ROAD TO WAIROA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16370, 1 March 1924, Page 7

ROAD TO WAIROA.

PROGRESS OF WORKS

DISTRICT ENGINEER'S INSJ’Et TION.

An inspection of the work in progress on the road between Gisborne and Wairoa was made this week by the district engineer, Mr. C. E. Armstrong, who returned! to Gisborne yesterday. Speaking to a Herald reporter to-d'ay. Mr. Armstrong stated it would require another two or throe weeks to complete the spreading of the metal, but ns the spawls were all carted out, little difficulty should' be experienced, and the probabilities were the weather would not interfere with .the work.

Mr. Armstrong stated that work had now been started on one or two very badsections of the road which had been originally metalled by the Cook County Council. The' Public Works gang was now engaged on this work, doing the necessary re-grading, after which the sections would be metalled. This work, he explained, had’ not been undertaken before, as all efforts were concentrated on completing the through metalling. Now that was assured, however, the other sections had been opened up, and the intention was to proceed with Hie metalling right away. This work, Mr. Armstrong stated, would practically complete the programme for this summer. Next summer the re-grading of a section of the road from beyond Joblin’s homestead: to the Morere hill would be undertaken. Tt had 1 been hoped to undertake this work Ibis year, but in view of the uncertainty of completing the other work on hand, it had l been considered inadvisable to break up the existing metalled surface when there was a possibility of not being able to complete the re-metalling before the winter. Practically the whole of this section, lie said, would he a deviation from the existing surface, it being intended to do a considerable amount of re-grading and 1 widening, thus eliminating tho present sharp turns and steep pinches. Another work which Mr. Armstrong stated l would! in all probability be held over until next summer was that on the Kopua, hiil. which it was intended to scarify, re-metal. :fnd roll, and probably surface with bitumen. In this case also the possibility of not being able to complete the work had resulted in it being considered’ advisable to postpone starting.

Questioned ;is to whether the Department’s lorries, at present, working on the Gisborne-Wairoa road, would be shifted to the coast road’ this summer, Mr. Armstrong replied - in the negative. The lorries would still be required for some time on the present, work, as much remained to he done. With so much of the metalling done, the lorries could "’ork.much faster (ban previously, and they were not subject to the same delays hv inclement weather. When the lorries knocked off for the winter they would 1 be brought to Gisborne for a complete overhaul. Whether or not they would then be shifted to the Const, road, was a question of policy, but as the Minister expressed’ his intention of proceeding with this work. he. considered it wrobable that the plant would’ be utilised for this work.