MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18546, 23 November 1925, Page 6

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

MEETING OF BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Main Highways Board was held at Wellington on Thursday and Friday. Mr I'. W. Furkert presided. In pursuance of the policy of signposting main highways, and indicating . county boundaries, the Board proposed /•to make some arrangements with local authorities for the sign-postiug of bridges. The tour of the South Island which the Board had intended making thi? month ha.s had to lie postponed uniil January. The Board wiii probably .start from Blenheim or Nelson about. January 15th, and work right down the South Island, including the West Coast I Concrete Eoad Subsidy. Considerable discussion arose out of the application of the local authorities between Otahuhu and Papakura for a subsidy on a concrete road. In consequence of a resolution passed by the Board at its last meeting, its engineei submitted a report as to the estimated cost of i bituminous concrete road which the Board had indicated it, would subsidise. On consideration of this report, the Board fixed a maximum mi which it would pay its subsidy. The estimated post per mile varies throughout, but on the whole the Board's subsidy will be paid on an average of approximately £7500 per mile. Engineer's Statement. The '.Resident Engineer's statement read: "With the commencement of better weather, there has been considerable activity on highway construction work throughout the country during the past month, more particularly in the North Islaud. A number of important works have been commenced, and are now in full swing. A large number of proposals for new works are now coming to hand, over 40 having been dealt with in the past five weeks. From the reports, there also appears to be considerably greater activity on, maintenance work, due no doubt to the line 1 weather and the moro favourable subsidy now available from the Board." Construction Work. The, following details of construction work were given:— Blenheim-Christchurch —The Clarence river bridge has been finally completed, and heavy protection work is now m hand. ' Westport-Karamea The Karamea' bridge has been finally completed, and an excellent job has been made. The approaches are in hand, and it was expected that the bridge would be open for train c on November 4th. Big Ditch bridge has been completed, with the exception of the• approaches. Jones's creek-bridge and Little Ditch bridge have been commenced. Westport-Nelson—The renewal of Dixon's creek bridge has been completed, and of the Inangahua Junction road bridge one pier has been completed, and three others are in course of construction. A certain amount, of concreting haa teen carried out on one of the abutments. Christelmrch-Blenheim, via Parnassus —From Clarence to Da'shwood, 14 cha:ns of road have been widened. Hapuku river bridge: Tenders are Ueing called for the erection of the stop bank. Waipara-Kaikoura, via Culverden—On the Whalesbaek seetion'good progresses being made with the metalling contract. Christehurch-MotukaTara, via Sumner and Lyttelton —Ten chains of road in the Sumner borough have been tarsealed during the month, and .17 chains at tlie bottom'end of Dyer's Pass hav« been regraded, and coated with scoria. /■■ OJuißtehurch-Dn.hedi.ri —On the. section '.b'etvvredit Timaru and'Paredra bridge, a commencement has been made with tar•gealing work. -'■"■■■■■'■, - Dunedin-Christchurch "Waitati section: 3516 cubic yards of metal have been crushed during the month, . and good progress generally has been made, j