COUNCIL PAPERS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1049, 18 May 1869, Page 3

COUNCIL PAPERS.

REPORT UPON ROADS & BRIDGES. Engineer's Office, Napier, Bth May, 1869. The road works during the present financial year havo mostly been carried on with the amounts set aside for those purposes by tho " Loan Act Amendment Act, 1868," and by the " Toll-Grate Act." Owing to the scarcity of labor during tho summer months, all available hands having been taken up for harvesting and shoepshearing, a considerable portion of the works had to be deferred to the autumn, and some of the contracts cannot be completed during the present financial year. I am glad to be able to report the roads generally in good condition, and sufficiently extended for present requirements. Every homestead off tho sea coast, with the exception of Mangaharura.is approachable by drays, and all that appears required for the next year is the maintenance of the made portions, for which some provision will have to be made. Until now it was impracticable to contract for the maintenance of the roads, as the new works were generally interwoven with the made portions ; but as not many new works are likely to be undertaken during the coming financial year, I beg to suggest that the maintenance of all roads be carried on by contracts, excepting damages caused by floods to bridges ; ana as those are perfectly sound and tike wafcei'tiray sufficiently enlarged, they will probably suffer very little from those causes, The roads between Napier, Hayelock, and Puketapu can be well maintained from Toll-Gate receipts, but at least £1000 is

required for the maintenance of the main south road, and at least £800 for that of the other lines. I shall now describe the different roads under their respective headings. Town Roads. No new roads have been made in Napier, but all have been well maintained and generally improved. The cost of maintenance of the town roads will always be considerable, owing to the great wear of the limestone used as metal. Najpier to Waita/ngi. The upper beach road has been completed to Tareba's Bridge, and it will make an excellent road, provided it receives proper attention during the coming winter by filling up the ruts, which necessarily must be caused by the traffic until tlio foundation is properly consolidated. More than two miles have been completed between Tareha's Bridge and Waitangi, and the remaining portion is now in the hands of the contractor. Waita/ngi to Waipawa, The line between Waitangi and Havelock has been completed, and the metal being well set, will require very little outlay for the coming year. The line from Havelock to Waipawa is finished, with the exception of small portions at Pukahu and at Hapuka's pa, which are under contract. The portions metalled with river shingle will require very little during the next year, but those covered with limestone, especially near Poukawa and Te Aute, where the material is very soft, will want annually a coat. of at least three inches, entailing an outlay of about £80 per mile. Wavpawa to Ejoaraima. "■ ■ The greater part between Waipawa and Waipukurau lias been metalled, and about three miles between the Tukituki <and Eparaima have been lately formed, principally through the flats near Captain Newmans gate and through the Motuotaria bush. About one mile near the Tarewa bush (on Mr. Harding's run) where the subsoil is very spongy, will require re-metalling during the • coming, winter, and the watertables on the whole line, which are constantly being filled up by Btock, will need constant attendance, employing at least two men for the winter. The approaches to the ford at the Tukituki are now being piled, and the timber for re-flooring Eperaima bridge has been contracted for. Eparaima to . Southern Boundary of Province. About one and a half miles of side-cut-tings have been made on the new line from Eparaima to the Porangahau flats, at Lambert's bush, but the gradients are unavoidably steep, so that it will be of little use but for bullock teams. The greater portion of the line from Lambert's bush to Porangaliau has been formed, and as large discharge-drains have been cut from the road-drains into the Porangahau river, the road will not only be practicable during the winter without being metalled, but the flats will be drained to a considerable extent, greatly benefiting the agricultural settlers lately located there. A substantial bridge has been built over the Kokomoko, and a dray bridge over the Mangamarri is under progress by contract. Tareha's Bridge to Puketapu. The greater portion of the road between Tareha's Bridge and Puketapu hills has been re-metalled, the bridge at Puketapu has been rebuilt, and the piling below the Meanee bridge is now being extended under contract, the river showing a tendency of further encroaching upon the land, which would, if not checked, cut off the approach to the bridge from Napier. The timber for piling the portion of the river below Mr. Ashton's fence, where it has eaten close up to the road, is being prepared, and the work -will be taken in hand, almost immediately. Puketapu to Patoka. This line, which, owing to the light nature of the soil, suffers generally severely from heavy rains, has been thoroughly repaired, but no arrangement has been come to with the landowners for opening up the proposed line through Messrs. Breinghan's aud Smith's properties. Owing to the diversity of opinion of the five landowners through whose property the road will have to be taken, I see no prospect for getting that line otherwise but by action under the " Compulsory Land-taking Act." Middle Road. The works on this road had to be deferred to some extent, owing to scarcity of labor, but bridges have been built near Mr. Douglass's and near Homewood, and the metalling of 25 chains near Havelock is now under contract. The upper portion of the Middle Road is very little used since the Waipaoa has taken its course through Homewood run, and the settlers of Patangata will be seriously inconvenienced during the winter season, when the Tukituki, which will have to be forded twice, is slightly flooded. There are two ways to remedy that evil, either to deviate the Waipaoa to its original course, or to build a bridge over it about 500 yards above the old one. From recent observation, I am under the impression that the river can be turned into its original bed at a cost not exceeding £300, to which sum some of the landowners would probably contribute considerably, while a bridge, with the necessary side-cuttings to the road, would cost I about £800. Ngawhakatatara to Oero. A road has been made through te Kopanga run from a spur above Ngawakatatara to Oero bush, and the bridle-track ; through the bush has been enlarged into a dray road, and further dray-cuttings on both sides of the bush are now under contract. Petane to Pohui and Tarawera. About two miles of the Petane beach road nearest the bridge have been formed with clay obtained from a small island 5 a dray-road has boon cut through the Pohui bush ; and two substantial bridges have been built between Titiokura and the Mokalca church ford, so that bullock teams can now travel to the Mohaka. Road to Wairoa. A bridge has just been completed at Pakuratai, and some side-cuttings have been made on both sides of that valley, so as to keep open the line to Mohaka when the beach road is impassable from the breaking out of the Tongoio lagoon. About 30 chains of side-cuttings have been made between Waihua and the Ohinepaku valley, and two bridges in that valley are now under contract. Main line of road to West Coast. Contracts are now under progress for clearing the whole line through the bush from fallen timber and underwood, for making and repairing side-cuttinga, and building the necessary bridges. . Hoa&from Havdock to Aormgi* The soft sandy portion between Te Aoa-orte-Aiua and the Pafciki bridge is now being formed, and will be completed bx a few; days*

