WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1223, 12 June 1919, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer, Mr H. L. Hogg, reported as under to the Waitomo County Council: — ARIA RIDING The junction of Kumara and Potaka roads has been widened and generally improved. The new metal on Kumara road is being trimmed, knapped, and generally shaped up, and should be ready for inspection at a near date. Extra metal has been carted and distributed along the road for maintenance purposes in *he event of any weakness appearing. An additional 20 cubic yards of limestone has been laid on the Mokau-Ohura road It has been necessary to stop the contractor for Kie Kie road metalling, owing to the road cutting up, and there does not appear to be any reasonable chance of completing the contract this season.

Repairs are to be done to the road from the factory to Kumara road, as the metal carting has done a considerable amount of damage to this portion or the main road. Totoro road will also require attention. New culverts have been put in, several culverts lengthened, a new stringer put in Potaki road bridge, several slips cleared, scrub cut, and general maintenance work done throughout the riding. The Kohua road metalling is completed, the work being generally satisfactory.

HANGATIKI RIDING. A considerable length of grading work has been done and general attention to the clay roads, culverts cleared, and other details attended to. The amount authorised to be spent in clearing the creek through Mr Hogg's property has been expended, the amount being sufficient. The formation work on the first contract Te Kumi-Hangatiki road is practically completed. The Mangarino Hill improvement work has been laid off, tenders for which will be called when approval from the Public Works Department is received.

The first section Otorohanga-Ha-ngatiki metalling contract is completed, but the linking up of the metal will probably be held until next season.

OTOROHANGA RIDING. An additional 100 c. yds of shingle had been delivered to the Pirongia road for maintenance purposes. 7 his brings up the total to 400 c. yds, which should be an adequate supply for repair work during the winter. The creek clearing work in connection with the Kio Kio drainage scheme is well advanced.

The bridge on Mangawhero road has been repaired. The approach to the Waipa river bridge is being improved and new wings erected. Instructions have been given to do necessary repairs to Honikiwi and Oamaru roads.

A certain amount of repair work to .Waitomo Valley road is being done by the Waitomo Valley Sawmilling Coy. PAEMAKO RIDING. The contractor for the Mangaotaki road is making fair progress with the formation works. The metalled portion of this contract has been taken over.

The main road improvement works are being rushed on as fast as weather conditions will allow, but owing to the break in the weather the contractor was unable to complete the metalling of the Miroahuia Hill. However, if the weather is at all favourable, a metalled track will be completed over the Hill by Monday next. I then propose completing the hill before any other work is undertaken. Several adverse circumstances arose which delayed the work, otherwise the hill would have been completed before the road had time to cut up. Nevertheless, - a certain amount of inconvenience was unavoidable during the progress of grading-this hill, but when that work is completed, I do not anticipate very much inconvenience to the traffic A little patience is all that is required. The crushing plant is doing good work, and giving a good output, and another few weeks should bring out a marked change in the condition of the road included in this first contract. As all the gradings, fillings, etc, are now near completion, this will allow of concentration on metalling works. The cuttings and fillings near the 12mile peg are near completion, and will have the metal re-laid across same by June 6, thus eliminating any inconvenience caused at this point. The Pio Pio township metalling will be pushed on immediately the Miruahuia Hill is put in order. The curbing and channelling will be proceeded with when the road rolling is completed. Trimming off points and general repairs have been done along the Awakino road. I propose carting the hard boulders from the quarry on this road to the hill leading to the Mangaotaki bridge, napping the stone and filling in the ruts in all the weak places.

I have stationed a workman on the newly-metalled length of roadalong the Wairere flat to attend to this section, so as to ensure the metal consolidating to shape.

A contract has been let for metalling a portion of the Kahuwera road across the filling leading from the Mokau bridge, also a contract for delivery of maintenance metal between the Wairere fiat and Pio Pio township. The metal in each case will be taken from the 18-mile quarry. The works are both in hand by the contractor.