METAL FOR RANGIRIRI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18771, 26 July 1924, Page 11

METAL FOR RANGIRIRI.

CLOSMIG TOE GAP. I PREPARATIONS ADVANCED. TRAMWAY TO THE RIVER. ; SUPPLIES FROM RAILWAY, f The preparations for metalling the . Rangiriri* deviation are well advanced, , and when the formation becomes reason- ( ably dry very rapid work should be done ] to this department. On the bank of the Waikato River, • opposite about the middle point of the ( ! deviation, three dumps of metal coataiutog about 4000 yds have been deposited. I The stone is quarried and crashed on the . west bank of the river about two miles below Mercer, and Is ibrought up the river to barges and landed by means of a windlasQ that swings on the trunk of a strong ' I sapling let into the ground. The heaps are to the shape of high pyramids and a mechanical lifter loads the metal into trolleys that are drawn by a small loco- , motive over the mile of tram line to the | deviation and along tracks laid on the , formation to the. required point. , The loader is a very efficient machine. ; It Is simply an elevator on Wheels. The nose of the contrivance is backed against the face of metal almost at ground h-wl and under the power of an oil engine the chain of buckets deliver the Hone into the trolleys at high speed. When the metal train was last in use it averaged 60yds. of metal a day, at which rate one mile of road cam be metalled in a month. When flood water rose over the Hramiine across the swamp and stopped the work metal had been deposited teady for spreading along nearly one mile of the road — Tramway Across Swamp. A worse place for laying a tramline, capable of carrying a six-ton locomotive, could hardly be imagined than the marsh between the river and the deviation Ugly peat morasses have had to be spanned, rickers being laid across to carry the sleepers. The result is in places a phaky structure but, nevertheless, even though the little engine which lacks what would appear to be a necessary bogey, has gone off the rails on occasions, the tine will serve the purpose. Until recently it has been submerged in places and b receiving some strengthening of the rough-and-ready bush older. A stranger having picited his dubious way along the sleepers of the tramwny ancl shuddered at the blackness of tne morasses, could understand a general reluctance on the part of men to drive Clarissa, a pet namei of the little engine, but the young mechanics of the riverbank camp share her adventures in high good humour. They know all the bumps and sharp corners of the line, and by gentle skill negotiate them. The southern end of the deviation has been metalled as far as the swamp, the metal having been transported last summer by motor-lorries frorh the Whangamarino railway station, where it was delivered by rail from the Mount Eden Gaol. Unfortunately, the first quartermile of the stretch is now in a very bad condition, partly owing to the rain which has kept the clay (formation sodden and brought down slips from the banks, and partly owing to blinding spoil having been carted over it. It 13 inevitable that heavy traffic of this kind will cut up a road where the clay formation has not properly set and the metal has had no chance of binding, but the damage probably looks much worse than it really is. It is the result of pushing on work to unfavourable weather, but the importance of completing the work at the earliest possible date fully justifies the expenditure that will be necessary to restore thu Burface with extra metaL. : - ■,'/ 1 ,; Heavy Transports .'; 1 Incidentally the effect of hsiivy cartage on this section indicates tho importance of some limit being placed on the weight of loads allowed on th* deviation at the outset at least, and abo points to the importance of rolling and blinding the "metal before traffic ia permitted. Arrangements have been made for this work, a plant for the elevating of saridj- material from the bed of tho river near the foot of the Meremere hill having been installed. The new metal spread on the old road between the bridge south of MBrcer and the foot of the Misremore hill is to excellent condition, thanks to careful blinding and rolling. Here the road is Bimply a man-made bank through a swamp and over the greater part of the deviation a surface just as smooth and sound can be obtained with greater ease. One U inclined to think that if the new stretch is tar-sealed it will become a speedway. . South of the deviation metalling has been carried aboul threequarters of a mile past the Whangamarino school. Three light motor lorries are ployed by the contractor, and seeing that a g"od paco can bib maintained along the metalled road from the station to the main road and along the new etrefv 1 thanks to immedisite blinding and rowing, a quantity of about 45 yards a day is being spread. This means good progress and provided there are no further interruptions In the delivery to Whangamarino the completion of the woTk as far as Te Kauwhate Road should be reached before mid' Summer. A Baa Section. Some time ago a contractor made a start with the Job of metalling the section between Te Knuwhata Road and Rangiriri, supplies being delivered by rail to Te Kauwhata Station, but only a few chains was done. The road was, and still is, in so bad 1 a 6ondition, that the lorries stuck as soon iaa they got off the meital. To turn, thev were bound to leave the metal, and therefore the job will not be resumed until the road drUis. This section pf the road is one of the worst and the completion of the deviation will not open the Great Bouth Road for traffic at all times unless it is metalled. This fact is recognised, and the start that has been made in building up a dump, near the Rangiriri bridge, . of metal brought by barge indicates that it will receive attention the moment the mud dries. Probably some of the metal delivered here will be used to extend the'metalling from Rangiriri to'! Ohinewai where .the local body has alroady started operations. Formation work over the mile and thrsequarters north of :Huntly has been completed and Ohinewai reported last Tuesday that the cartsing of metal had begtin. There is every reason for satisfaction over the scope of the work in hand and provided a fine spring and summer are experienced, and no interruptions occur in the delivery of metal to the dumps on the river and on the railway, the Main' South Road should be open for traffic next winter.