor, having completed 5£ miles up to the 30th ult., of open and forest country, nearly all of which has been side cuttling, 4 feet in solid, at a cost of £636 for everything. Some expenditure has taken place on portions completed last year in raising embankments across swamps, removing landslips and planting willows along the swamp embankments. The ensuing summer will see this line through to the open land of the West Coast. By means of this line and that from Lake Whangape, a large extent of Crown land of very good quality, though broken will have been opened. On the Raglan-Waipa road during the year there has been one stone, seven pipe, and seven timber culverts laid clown, four bridges repaired (using about 1200 feet of timber, and 150 chains of earthwork, and 141 chains of surface formation, with a formation widtli of 20 feet, completed, at a total cost of £226 14s lOd, including about 800 feet of timber. The works have been done in detached portions, in order to distribute the benefit of them as far as possible, extending from the west boundary of the district to the Waeremarino Greek, a distance of seven miles, not including that portion between the Waeremarino and Tukorokoro creeks, the contractor for which has thrown up his contract. Nearly all the portions of road missed badly require forming, but that, together with the remainder of the I road to the Waitetuna bridge must be kept in abeyance until funds are availi able. There was £100 expended on the mountain road outside the district, but that was done by day labor under the superintendence of the road board. The Huihuitahi-Patetere road is a portion of the main line from Cambridge to Taupo. The work commenced on the 4th February, and S£ miles, including two bridges of 14ft. and 10ft., were completed on the 21st June at a cost of £630. fhe country is very easy, with the exception of some heavy cuttings at the commencement. The woik done has opened up 11,000 acres of Crown land very effectually, whilst it at the same time renders a considerable portion of the Patetere district accessible by wheeled traffic. A comparatively small expenditure on an extension of this road would open a communication for coaches with the TaurangaTaupo road, and thus complete the coach road from Auckland to Wellington, via Napier. Mr Wiight has superintended the construction of the Alexandra bridge of the Waipa river to give access to Tavvhiao's new settlement at Whatiwhatihoe, and which will at the same time be on the main line leading into the King country. The bridge will be opened in a fortnight's time. It consists of six 24 leet spans and three 40 feet trusses, a total length of 264 feet, the height being 42 feet above the ordiuary river level. The approaches and about a mile of road and a large culvert have been made by Maori labour. The whole will have been completed at a cost of about £!SOO. The Katikati-Te Aroha road is 121 miles in leugth, of which 7J are through forest on the Te Aroha range which it crosses at an elevation of 1700 feet. Two contracts have been entered into for the construction of a 7-foot road on a one in thirteen grade, but owing to the extra bad season only 3| miles have been completed, mostly in the open country. When completed it will furnish direct means of communication between Taurauga and To Aroha, and will be much used. The magnificent view to be obtained on the summit of the range will prove an attraction to many travellers. The Hikutaia to Ohinemuri road has now beeu carried into the village of Paeroa at Ohinemuri, and with the exception of a contract for raising one of the swamp embankments, is completed, though in connection with it a drainage contract has yet to be let, for which tenders are now called. This, being one of the main roads of the province, has been constructed for cart traffic 16 feet wide. The length is 6f miles. The work has been costly, averaging £oSO per mile. During the summer, as you are aware, it was used by one of the line of coaches, forming a connection between Thames, Te Aroha, Hamilton and Raglan.