The proposed works on^this^iine had to be deferred- owing of /laboiv but tenders are now being called for a bridge over the swampy cr6ek' near the Manga-o : nuku, and ; for 'the ,?iecesßary v ; side-cuttings leading from the river to . the saddle. ." ; The bridge (68 feet long): ibetoreen ; . ; Grwavas and the saddle having been burnt ay by bush-fire, heavy side-cuttings, had to -'i be made at the junction of the bndge *ith > Manga-p-nuku, arid the,; steep cuttings across the four creeks have^ been greater « eased and widened, so that, the: road, is • ( now very practicable. ? < > .-; ■•.:"?.• .-•'-;-; Roads tfootyhMik/utoto Block. •;" ;": , : ; A bridge has been buili lately over the. - Muddy creek, and a portion of the road '... to Olive has been re-metalled^ . . . ., . '■/. ; . , Roads through Pa/pakv/ra Block. '■„_ ■••. About 60 chains of theupper, and .about ; 55 chains of the lower ; Pakowhai road have been formed, but as, with ; exception of the uppir '• HneV; (between Pakowhai and Pawhakairo)i «U roads are: • being flooded, the money is practically/ wasted, and I should suggest that no fur- ; ther expense be incurred on, the lower :" roads until the Tutaekuri is diverted. - Cables Wbbbb, * .;; y\;:. Provincial Engineer.