THE RANGIRIRI DEVIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18943, 14 February 1925, Page 10 (Supplement)

THE RANGIRIRI DEVIATION.

PROGRESS OF METALLING.

APPROACHING THE FINAL STAGES.

Replying to enquiries regarding the progress of the work at Rangiriri, Mr. L. B. Campbell, district engineer to the Public Works Department, stated on Wednesday that out of the 13 miles of road which was being reformed by the Public Works Department and contractors, about 8 miles were practically completed as far as formation and metalling went. Though rolling was somewhat behind hand, these 8 miles, situated principally at the Rangiriri one] and southwards in the direction of Ohinewai, wore already in use by traffic. The remaining five miles, with the exception of the swamp in the deviation proper, were now being metalled aiso. Work here was well forward and it was hoped to complete the metalling by the end of next month. By that time, the whole of the new work at Rangiriri, with the exception of the swamp, would be ready for traffic.

As regards the swamp, Mr. Campbell stated Unit the foundation which had been completed was showing signs of a certain amount of .subsidence, and, as a result, it was thought best to delay the metalling of this portion of the new road as long as possible. If observations warranted it, metal might, be laid down through the swamp when the remainder of the road was completed at the end of next month, but, from the engineering point of view, it was preferable to delay this work and postpone the opening of this portion until the winter was approaching. In spite of these considerations, however, Mr. Campbell repeated the department's assurance that the whole deviation would be ready for use before the winter sets in. HON. A. D. McLEOD'S TOUR. The tour of the Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister for Lands, was continued from Kotorua last week. The Minister's party proceeded to Taupo via the Reporoa settlement and Broad lands. The main road was found to be in very good order as far as the Galatea turn-off, and though there were a few bad patches further on, the state of the road was found to be very satisfactory right on to Taupo, The party returned from Taupo to Atiamuri. This road was also found to be in very good order, and the regrading work on the road from Atiamuri to Rotorua has resulted in a splendid stretch of road. The Minister then proceeded via the Mangaiti deviation to Tokoroa and Putaruru. This .road -is now bearing a great amount of through traffic to Taupo, and is good all the way. The route then followed was from Putaruru to Tirau, and on to Cambridge. The stretch between Tirau and Cambridge was a little bumpy on the hills, but otherwise good. The following day's journey was from Cambridge to Te Miro and then back to Arapuni and on to Te Awamutu. Except for some bad patches between Horahora and Arapuni, and for one portion on the other side of Arapuni, the road was quite good. The heavy motor-lorries which are carting metal along the Horahora-Arapuni road are very careful to keep in the middle of the road, as once the wheels get off the metal, they are likely to sink in thg. soft stuff on the other side of the road. The party saw two lorries, which, in passing other vehicles, had stuck in the sand with the wheels buried nearly up to the axles. The Minister proceeded from Te Awamutu to Kawhia and then to Te Kuiti, and on to Taranaki. GREAT SOUTH ROAD ASSOCIATION. The formation of a Great South Road Improvement Association has been com- i pleted for the purpose of urging and assisting in the early reconstruction of the road in permanent material. Members include ratepayers owning property adjoining the road between Auckland and Papakura. Mr. D. Nathan has been elected chairman, with Mr. T. M. V. Morton, as secretary. In a letter addressed to the Auckland Automobile Association, the new organisation states: "The local bodies have left the matter drift until it is a scandal in the eyes of the whole community, and this is at a time when Southern interests are clamouring energetically and successfully for the limited amount of rnonev available under the Slain Highwavs Act. The Highways Board realises "that this road is one of the first calls upon its finances!, vet it cannot help us until the local bodies can forward :t their definite proposals. " It is going to be the business of this association to see that the local bodies bring this matter to a head with the lea-it possible delay, and get a practical and efficient scheme into being forthwith. The Highways Board, once the matter is set going, will see the matter is carried out, both efficiently and expeditiously and that the road is maintained in a proper manner." _'ihe letter added that the association might not require to be a permanent one, but the need for its activities must be urgent and necessary. The council of the A.A.A., at its meeting on Wednesday evening, decided that the association should become a member <'f the new body. The secretary, Mr. C. W. Hutchison, was appointed its delegate. ABANDONMENT OF TOURS. Owing to the unsatisfactory response accorded the northern and southern tours whieh were being organised by the Auckland Automobile Association, 'it has been decided to abandon the fixtures. It was felt at Wednesday's meeting of the council of the association that the date iixed for the tours may not have been suitable to members.

