PATEA COUNT'S COUNCIL

Patea Mail, Volume LIII, 11 March 1932, Page 4

PATEA COUNT'S COUNCIL

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The following is the report of the jiigineer submitted to the last meeting of the Patea County Council: — Kaipara Riding: As instructed at last meeting, I have made a further inspection of the Puratoro Bridge. The bridge a-s built mostly of riiuu • and many of the main members arc very unsound. The Public Works Department, from former experience, estimate the life of a rimu bridge at 17 to 20 years, and as this structure has now been in use for. 18 years it is reaching the end of its usefulness. The lower chord of one truss is badly decayed and repairs would cost approximately £l2. Such repairs, however, would be of a very temporary nature, as other parts of the bridge will probably cause trouble in the very near future. By understrutting the main span and carrying out minor repairs to the deck ing at a cost of approximately £195 t consider that the bridge could be given a further life of six or seven years. The. metalling on the Lowei Valley Road is now being proceeded with, approximately 40 chains having been completed to date. Moumahaki Riding: The metalling of 25 chains on the Waitotara-Ngutu-wera Road is completed and Iff chains of the Waverley Beach Highway has been metalled. Grading has been carried out on the Mangawhio, Waikarc, Omata, and Weraweraonga Roads. Waverley Riding: 34 chains of metalling has been completed on the Kohi Highway, and shell rock is now being laid on the Okotuku and Parahaki Roads. The contractors arc making good progress with two-coat scaling on the Waverley Beach, Highway. Otoia East: Repairs arc being carried ■ out on the Mabcn Road and it is now in fair condition from the top of the hill to about 14 miles along the river flats. iThe two-coat scaling on the Kaharoa Highway (80 chains) and on the Lower Kaharoa Road (32 chains) is now- completed. Otoia West: The contractors have completed the two-coat sealing of 88 chains of the Ball Highway, and have also scaled the Hurley and Clifford Road corners. Grading is being carried out on the clay roads in the riding. Five chains of metal has been laid on Whitehead’s Road and this completes the season’s metalling programme. Main Road: IGO chains of widening is now* completed and the contractors have carried out 140 chains of re-seal-ing.

Crushing Plant: After' having crushed 6000 cubic yards of metal at Manutahi the plant was transferred to Waitotara and 1160 cubic yards of shell rock have been crushed to data-

in reply to a cpiestion from the chairman, the engineer said the cost of a new bridge, similar to the present one over the Puratoro Stream would be about £BOO, whilst a stock suspension bridge would cost between £l5O and £2OO.

On the motion of Councillor Peat, seconded by Councillor Back, it was resolved that the engineer be authorised to carry-out temporary repairs to the bridge at a. cost of £l2.