COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1933, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL

COUNTY CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Aft the earnest request of the members for the Central Riding of this (Council, I paid a visit to the Kokatahi and Koiterangi districts on Friday, .the 19th inst. I bad the pleasure apd advantage of the company of Councillors Jamieson, Keenan and ohesix* also Road Overseer Millner.

I.—The . first request by Councillor Jamieson wais for the removal of a [telegraph pole immediately beyond the [Lower Kokatahi scuibol, which is considered dangerous to traffic. A marked diversity of opinion was expressed by members—in that Councillors Jamieson and Keenan considered that the ■Council should urge the immediate removal of the pole, whereas Councillor Chesterman and I are of opinion that (the pole is perfectly safe in jts present position «o long as ordinary and rea-

onable'caye is taken by motorists using ‘the road. Any alteration in the position of this particular pole will varythe alignment of the electric line in, its vicinity. The matter should be considered by the Council to-day. and if a ' majority of member are of an opinion at variance with my own, application should be made to the Telegraph Department accordingly, and the responsibility for the cost of removal should, not be on the Council. 2. The second request by Mr Weir to have the .road approach to his pro* mifles made .through' the present gravel pit o,n the line of Weir’s Road was considered and, on personal inspection, I think the. matter should be attended to, and Mr Weir's request granted, The Council been using a road reserve es a gravel pit and Mr Weir hap WifO to use a circuitous route to avoid the pit. Further digging in the direction of Mr Weir’,; house should be stopped ■and the straightened road can be formed gradually without any inconvenience. [Mr Weir’s request was quite reasonable,. as was his .attitude generally; particularly when he consented to the gradual •building up of the ■ road to suit the requirements of the. Council. 3. —Repairs to Styx River foot bridge were considered and as the work was (urgent, authority was given to prodfed with the repairs necessary. -Mr C. F. Cron has been entrusted with the work and will be supplied with .the necessary timber within the next week.

4. —I received a written communicatio,n ifrom Mr M. J. Moynihan to inspect the encroachment of the Kokatahi [River at a po> n t immediately above property. There is no doubt there is immediate danger, but ‘ the necessary protection works will be far. beyond the means of this Council, and I cannot recommend expenditure of any sum, [which would be money thrown away. 5. —One important matter wa s brought to my attention when in the vicinity lof the last matter referred to, and that is the supply- of gravel for road repairs, in the Koiterangi district. Several of the roadg arc suffering for the reason [that the, carriage of gravel is a serious imatfer owing' to the distance of the gravel pit ’from the roads requiring repair. Bv t.he expenditure of a very small mym indeed excellent gravel cap •be obtained -from the Kokatahi river beacbr I. authorised Mr W. Havi.ll to connect the end of the cld Ford Road with this beach at aP expenditure of a good job of the i road. When completed No. 3 lorry will attend to repair,, to the roads most, needing them.

6. Keenan’s request ior a short section of drain on Jfunw.-pai Road should be attended to aa soon !as labour is available <for the work, 7. The drajnago required by Mr A. [Little at Municipal; OR o a d .w»s explained by Councillor Jamieson. V s This is a [fairly largo job 'and would require half a dozen men 'for three or four' weeks [to .complete-the. work. 8,. The draining of Max .Rdad and [fchb.first half mile of . Station Road will be attended to 'WVen Mr J. Bernhard [returns from Mataihui,

9. The erosion, of Municipal 'Road Iby £ Spence's hsg’ been repaired and-; a retaining plank placed on the outer side of tbe road. If Mr S. (Havill is suocessiul with his work on Dough Boy Creek there will not be bnyc(repetition of the present trouble.. it).—The drainage of Station Roaff, wb'ieh'has .vexed the Council for some [time,: is now capable of a simple solution. Councillor Jamieson reports that MfriHar court baa consented to enlarge Ills:, outlet drain to the boundary ol J- ; s'"'p i -opei'ty. Jimmediatoly this is done !th|-Council will connect the two pipe now under the road at a common

point which will meet Mr Harcourt’s drain and easily solve the problem of the. flood water.

11.—Thee. Lime Kiln Road lin© was pointed out to me by Councillor J®taiieson as surveyed many years ago. Tbe line is approximately twenty chain, s in length and it was estimated by the Public Works surveyors many years ago to cost £SOO to construct. The completion of this work is a matter of public interest as it will undoubtedly be an important factor in reducing the cost of production of 'lime to farmers In the district, many of whom are Crown tenants. The advantages of free and liberal use of lime needs no elaboration, and tbe best efforts of the Council should be directed towards securing a grant for the construction of this road. Advantage should be taken of unemployed labour, and I ha, v o arranged to obtain from the Public Works Department at. Greymouth tbe plans a ( nd specifications which have lain for many years in the archives of that department, so that the matter may be fully considered by the C oun, 'il at this meeting.

