MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 152, 24 March 1925, Page 8

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

TARANAKI TOLL GATES REPORTS ON IMPORTANT WORKS BADLY MAINTAINED ROADS NAMED The monthly meeting of . the Main Highways Board was held in Wellington last week. Mr. F. W. Furkert (chairman) presided. The following official report is supplied:— - The principal question dealt with by the board was that of the closing toll gates in Taranaki. There has been considerable agitation for t’be closing of these gates, more particularly Ly the motorists, since the passing of tbe Motor Vehicles Act, and t.’.e Public Works Amendment Act, 1924. The board decided to agree to the n quest of the counties having toll gates to pay half interest and sinking fund ou the loans raised, for the purpose of improving the roads affected by the gates, and subject to Government ratification, the whole of the gates will be closed on March 31.

The board has issued instructions to district highway councils for the, preparation of annual estimates, and also for the annual review of main hignwavs. The annual review will be made by the board at the next meeting, which will be held on April 16. The circular issued lasi ’ ■

board to local authorities regarding the laxity in submitting claims for payment of the board’s share of mai. usance has had ‘the result of an increase in the board’s expenditure, but authorisations are still considerably in excess of disbursements, although an improvement is hoped for by the end of the financial year.

Representations from various sources have been made to the board for an increase In the proportion of maintenance subsidy payable by it. The majority of. the requests have been for the payment of maintenance subsidies according to the proportion of foreign traffic, hut the determining of the amount of foreign traffic throughout the year is a inosr difficult matter, and in any case the funds available to the board would not meet payments on this basis. The board, however, is recommending to the Government an amendment to the Main Highways Act, giving it additional discretionary povere in this direction.

The following is the monthly report of the activities of the hoard <n the more important I’orks being cuiried ouf:—

Great South Road—Ran giriri Hills Deviation.—There now only remains 35 chains to be metalled. It is e? reefed that this will be completed during the present month, while cn the r'-rtion between Rangiriri and fthinewai there still remains miles of installing to be done. The total gaps in the metalling between Mercer and Ohinewm now amount’ to 2 miles o chains. Belling and blinding ara following up satisfactorily. Rotoma to Rotorua.—Three miles of re-formation by grader completed. Gisborne-Opotiki via the Coast. — Good progress is being made with the rc-formation and metalling of the section front I’otiawa to Tolara Bay. Otic mile and a half of metalling has been completed, and a further mile and a half of foundation course has been laid. Eight lorries are at present employed, and a further three are now being transferred to that district.

On tlie Uawa portion, metalling is being commenced, and work is now proceeding at both, the Mangawahine and Jerusalem deviations. At the Rotokautuku bridge the land span, on the right bank, has been launched, thus completing the eastern half of tlie bridge. Rotokautuku-Tikitiki Deviation.—The contract for/three miles and a half is in hand. Th< materials for the Mangaoporo bridge are being conveyed to site.

At Matakaoa County 60 chains have been metalled on Hospital Road. Gisborne-Opotiki via Motu.—Eighty chains metalling completed on Otoko Hill.

Gisborne-Wairoa via Morere.—A promising deviation is now being tried at Morere Hill, by which the road may be shortened by one mile and the grades be much improved. Seventy-five chains of bitumen grouting have been done during the month.

Gisborne-Wairoa via Hangaroa.— Thirtv chains of formation have been completed, and the materials for metalling collected. Petane-Taupo Road.—Lucky Hill bridge completed, and approaches in hand.

Napier-Wellington via Wairarapa.— Mangatera Stream bridge is almost completed. In Waipawa County, two miles between Woodville Borough and Ngawanurm bridge have been tar sealed. Woodville-Palmerston North. — In Woodville County 75 chains have been prepared for tar sealing, while on the Government portion the regrading for 92 chains is almost completed. Kawhia-Oparau.—The construction of the sea wall, 61 chains in length, is proceeding satisfactorily, 45 chains beim? now completed.

