COLLINGWOOD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 9 May 1939, Page 9

COLLINGWOOD

COUNTY COUNCIL ENGINEER' SREPORT The Engineer (Mr P. C. Lewis) presented the following report to the Collingwood County Council:— Cooks road: More gravel has been j removed from the creek, which is now fairly clear. The traffic bridge across j Swamp Creek has one broken stringer. This bridge is constructed w'ih three log stringers 32in long resting on the ground and decked. The other two stringers are rotten. Mr Langford has made an offer to cut and deliver yellow pine stringers at £2 each, mud sills at 10s each. Four stringers 25ft long resting on mud sills would do; he has also offered to erect the bridge free of charge if the council find the material: j the decking is in fair condition. Corner at Bainham Post Office: About 20 feet has been taken off, which has improved the corner, the grav'd used is too clean, and does not set. It will probably have to be re-gravelled with metal from Haywards Hill Pit, which has been prospected to a depth of 6 feet, showing good metal, water prevented deeper prospecting. Kaituna bridge protection: This work is being carried out and nearly completed. On the other side of the river there is a log and rubbish which I am having removed. The bridge badly needs a coat of tar or paint. This applies to all the bridges in the county. Swamp road: A double set of 30in pipes have been used to replace an old wooden culvert. Lewis street: To widen 9 chains another 4ft to 6ft would cost from £l5O to £2OO. Pakawau Bush road: The bad patch near the Inlet has been repaired. The mud was removed and replaced with stones. To widen and straighten this would cost about £l5O. To continue from the portion done by the Public Works Department to the start of the Dry road could be done for about £350. The repairs at the old coalmine are about completed: the road has been widened to get the necessary spoil. The grader will start on this road early next week. After the grading has been done probably a good deal of metalling will be required. The hut bought from Mr C. L. Grant has been removed to Kaihoka Lakes. It still has to be put on a good foundation and chimney fixed.

Pakawau bridge: I intend having the handrail straps removed, the present ones having corroded away. Fertown bridge: The bad members of the trusses have been renewed. No further work will be carried out until a further inspection has been made in conjunction with an engineer from the Public Works Department. Concrete pipes and wire netting: I am having 9in, 12in, and 36in pipes made, while the concrete is setting wire neting is being made. The grader has been on the Collingwood-Bainham, Col-lingwood-Pakawau main highways; also part time on the Richmond-Collingwood State highway. Patarau bridge: I have inspected this bridge and find that the steel girders are badly pitted in the webs, and the bottom flanges badly scaled. The whole of the girders need carefully chipping to remove all scale, and then painted, the woodwork also needs a coat of paint. There are three very bad places on the road near the bluff, where the road was recently widened. These places need the mud removing and then a coat of metal about 130 to 140 yards required. Aorere bridge: In the centre of the spans there is a channel in the bottom members of the trusses, which has collected dirt and rubbish, and is probably scaled. I am having these channels cleaned out for inspection. The whole structure needs tarring. Rust is beginning to show. Pakav. au Bush road: Grading is being carried out in the way of widening and shaping. Nearly all the pipe lines are too short, and need lengthening. Pakawau washout: I have inspected the limestone deposits in Scrirngeour.s, Harvey’s and Allan’s; to get to either Scrimgeour's or Harvey’s there would be from half to three-quarters of a mile of road to be made, and then will not be easily got without opening up a face. Allan’s is not suitable, this being a limestone conglomerate. The meeting was attended by Councillors N. J. Doogan (chairman). S. A. Marsh. O. C. S’cilton. P. G. Fish, and W. P. Ferguson. BORING FOR COAL SUGGESTED Mr W. J. Jamieson wrote suggesting that the Council draw the Minister’s attention to the advisability of boring the Aorere Valley for possible coal reserves for use at the proposed iron works and also ask the Minister of Public Works to consider Slate River as a possible source for hydro-electric power in connection with the same works. There was a coal seam crossing the Heapy Track and samples of this coal should be obtained and analysed. The letter is to be forwarded to the Minister with the Council’s hearty support. CENTENARY MEMORIAL AT ROCKVILLE The Rockville branch of the W.D.F.U wrote asking if the Council would agree to the branch planting trees in some suitable spot in Collingwood for beautification purposes and to commemorate the Centenary. It was suggested that the Memorial Grounds would be a suitable place. It was decided to call a public meeting at Collingwood on Thursday, 18th May, and find out what the people want done to celebrate the New Zealand Centenary. STREET LIGHTING The Golden Bay Electric Power Board advised the Council that it was pro-

posed to commence the erection of electric light poles at an early date. The Board was really under no obligation to erect poles for the Council, but offered to do so to assist it to obtain street lighting until such time as the Collingwood district is included in the rating area of the Board’s district.

Tenders are to be called for 150 yards of metal for the Pataurau road from The Bluffs to Snake Creek and also for 100 yards of filling to be placed at the south end of the Patarau Bridge. The Public Works Department is to be asked to contribute towards the cost of the metalling at Patarau. It was pointed out by several Councillors that in order to obtain the fullest benefit of the Government subsidy of 5s in the £ on rates, it was necessary that rates should be paid by 30th June, and all ratepayers are urged to make an effort to do so; the subsidy being paid only on those rates paid before that date.