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

The County Clerk reported as follows:—With regard to main highway* for the year ended March 31, last, £1,530 was paid to the Main Highways Board being contributions at £lO per mile for the main highways in the County, The expenditure on the Secondary Highways was under the control of the Council, and was fl* follows

Highway Total Hate rT . ,_. . • _ Expenditure - Per Mile. Highway. Received from County Kanieri-Kokatahi £741 18 1 £6l 16 [ 8 t Board Advance Upper Kokatahi WU 38 15 0 KamprUKokaUh. £568 0 0 £lB3 18 1 I.ako Kaniori ... 458 5 1 52 14 5 Upj»r Kokatak. ... 115 6 0 39 17 5 Wataroa Settlement ... 261 0 11 75 8 7 Jf? - - 348 2 9 UO 2 4 Kokatahi Bridge 37 19 6 Wataroa Settlement 202 0 0 62 0 11 - Kokatahi Bridge 37 19 6 £1657 7 0 : £1223 S 9 £433 18

About 40 per cent of tile expenditure was necessary, in. the final quarter of the year due to the damage caused by successive floods.

The contribution by the Council to the main highways this year is increased by the additional mileage declared to Weheka, and will now total £1698 per annum.

The Council’s applications in respect to .secondary highways were approved, but a variation was made in the subsidy for raising Kokatahi road. Instead of £3 for £1 as applied for, £1 for £1 was

granted, that being the Dominion subsidy granted for metalling. The offer of the Council to contribute £1 for £4 for Matainui bridge was accepted. The expenditure for the highways is allocated as follows: —Kjanien-Koka-tahi £500; Upper Kokatahi £100; Lake Kanieifi £350; Wataroa Settlement £2OO.

The following are the votes for special works on the highways:—Kokatahi bridge £160; Kokatahi Protection £100; Harris Creek Bridge £250; Kokatahi road raising £160; McKay’s Creek protection £120; Matainui bridge (Wataroa) £950. . The expenditure of the above sums awaits the formal sanction of the Highways Board.

REVIEW OF SECONDARY

HIGHWAYS

Mr W. Millner reported as follows: I have the honor to report upon the work performed on, the ‘Secondary Highways during the year ended March 31st., 1933. '

CENTRAL RIDING

LAKE KANIERI ROAD,

Graded with power grader (twice), 15 miles; concrete pipe culverts constructed 1/36 inch diameter, 24 lineal feet; conciet© pipe culverts construtced 1/12 inch, 63 lineal feet; sills for culverts, Bx 3 1/14, 1/12, 6/12, 124 super feet-; cleaning drains and water tables, 181 chains; now drain, 13 chains; protective work-Kanieri river bridge, using Bx 4 7/10, 37# wire nets and 25 cubic yds; storm, !;! 111 At foot of Slip Hill 5/12 feet continuous stone fillod nets and three net groin sorub, and stone bank protection, using 40yds. manuka scrub, 50 cubic yards stone, liewt. No. 8 wire, two conbimdous stone-filled nets, and manuka scrub apron 33 feet in length along piling of western abutment McKay’s Creek Bridge. At McKay’s Point, 5/12 feet nets, two leads manuka scrub, 20 cubic yards stone. Small groin seven nets at McKay’s Point st-one filled, using 28 cubic yards cf stone and 15 yards manuka scrub; channel cut McKay’s Creek bed, 10 feet wide, 18 inches deep, chains; clearing roadside growth, 31 miles; romoval of slips (three) 58 yards; removal of slips (one), 200 yards; retaining wall of stone at slip 3 inches high, 300 links; gravel used in repairing, scourg, and road maintenance, 404$ cubic yards; widening from 3ft. 6in’. to Bft. and 2ft. to 6ft. high, 17.75 links; filling two old roadside pits, 24. cubic yards; inlets and outlets to' culverts cleared from Kanieri River Bridge to Lake; left, hand branch bridge repairs, traffic planking 9x2 22/14, 16/16, 4x3 8/14, 10/10, .1/14 under strut; fencing slip bdt-ween Stripland and- McKay’s Creek, using ;13 6ft. silyet ping .posts ,qqd ; 5x2,12/16 railing; painting railing of water race crossing bridge; renewing wing lining McKay’s Creek Bridge Bx 4 8/14; filling on four culverts, 35yds. gravel; average daily traffic: Motor care 14, motor lorries 10, motor cycles 6, gigs 2, drays 4, horses 2, cycles 21, stock 10.

UPPER KOKATAHI ROAD.

