HIGHWAY OF CONCRETE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18116, 14 June 1922, Page 8

HIGHWAY OF CONCRETE

MANUKAU ROAD WORKS. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS. BODIES' CONCERTED ACTION. Satisfaction was expressed yesterday by the Maydr of Auckland, Mr. J. H. Gunson, with the general position of the arrangements for the works that are being carried on, in conjunction with the Newmarket Borough Council and the One Tree Hill Road Board, for the widening of Manukau Road. This work has been made practicable as the result of the concession by the Government of the 14ft. strip of land for the full length of the railway property at Newmarket, and the further concession by the Dilworth Trust of "its frontago from the railway workshops site to the Great South Road. The City Council, said Mr. Gunson, was anxious to proceed with the widening of the Manukau Road at once, and was ordy awaiting the receipt of necessary 1 plans from the Railway Department. The scheme would involve tbe removal of the tram rails to the middle of the new road, all of which would be laid in concrete. The Newmarket Borough Council had intimated that it proposed to proceed, simultaneously with the city's portion of the work, with the short section from the Romuera Road corner to the Newmarket 1 school. This would give a completed highway from Newmarket to the Junction Hotel of the present width of Broadway. ! All the works further out on the Manukau Road were progressing satisfactorily. These would give to the road a greatly improved grade, as could be seen from the several deep cuttings in - progress at various points. , , The whole of these works, as far as the Campbell Statue, should be completed within from six to eight months. The One Tree Hill Road Board had also advised the city authorities that the board proposed to proceed with its portion of the ■work without delay, and that tenders 'would be invited for that section "at an early date. Further out, the Mount , Roskill Road Board had finished its sec--1 tion of the concreting work, while OneIhunga'a portion was well advanced. It 1 would be seen, therefore, that the arrangeI ments made some time ago for co-opera-I tion between the several local bodies in 1 forming a great concreted highway across the Auckland isthmus would shortly bo carried to completion. The next important work to be undertaken, said Mr. Gunson, was the paving oil the Great South Road, and this would follow the completion of Manukau Road. ! Here, again, the city would have the co- ! operation of the Newmarket Borough Council and the One Tree Hill Road Board. Under the joint arrangement the i paving was to be carried as far as the Harp of Erin Hotel. To that point also the extension of the tramway would be carried within the next 12 months. The necessary supplies of tramway rails and other special materials were already on order,- and as soon as they arrived a commencement would be made with the conistruction work. ' These various operations, and the council's other activities throughout the city i area, said the Mayor, kept a. very large j staff employed. .The principal undertak- ! ings in nand, apart from street works, i were drainage works in various parts of I the city, notably the laying of new sewers !in Queen Street and replacing other j important sections of sewerage elsewhere.