MANIOTOTO COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20317, 27 January 1928, Page 7

MANIOTOTO COUNTY COUNCIL

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The following report from the engineer will be presented at the meeting of the Maniototo County Council: — Mount Ida Riding.—The following roads were re-graded:—Part Waipiata-Kyeburn, Kyeburn River road to the station from middle Kyeburn, the entrance to back Pigroot road and Kyebuni Junction to Nascby. An ]Bin pipe culvert was placed in the Show Ground road, Ranfurlv. The culvert in Northland street at the Presbyterian Church was lengthened and the depression filled in by scooping. The otherdip in the road at Mr Crutchley’s is now being attended to, and the scrub was cleared in this locality. In regard to the application for kerbing in the Main street, it is desirable to complete the block where four out of the six ratepayers applied. Occupiers are making application to have this completed.- The drain at Waipiata was cleaned, and a quantity of tins, rubbish, etc., cleaned up in the township. Maintenance gravel was spread on Naseby - Ranfurly road, Ranfurly-Patearoa and Waipiata-Gimmerburn roads. The timberculvert at Naseby pound was repaired and cleaned. The drainage question at-Ran-furly is dealt with in a further report. St. Bathans Aiding.—Water tables in St. Bathans township and on the Main Hill road were cleaned, and a washout at Clear Creek bridge approach repaired. The Manuherikia approach was dressed up to grade. Surfacing was carried out on Hawkdun Runs road, Henderson’s ford road, Coal pit, Woolshed, and Ida Valley main roads, where several small culverts were repaired. The contract for ditching on Ida Valley Swamp road is commenced. Gimmerburn Riding.—The following roads were reformed by grader:—High-field-Wedderbnrn, from T. Provans to White Sow Valley (past Idaburn), the upper section of Law’s road, A. Stringer’s section of Naseby-Gimmerburn road, the Blue pinch road from M. Graham’s to J. Weir’s, and the hill section of Allison's lane. Maintenance gravel was spread on the Gimmerburn to Waipiata road and W. Blakeley’s crossing stoned up and filled. Three small pipe culverts will be placed in Allison’s lane this coming month.

Lauder Riding.—The handrails on the three-mile bridge were damaged and temporarily repaired. Small renewals will be required on the bridge. Ditching On Lauder Flat is under way. The surfaceman has been employed on intake and outlet of culverts and clearing and ditching generally. J. Beattie’s road, near Dunstan Creek, will be cleared next month. Mr Pauley has completed his metalling on Dunstan Creek road.

Kyebuni Riding.—No. 1 grader was employed on Waipiata-Kyeburn road and Kyeburn River road to the station, connecting up all ford roads in passing. The work in this locality runs into Mount Ida in many places, and the grader is proceeding through Naseby to the Taieri (creamery) bridge, thence to Waipiata and back to Lower Kyeburn with a view to re-form-ing- the heavy traffic circle before crossing to Outer Kyeburn and Buster Section, Mount Ida. A pipe culvert was placed in Durward’s approach road, and the crossing repaired to some extent. The Houndburn culvert on Nundel’s road is under construction. The timber box culvert under the pinch on Scatt’s lane requires renewal at an early date. An inspection of Dansey's Pass and the back Pigroot road with Cr Scott will cover certain works for report next meeting. Contract No. 128, Home Gully drainage, and Geddes road formation, is commenced. Maintenance metal is being spread on the I'aseby-Kyeburn road, Idaburn Riding.—Surfacing was carried cut on Anderson’s line and Main Ida Valley road, where two small culverts were repaired and maintenance gravel spread. Surfaceman Bck met with an accident on the 17th inst., and will be off duty for some weeks. No. 2 grader is finishing up on the Wedder-burn-Naseby road, and proceeding to Idaburn. The new portable hut is ready, and the Upper Ridings’ grading programme will require mapping out this meeting.

Hyde Riding.—-The Sanatorium roads and the Patearoa-Hamilton and part Hamilton-Hyde roads were re-graded, also short sections into Griffiths. A 12in pipe culvert was placed in the HydeRock and Pillar road, and Tiroiti approach widened. Authority is received for Capburn gravelling. Surfacing was carried oiP on the Hyde-Rock and Pillar road, Ccmetary real, and Hydc-Kokonga and Taieri Bridge roads.

Serpentine Riding.—Stock wings were added to Aitkens (Taie..) bridge. Maintenance gravel was spread on several riding roads with team lent by the member for riding. Drainage was improved near J. Donald’s, and a few planks renewed in Deep Creek bridge. Pipe culverts were cleared in the Paerau road. Sections of the Patcaroa-Styx road were flagged for gravelling contract. Pukotoi Riding.—Cogan’s road, near Taicri bridge, was remetalled. The road between P. Mathias’s and F. Roberts’s was surfaced, and a culvert repaired near J. Blakeley’s. Some slight washouts near Patearoa were repaired, and two irrigation pipe culverts renewed by J. Herlihy in the Ranfurly-Patearoa road. With Cr Hall, the Sowburn crossing near M'Laren’s was further inspected, and it was decided to recommend a light bridge of two 25ft spans. Palmerston-Queenstown Main Highway.—Maintenance gravel was spread on the Shag-Swinburn, Wcdderburn, Eweburn, and Blackstone sections. The contractors for Idaburn bridge had some difficulty over labour, but have satisfactorily arranged to have the job completed right away. Repairs were carried out near Johnston’s race. Hill’s Creek, and a culvert repaired in the Blackstone section. Surfacing averaged five men six The 1026-27 expenditure in I anfurly Township was approximately £lO5. I would again like to draw the ..ttention ot the council to'the need of a medium-weight truck. Under the excellent purchase terms and subsidy highways maintenance wnuld be reduced to a minimum. On lasFyear’s expenditure our payments for horse hire and cartages practically equalled the running costs'of a mediumweight truck as given to myself from neighbouring- engineers. These cartages, horses, etc., may clearly be seen to represent a very small part of a years work on our,part with the truck. _ In the interests of economy and efficiency I consider the request to be of the first importance.