COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14283, 27 April 1917, Page 7

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

The County Overseer, Mr. J. J. Keane, submitted the following report at i to-day's meeting of the Cook County Council : — Contract 543, quarrying and breaking stone, Waerenga-o-kuri: Proceeding satisfactorily: I am having some of this stonq carted out for repairs to top end of Gentle Annie Hill and other bad portions between hill and gorge, but owing to the bad weather this work is being delayed considerably. ; Contract 564, metalling Waingake road: All the stone is broken and the contractor is now engaged carting the metal on to the % road. Contract 575, metal repairs OrmondWhataupoko road: As ■ the screened shingle for depots — included m this contract — was almost unprocurable, I have arranged to take Waimarie shingle as a substitute at a reduced rate.

Contract 576, metalling Taurau Valley road: Proceeding slowly, bad weather having interfered with the carting.

Contract ,577, metal repairs Kaiti and Whataupoko: Practically, completed.

Contract 578, formation Tokonul road Proceeding.

Contract 579, formation 63 chains, Panikau deviation: Satisfactorily completed. 1 arranged with the contractor to form a further nine chains at a cost of £40. This has also been completed.

Contract 582, metalling Ngatapa-Whare-kopae' road: Good progress was being made with this work, but owing to the breakdown at the quarry, the supply of stone was cut off for a fortnight. The work is again proceeding, > and if the weather is suitable this contract should be completed m about ten days.

Contract 583, metal , repairs Makaurl and Waerenga-a-hika: Proceeding satisfactorily. , ■'.■/'■-' Contract 584, metal repairs Riverside road: Completed. '

Contract 585, painting pakarae bridge: The contractor reports the work completed. A final inspection will be made next week. •

Contiact 588, metal repairs Wainui road: Completed.

As no tenders were received for metalling the back road Willows settlement, I am haying the carting done by the Council's motor lorry, with the assistance of horse teams hired by the day. A contract for the formation of 72 chains of Puninga road was let during the month to Mr. J. Guthrie. The contractor. has his plant on the ground, and work will be commenced m a few days.

Bridges: The bridge hands have been engaged renewing culverts and repairing bridges throughout the county. A start will be made on Monday next with the erection of a small bridge at Hexton. The timber is now being carted on to the site. As soon as the wool carting is a start will be made with the work of raising McDonald's bridge, 'Waimata, and with the erection of a small bridge on the Mangapoiki road. These bridges will be closed to. traffic 'whilst alterations are, being carried out. Road Roller: The roller is at present engaged on the Wainui road, near Kaiti school, but owing to the showeryweather the work of improving this section of i-oad is being considerably delayed.

Quarry plant: On the sth inst., the quarry iplant was thrown out of action through the main shaft of the crusher breaking. I made arrangements to have the necessary repairs effected as speedily as possible. These were satisfactorily carried out by Messrs D&vys/ Third, and Mitchell, and crushing wa^ jagain commenced on Saturday la^t ■ 5 The cost of repairs will be about £30.

During the month the surfacemen have been engaged clearing -slips, Repairing washrouts, and generally . endeavoring to keep the roads open for traffic. Teams have been engaged with graders and plough and scoop m trimming up roads m the Ngatapa, Muriwai, Pouawa, Waimata, and Whataupoko ridings. m the Tolaga district men have been engaged clearing slips from foot of deviation to Kototahi station. . .

Toiaga-Mangatuna: Work on 'improvements at Anderson's bridge, Mangatuna has been , completed, and gang have cleared sliDs and reformed portion of road damaged by floods-down to Dixon's 'cutting.

Takapau-Arikihi: This road has been opened up for waggon traffic as far as Arikihi, also West-ho and Kiore roads Hands are now going on to open up section, between Arikihi and Todd's. Tauwhareparae road: This road is open for wheel traffic to Blue Slip on, Caldweli's Hill) and v men are engaged on new formation where road has slipped away beyond this pdint.

Tolaga bridge: Fair progress has been made' with tltis work. Contractor has been engaged completing punts and getting ready for pile driving; one punt is complete and the. other will be vead^ for launching m the course of a few days, when everything will be ready for pile driving, the first piles made being now sufficiently seasoned.

Tolaga ferry: According to instructions, Mr. (Juthrie took charge of the ferry on March 23rd, and put oh Henry Laing as ferryman at £5 per week, and J. Redpath as assistant at £4 4s per week, and the work is being carried out smoothly and satisfactorily., >•. . . t

East Coast road: Since last meeting I pegged off '88 chains (the heaviest portion) of the new road between the Palurae river and Rototahl, and have had plans and estimates prepared for same With the consent of the district engineer I arranged f6r Mr. Lynn to form this section of road at a cost of about £800, culverts extra: Before commencing this work it was necessary to have a. section of 30 chains formed beyond Mr Seymour's woolshed, m the Pakarac riding, so as to enable the contractor to cart his plant and horse-feed, etc.i up to the bridge site, where a temporary crossing will be made. I also mad© arrangements to have this , section done at a cost of £174 ss. This work is well advanced, and should be completed In about 10 days, when the contractor will move on to the next section. Mr. Fraser has a, 'further length of this road pegged off, and arrangements are being made to let this m sections to suit contractors. Another contractor with a fair-sized plant is working m the vicinity, and will be available next week. The timber for culverts has-been ordered, and will be landed at 'Tolaga Bay: and carted from thero to where it is reaulred. Every effort is be^ng made, to have this road opened up by next spring. I would point but that while this work is m progress a good deal of my time will be taken, up m attending to same, and it will not be possible for me to visit other portions lof the county as often as I would wish. ,

Heavy gravel carting by the Mangapapa Town Board contractors has caused considerable damage to the following roads: Whataupoko-Ormond. King's, CoX loffe and Main road, Waerenga a-hika, and 1 think that the Council should make 1 a 'claim on the Board for a portion of the cost of -repairing the damage. I would again draw your attention to ,the state of the drain m DeLautour road. At present this drain is filled up to the level of the road, and owing to the quan, tity of rubble that is washed down frony the hills, it is not possible to keep the drain m a fit state to carry off the water m tinie of flood. Unless something is done to divert the water from its present course serious trouble may be expected m this locality during the coming winter. ■ . ■ ■