COUNTY ROADS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 11088, 11 April 1933, Page 3

COUNTY ROADS

Engineer’s Monthly Report REPAIR* TO BRIDGES. Tho following report for the past month va* l.y .Mr A 11. tjeiibam. county cncinm-r. to I- rid ay is B , e eting "f '- hf ‘ Ta!!ran;ra (, " unt >' Council MA ,x highvv a ys—m a i ntenang e Tiiiiranga-Waihi.

A considerable amount of work has been carried out on all the sections 0 f this l.ighway and the whole length

graded. Maintenance metal has been crushed * carted and si-rmui as follows: Athenree-County Boundary. 06 cubic vards. from Bn-ok-W and 121 cubic yards from Tuapiro; Amigatete-Ath-;nree 2GS cubic yards from Tuapiro and 10 cuL’ic yards from Waitekohe; tfairoa-Aongatcte, Jog cubic yards from Waitekohe and IN' cubic yards from Tc Puna: Tauranga-Wairoa. 130 cubic yards from Tc Puna, making a total of k'H cubic yards on this highway-Taiiranga-Matamata. This highway has been graded throughout, watortahles and o\elbanging scrub cleared, and 291 cubic yards of maintenance metal crushed and spread, of which Hi cubic yards from Raima! Quarry was used near (he County Boundary and the balance ; from Runliilii Quarry was spread. 100 cubic yards between Kuahihi and Ngamuawahine. and 13G cubic yards between Barke’s Corner and Ruahihi. The maintenance period for the culvert at White's has elapsed and the contract has been taken over. Tauranga-Whaknlane.

The ' Paengaroa-Otamarakau seelion of this road has been graded throughout. The unsealed part of Te Pukepapamoa Section lias been dragged when the weather suited and 2 4 cubic yards of maintenance metal carted and spread. ■ Further pumicing was carried out on the Paengaroa-Otamarakau section between the railway and the Paenga-roa-Maketu Road to the extent of the available finance. The repairs to the Kaituna Bridge, reported on at last meeting, have been completed, and the structure should now bo reasonably safe for another couple of years. Temporary repairs are being effected to the Kaikokopu Bridge in order to strengthen it until its replacement can be arranged for. Paengaroa-Te Ngae.

A start has been made pumicing the section of this highway adjacent to Paengaroa.

Papamoa-Mount Secondary Highway

This highway has received maintenance attention and a further 125 cubic yards of shell carted and spread. < A start has been made with the cleaning of the Maungatawa drain adjacent to this highway.

Rotorua-Direct Secondary Highway. The metalled portion of this highway has been graded and surface maintenance carried out throughout the whole length. Further rhyolite has been quarried and broken at McFadgen’s for use on the bush section during the winter, Tc Puna Toint-Omokoroa Secondary Highway. This highway has been graded throughout, the watertables and culverts attended to and put in order for the winter traffic.

RIDINGS. Katikati. The work on the by-roads metalling scheme has not progressed as fast this month as previously, as the plant and men have for part time been engaged on highway works. On Rea's Road the filling at the first bridge has been completed and 42 cubic yards of metal crushed, carted and spread. On Wharawhara Road 24 4 cubic yards have been laid, and on Kauri Point Road 36 cubic yards. The new metal on Sharp’s Road, Rea’s Road and Thompson’s Track has been graded with the patrol grader.

The Public Works Department has practically finished the work on Tuapiro Road and has made a start on Woodland’s Road. Work has been started on Willoughby’s Road, in accordance with

authority received at last meeting. The local timber stringers of a 36 footbridge on Woodlands Road, near Mr May's, are decayed and the temporary, piers are unsafe. lam making arrangements for Mr Clare to replace this bridge when he is in the vicinity. Te Puna. In addition to highway work, the Riding truck and relief works gang have been engaged on Borell’s Road, clearing and metalling: Crapp’s AcRoad, clearing slips: Wairoa v River Road, cutting back scrub and general repairs: and the No. 3 grader has graded the Omokoroa Station Road. The Public Works gang is still engaged on the metalling contract at the top of the Whakamarama Road.

Waimapu. Daring the beginning of the month, toe relief gang workers were coucen- - trated on the dealing of ragwort at Oropi, and. very satisfactory work done. The footpath from the Hospital to tou Oropi Road junction is nearly completed and the relief works gangs are now put on to the by-roads fixtog up same in readiness for the winder. Te PukeGeneral surface maintenance has boon carried out on the Ohauiti, Maungatapu, Otairaatua. Manoeka Quarry and Nos. 2 and 3 Roads. On the Waitao Road a gang has been engaged in widening the forniaGon from the end of the existing toetal to the school junction and the Public Works Department gang is commencing the metalling on this tongth. The Public Works Department *>Ung, I understand, has completed , toe metalling work on the Ohauiti Poad, but* a number of culverts are paired to prevent the metal scourtog out. Further surfacing with rhyolite toom the Mangatoi Gorge has been torried out, 200 cubic yards being

quarried, carted and spread, 22 chains of Douglas’ Hill being completed. I Inspected No. 3 Road and Carruth’s Road, in company with Cr Morton and Mr Sneddon, and was informed by the latter that the Public Works Department would be starting the metalling on No. 3 Road pracically straight away. Maketu. As the Riding gang has been fully occupied on the Highways, the work on the by-roads has consisted of the grading of the Otamarakau Valley Road, the continuation of the re-for-mation of the Old Coach Road at Pukehina, and the clearing of the Kaituna Road by the Maketu relief workers.

An inspection was made of a culvert on Te Tumu Road, opposite Mr Tanner’s, and arrangements made for the lowering of the same. An inspection was made of the bridge over the Kaituna River on the Maungarangi Road, the decking of which is in a very decayed condition, my estimate of the replacement of which is £SO. General. Advice has been received that the new Bedford truck for the Waimapu Riding is being railed from Wellington on the 7th instant and delivery should be taken early next week. An offer was made to the Tauranga Electric Power Board for its half-ton Chevrolet Truck for use in the Katikati Riding. The trial has proved satisfactory and I would recommend that the purchase be concluded. Cr_ Sinclair asked that more men be engaged so as to carry out work before winter on certain by-roads in the Katikati Riding. The Engineer explained that he was arranging for additional work in Ivatikati Riding. The question of route of Busby’s Road, in Katikati Riding, was discussed and it. was decided that the legal line be adhered to when work was put in hand. Cr Mends said that Mr Conway had asked that repairs be carried out to the road giving access to his property at Paengaroa. —Referred to the Engineer. Cr Blaymires mentioned that the Rangiruru Road and certain by-roads needed attention. Or Darragh asked that a piotective rail be erected at the Judea bridge and the work was authorised. Cr Gane moved—That the report of the engineer be adopted. Seconded by Cr Darragh and carried.