BY FOCUS.

NOTES. There are over 18,000, OCX) motor vehicles in the world. Cars owned by doctors in the United States number 144.000. The half-yearly meeting of the New Zealand Motor Union will ue held at Napier on February 20. Mr. A. Grayson has been appointed delegate for the A.A.A. New parking discs have been permanently erected in Shortland Street. Parking is nov£ prohibited between some of them and motorists should note the alterations. "Why are you taking the mirror off your car, old chap ?" "Oh, just to be on Iho safe side, you know." "How so?" "Well, you see, my wife's going to drive the ear to-dav."

It. is understood that a considerable amount of money is to be expended at an early date on the road between West port and Greymouth, completion of which will shorten the route between these two points by approximately 50 miles.

The Highways Board is having section plans made showing the elevations along all the main highways, as these are found very useful for office reference. It is possible that sheets of the plans may be printed off later for sale to the public.

Totting up tho fines for speeding on thes Hutt Road, it looks as if the Hutt Road Board must be making a cool £IOOO or £ISOO a year in catching persons exceeding tho speed limit. This is quite a handsome addition to tho Hutt Road tax yield of £BSOO.

A Bill has been introduced to the French Chamber of Deputies to authorise the offer of a prize of 500,000frs. for the discovery of a substitute for petroleum which shall be of French origin and capable of being produced to compete commercially with imported petroleum.

The work accomplished by Mr. R. E. Champtaloup in preparing the road map of the Auckland Province for tho A.A.A., was recognised by the council of the association at- its meeting on Wednesday, when a resolution was carried thanking him for his service in collecting the necessary data.

During the first nine months of last year the British Automobile Association t erected 6898 road signs—over 750 pen ! month. Of this number 3598 indicated the names of villages, while 1184 were direction signs. Signs giving warning of danger points numbered 714, while 225 "Temporary Diversion" traffic signs were pit up in connection with obstructed roads, loads under repair, etc.

A new map giving the correct distances from point to point along all main highways is now in the Government printer's hands after a long process of very careful checking. This map also shows the official numbers of the various highways, the more important of which bear the same number irom end to end of the Dominion. The map will provide the first set. of strictly-accurate road distances issued in the Dominion.

" Some of tho roads in the North Is!!arid are not good, but generally I consider that New Zealandcrs don't know what really bad roads are," declares a visitor from New South Wales. "In Australia the main routes, outside the urban areas, are shocking compared with yours in this country. In Canterbury there seems to be plenty of good metal and in the North Island even the clay roads soon dry after a downpour of rain," FARM TRACTORS AND THE ACT. With a view to making clear the position of farm motor-tractors under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Department of Internal Affairs has been asked whether such vehicles required to be registered or rot. The Minister, the Hon. R. F. Bollard, states in reply that chaff-cutting plants owned by farmers or tractors or traction engines used for the purpose only of conveying chaff-cutting plants or threshing machines from one farm to another are not held to bo inctor vehicles within the meaning of the Act. It must be clearly understood, however, that if farmers' tractors or traction engines are used for purposes other than conveying chaffcutting plants or threshing machines from one farm to another, they become subject to the Act and must be registered and licensed thereunder. A MIDNIGHT CALL. A great deal has been heard about eleventh hour rushes to comply with the Government registration regulations, but the following story, emanating from a South Island district, will take a lot of beating:—A deputy-registrar in the country was awakened at 1.30 a.m. by a violent knocking. Thinking that it would be an urgent call for a doctor, for he occupies the position of postmaster too, he got up and opened the door—to a belated motorist wanting to register his vehicle. The amazing thing is that the incident took place about a week before the "last day." "Pretty hot, wasn't it," commented the young postmaster. But be did not explain whether the high temperature referred to the early niorniDg hour or his own temper. REPAIRING MUDGUARDS. Weak or ill-used mudguards will sometimes break at the point where they join the running boards. A satisfactory repair can be effected by taking a piece of tin plate or sheet iron of fairly stiff section and bending it so that it extends about ff„«ur inches under the running board and the same distance under the mudguard. Drill small holes in the plate, running board, and mudguard, and bolt together, Tlh; repair can be concealed with the aid of stopping and a coat of paint.