Metalling at Puti bridge is in progress, as is also the metalling from Oparau bridge to the county boundarv.

Te Kuiti-Bulls.—Raurimu-Waimarino section. The Prisons Department has completed 10 chains of formation on the spiral, and 40 chains of metalling towards the south boundary of the Kaitieke County. Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki.— On the Awakino end 81 chains of metal have been laid, leaving only If miles to complete, while on the Tongaporutu end 78 chains have been laid, thus leaving onlv 2 miles to complete at this end; the total now J-'ft for completion is still over 3 miles. On Mt. Messenger 98 chains have been tar sealed.

In the Inglewood County 108 chains of penetration bitumen metalling have now been completed. Lepperton Junction-Hawera via Onunake.—s4 chains of metalling have been rolled and grouted with bitumen during the month, making a total of 88 chains now completed. Of this highway in the Waimate West County, 705 chains have been dressed with bitumen, and 90 chains with tar.

New Plymouth-Kiimata, via Tngle-wood.—-75 chains of foundation course have been laid and partly rolled. Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki. At Patea Hill 381 chains of foundation course have been laid. In Waverley Town district, and also between Waverley and Waitotara metalling and grouting operations are in hand.

Rangitatau-Waterslied.—39 chains of new metalling completed. Wanganui-Horopito.—On the Para-para-Mangawhero section 26 chains at the southern end have been widened, and 10 chains of metalling completed. Wellington-Auckland, via Taranaki. —On the Paremata-Porirua section the Public Works Department has already started operations on. the realignment and widening of the road, preparatory to gravelling. The zninimum curva-

ture on this road will on completion be 2 chains radius, with minimum widths of 20ft., and additional width at the curves. Wellington-Napier, via Wairarapa.— On the Akatarawa-Mangaroa section the deviations at both these points are being started. Flood damage from the summit Rimutaka Hill to Abbot’s bridge has been repaired. Inangahua J unction-Waiho.—lnanga-hua Junction bridge. Owing to floods very little new construction work has been done. The formation of both north and south approaches is in hand. . Little Grey River protective works almost completed. Westport-Karamea. —Karamea River bridge. Reconstrivtion is being held up owing to unsuitable weather. Blenheim-Christchurch. — Clarence River bridge. The cylinders at abutment A and pier B have been sunk to final depth, and the sinking at pier C is also almost completed. The concreting of the abutments and piers up to deck level is in hand. It will, however, probably be August before the work is finally completed. The ferry has been working satisfactorily, the only interruptions being caused through" occasional floods. The protection of the road by means of concrete walling is in hand, at three places between Kaikoura and the Oaro _ River. The. approach to the Greta bridge is in hand. Montgomery Creek bridge.—This bridge has been completed and opened for traffic.

Waipara-Kaikoura, via Culverden.— Wandle River bridge. One abutment and two concrete piers completed. The main highways, generally speaking, are being maintained in a satisfactory manner, although there are certain exceptions where the local bodies must be asked to carry out their duties. The parts that have been noticed as being unsatisfactory are:— Auckland-Wellington Road through Manukau County. Auckland-Wellington Road through Wanganui County. Auckland-Wellington Road through Makara County. Wellington-Napier, via Wairarapa, through Wairarapa South County. Wellington-Napier, via Wairarapa, through Hawke’s Bay County. Napier-Gisborne Road through Hawke’s Bay County. Petane-Taupo Road through Hawke’s Bav Countv. Nelson-Blenheim Road through Waimea County. Two loadometers for the weighing of motor vehicles have arriyed, and will be nut into operation on the gazetting of the heavy traffic regulations under the Public Works Amendment Act, 1924.

Tn the South Island there is very little to report in the way of construction, ’most of the work that is being done is maintenance; while in the North Island there are many proposals that have been already approved, and many that arc now being received or are expected at an early date.