HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10108, 16 October 1917, Page 7

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

ENGINEER’S REPOET. W’irokiuo Riding.—The roads are fairly good considering the weather throughout the riding. The big Hood in the Ohau river about the 25th of last month did a great deal of damage at the Kimberley road crossing and steps will have to he taken at once to prevent a recurrence or the road will bo washed away. There is nothing to go and come on now, as it is washed away right up to the metal. The trouble in this case is the price of wire netting. 1 got the Cyclone Co.’s price list a day or two ago, and the price for No. 9 wire 4in. mesh is 2s per square yard, and I cannot see how 1 can do with less than 500 yards. The price quoted is liable to go up any day. 1 inspected the Gladstone road on the 10th inst., and although it was a bad day for inspection, as it had rained nearly all day the day before, I found that much useful work had been done, such as making water-tables, eulverting, widening and filling ruts, etc. The road will not he at all bad when we got a week of dry weather. One old box culvert on the Levin-Koputaroa. and two on the Heatherlea East roads, have collapsed and in each ease with deep fillings on the top of them from 9to 14 feet. I must get them replaced with cement pipes as soon as possible. In reference to the proposed new road through the Heatherlea estate, I cannot see my way to reduce my estimate of IT 150. 1 question very much if anyone would take it now at the price. ' 1 would strongly advise that the matter ho left over for the present, or until labour and money arc more plentiful. Tokomaru Riding.—The principal roads in this riding are still passable, but much in need of attention. lam hurrying the stone-crusher along as much as 1 can. I inspected the 1 okomaru Valley road on the sth inst., and I found it much improved since my previous inspection. If the weather would only keep dry for a week to allow the road to get dry it would not he bad now for the summer. I propose keeping the man on it for another month or two. I inspected the Ashlea road. This is the road that has recently been metalled by Mr Liggins. It is now a fairly good road, an'd it is for you to say whether any subsidy should be given to him. There is little doubt it cost a good deal more than the estimate on account of the time of the year and the weather he experienced ; at the same time I cannot help pointing out there was nothing provided for it in the estimates.