WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2391, 5 November 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL

The following is the Engineer’s report presented at the last meeting of the council, for which we had not space in our last issue ;

The Chairman Waikato County Council. Sin, —In accordance with instructions, I have made a survey under the Public Works Act of a road deviation, at Huntly, on Mr Collin’s property, and sent the plans for *• taking land” to the Survey Office for approval. Plans for -closing are also prepared, and the necessary advertisements ready for insertion.

I have inspected reals in the Rangiriri Riding, and report as follows: Wairasgi Swamp Roan.—The metal for this road (sample of which I produce) is situated within J of a mile or so of the road, and can be obtained iu quantities with the greatest of ease, and the road far carting is very easy. lam af opinion that for the sum alloted the greater portion of the swamp could be put in good order, and a permanent job made of it. The roadway is in good enough order, with hj r: and there alittlemakingup,lotilcethec >atingof metal, as I do not anticipate that the formation will sink much, if any more. The amount of traffic over the road seems to be increasing, and unless something permanent is done (as is now proposed) it is sure to cut up very badly next winter. The metal, if put on, will prevent this. At the Wairangi schoolhouse road the water has been washing across the road and a new culvert, about 4ft. wide, is required, leaving the present 2ft. box in where it stands. It will be necessary to fill up the approaches to this culvert and also to raise the road where washed away up to the proper level. The culvert, Or. Johnson informs me, can be built of rough matai timber and sawn planks, which is procurable at hand. Chuuchill Road. Three sets of 9-inch pipes are required on this road, and with the balance of the grant I would suggest putting on sand at the clay cuttings at Thompson’s Pah Hill, and on the next hill also. In alf 10 or 12 chains of the worst portions should be so treated. Before potting on the sand water-tables should be trimmed up and ruts filled.

Jeffrey’s cutting near Ellis’ farm requires the removal of 250 to 300 yards to cut through the ridge and make, up the embankment. The cnlvervts required are already

Gall’s Gath to Rangibiri. —Between the two bridges at the Kangiriri end the road is in good order, but on the south side of Ouotea bridge the mad way should bo cleared the full width of all sweet briar (of which large quantities are growing) and other shrubs. The roadway should then be formed and watertabled, say 25 feet wide. At Paetao Hill the cutting requires to be widened three or four feet, and a little sand might bo spread to ease the hill, which cuts up badly and gets very slippery. Matahuha Road.—l found this road'impassablo for horse traffic. The work done last season has been of good effect in the first three swamps from the mam road, and at the fourth partially so ; but at this place about one chain or a little less must be fascined well and raised a little with earth, as the water runs across the road, or rather lays on the road without any chance of getting away; and this swamp can hardly bo avoided by going round the hills. The 27 chain swamp is impassable, and cannot, I am of opinion, be made good, except at a very heavy cost; much more, lam sure than the Council would at all entertain. The swamp is low and soft, also very deep, and no drainage can be done efficiently except by cutting a very long outfall, and even then the roadway must continue to sink for a long time to come._ To get a road at a reasonable cost, which would suffice for all present traffic, it will bo necosary to strike up towards the hills at this swamp,’and cross the higher up where it is only some 3 chains wide. By doing this a fairly, good road can be obtained, by crossing 2 arms of swamp, one about 2 chains and a quarter, the other about 2 chains. In one case, at least, an drain would-be necessary, but the other would not, I think, require it so much. A small amount of cutting also, would be required, at two or three different spots, if a dray road was required, but these would not be of any great extent. Collin’s Road at Huntly. —This road, which I have just surveyed is in a very bad condition between the railway and the top of the first hill, especially about 11 chains of it, and the ti-tree, &c., has grown so high that the road never gets a chance to get in good order in the winter. The culvert, too, is stopped up, which prevents the water getting away, and so keeps the road rotten. The traffic on this road since the opening of the Taupiri Reserve Company’s Mine has considerably increased, and is likely to do so still more. The main road in many places is very rough near Huntly, but temporary repairs wo dd not be of much avail. It would require to he reformed when the Council could see their way clear to do so, and the cost of forming should not exceed 4s or so per chain. The Meremere Bridge Road was not visited on this trip, as the river being so high it was thought by both Or. Johnson and myself that it had better remain over until next visit, when other works are to be let, and it may be advisable if the Council agree thereto, that the work should be let to the settlers themselves, who are so much interested in it, and would be likely to make a good job of it. The value of the work could easily be arrived at when other tenders were called for, and the average coat of the work ascertained.—Yours faithfully, T. (4. Sandes, C.E., Engineer Waikato County Conned.