WAIKOHU ROADS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18961, 11 March 1936, Page 11

WAIKOHU ROADS

WEATHER AFFECTS WORK ENGINEER’S REPORT The report submitted by the engineer, Mr. A. G. Lucas, to the monthly meeting o! the Waikohu County Council yesterday at Te Karaka was as follows “Mptu riding.—Maintenance metal has been put on the Motu highway where necessary and water-tables have been attended to. A coating of metal chips has been put on the Koranga highway between the Moanui junction amt Matawai. The contractor has commenced the contract for re-alignment at Robb’s. Oil the Motu front road, four miles have been scarified, graded, and rolled, and about miles have been rerouted with shingle. A further two miles have been scarified and graded and a fairly even surface has been obtained to Mr. lloldsworth s homestead. The work has been held up by wet weather. The contractor for widening and metalling the Otipi road lias nearly completed his contract. '1 he large slip that came down on this road has been cleared away. The Falls road requires top-dressing for about 2-i miles and some patching done near the Falls bridge. The surface of the Moanui road is in fair order with the exception of a piece from the -Motu River bridge to the top of Baird’s llill. Several slips have occurred on this road and extra labour was required to shift some of the larger ones. I “Waihuka riding.—'Continual wet ( weather has made the surface of the . highway very rough and the council’s . lorry has been engaged in patching he- I tween Waikohu and Rakauroa. Large mobs of stock have been travelling on this highway. Some slips occurred on ! the Makarctu road and have been attended to by the surfaceman. The Public Works Department has everything in readiness to start crushing on the Rakttu-roa-Tahora. road, but operations have been held up by bad weather. Men are engaged in widening and taking oft corners. The contractor lias completed the metalling on the Front road at. Henderson’s. During the month the engineer and Or. Tombleson inspected the road. Tenders were called for 500 cub. yds. of metal to be put on from the top . \

of ITalliday’s Hill to the bottom of Wright’s Hill and also for 400 cul). yds. of screened river shingle to be spread on the Poututu' highway. Two men have been engaged cleaning up from Waihuku bridge to Poututu. "jMangatu riding.—The big slip on the MangamuiU, road lias shifted again. This slip lias been' giving trouble all the summer and the road is now only good enough for horse traffic. The Aaitara road was again subjected to heavy Hooding at the top end and as soon as possible levels will be taken to see what can be done to this portion. The attempts to get a road up the Mangatu lliver to serve as an outlet for Mr. toherratt’s wool have had to be abandoned on account of the weather. “Waipaoa Riding. —During the recent heavy rains the Waitangi River at Te Man was within a few feet of Palmer’s bridge. Willows in the river near the bridge will have to be pulled out as they are catching the silt, with the result that the area of waterway under the bridge is getting considerably smaller and causing the floods to rise higher. Owing to heavy rains the river road was open for only two days and is now in a bad .condition-at the Waipaoa end All mails have to be packed About 40 men are now in cam]) near the Tarndale road and under the Public Works Department are making good progress. There are five clay patches ii: the first six miles that require to be metalled and this would enable stores to be taken in at any time. “Ngatapa Riding.—The contractor for tlie work on the Rere-Whnrekopae road has been held up through being unable to get (lie spawls from the river. Small slips and wash-outs have occurred on this road and small creeks have scoured badly. The road beyond the Tahora boundary has subsided. The rains are giving Hie maintenance contractors a lot of extra work.' Slips and wash-outs have occurred again on the Taumata road and the contractor is busy keeping it open for there are still 100 hales of wool to come out.. The Alutuera bridge and approaches have been completed and the cost is well under the contract price. “Kanakanaia Riding.—Fencing and repairs have been completed on the Waihora deviation. The contractor for carting maintenance metal on the highway has been held up by the recent floods, some of his plant having, been caught in the river. , 1 ... .