Gravel used in road repairs, 315 cubic yards; concrete pipe culvert, 7/8 inch diameter pipes, 21 liueal feet; repairing damaged abutment, Duck Creek Bridge No. 2, using Bx 4 10/18, 3/16; 5/14, 10x8 3/10; heavily graded power grader (twice), 8 miles; clearing blackberry growth, 40 chains; traffic planking No. 1 and No. 2 Duck Creek Bridges, using 9x2 three feet in width under each wheel, 16/18, 24/6, 35/14, 8/12, 8/10. Planks received two coats of bar before being sanded. Temporary repairs were effected to scoured abutment of No. 2 Duck Creek Bridge twice before permanent repairs could be effected owing to water level being too high. Average daily traffic: Motor cars 33, motor lorries 17, motor lorries over 5 tons 2, motor ( cycles 6, drays 7, cycles 20, saddle ‘horses 8, stock, cattle 50, sheep 200. '

KANIERI-KOKAmm ROAD

Power grader re-surfacing, 46 miles; concrete pipe culverts 1/36 inch diameter culvert lengthened 3 feet with 1/36 inch diameter pipe 21 feet previously, 3 lineal feet; concrete' pipe culvert 21/18 inch diameter pipes in three courses of 7/18 inch diameter I pipes in each course, gravelled 20 | feet wide by 30 feet in longth and 3 feet in height, containing 67 cubic yards of gravel, stone facing 4ft. 6in. high containing 12 yards stone, scouring plank Bx 4 lineal feet secured to silver pine posts, 63 lineal feet; concrete pipe culvert beyond Lawson Road lengthened 6 'feet with two 36-inch diameter pipes formerly 21 lineal feet, now 27 lineal feet, 6 lineal feet ; stone retaining wal) containing 12 c l '-bio yards of store, Bx 4 retaining planks, 96 lineal feet secured to silver pine posts, using 8/6 feet posts and 7,j cubic yards of gravel; concrete pipe culvert lengthened 6 feet with 2/36 inch diameter pipes; concrete pipe culvert beyond Harris (.‘reek bridge No. 2 7/12 inch pipes, 21 lineal feet; Kokatahi bridge protection of manuka scrub, wire nets and edones using 13 wire nets, 3 cwt. No. 8 wire, 120 yards scrub, 10 yards stone ; j Harris Greek bridge Mo. 4. Handrails I renewed, using 4x4 6/14, 14/14, 4x3, j 14/4, 4x2 6/14, Bx 4, 7/20, 4/14 traffic planks 9x2, 24/14, 42 lineal feet ; Kokatahi bridge timbers cleaned oi moss growth, and tension and small bolts turned, 6 outhei’n approach railing renewed with 19 silver pine poets and 5x2 railing 21x16, decking Bx 4 removeu and renewed 75/16, 11/18, 1/20, 4/14, 1/10, 1/8, 12x10 strut 1/15, 5x5 strut 1/15 ; Handrailing erected on three culverts between Lake ißoad and Kanievi . Rivex bridge, using 12/8 feet- silver !

pine posts 4x4, 4/16, 5x2, 14/16 ; Outlet drffin bridge 25 feet. Tbe damaged handrailing was renewed on one side with 4x4 and 4x3 timber, and painted ; Motor-worn holes, surfacing, widening and repairs absorbed almost 3,000 cubic yards of gravel ; clearing ■ drains and clearing .growth 43 chains ; clearing and widening drains 96 chains ; new drains 67 chains; widening near Lake ■Road, 4 feet, 9 chains ; approach north sid e Harris Greek bridge 14 feet metalling, .12 inches, 110 links; approach south side Harris Greek bridge 15 'feet metalling, 18 inches, using 86 yards gravel, 132. links; removing soil from outer side of road and filling old drain, 10 chains; widening Morris Hill 3 feet and cutting Wat-ertable s 150 links ; an old fence removed fro.m roadside- ne'r Taimjnel-i Road, 800 links; widening 7 feet i, n width, 2 feet high for a distance of 600 links; . widening 6 feet in width and 9 inches high a distance of 100 links ; material used in widening (screening) 225 cubic yards ; daily traffic ; Motor caiy; 35, motor lorries t-o 5 tons 10, motor lorries, 5 tons 3, motor cycles 12, saddle horses 10, di'ays 6, stock, 40 head, 200 sheep.

WATAROA SETTLEMENT ROAD

This ro’d was graded with the Austin grader for the full length of road and all graded' material removed from the roadside. In addition the road surface was kept in repair absorbing 240 cubic yards of fine gravel for repaid to motor-worn holes and scours, and 112* cubic yards of gra,vel dumped at intervalg on the roadside for 'future .repairs, Watertables were excavated on each *td« of road, 2 feet In width and 14 inches in depth for 59 chains in length. Increasing the width *nd depth of filling over the double course pipe culvert below P. Miley’s for 207 lineal feet in length, 16 to 18 inches in height, ;a ; nd from 13 to 14 feet in width, used 140 cubic yards of rough gravel’. The first creek channel was widened, and cleared of obstructions from the main highway to the bridge, a distance of 10 chains ; the outlet 1° the second bridge wa s widened, cleared and deepened for 900 links below the road, and for 200 links above the mid. The second bridge was raised 12 inches in height, using 12/8, 2/18, Bx 4. 6/14, 4/18, 9x2 6/16, 4x4 4/16, 4x2 2/16. The approaches to the bridge were raised 12 inches in height absorbing 50 cubie yards of fine gravel. Daily traffic: Motor oar 6 12, saddle horses 6, motor lorries 4, motor cycles 6. cycles 4, stock 15, head. ;.