MARKED ACTIVITY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19025, 27 May 1936, Page 2

MARKED ACTIVITY

COOK COUNTY WORK HOAD .RECONSTRUCTION £96,042 SPENT IN YEAR A review of tlio work done on tlio io:i<ls in tin* Cook minty during the pjiSl your was presented to tlio annual luoetiim' of ihe i*.fmu<*i 1 to-day I>v tho cliairman, Cr. Charles Matthews. Tho expenditure on till works totalled £9<j,G-12. us entupared with .ET-.-’nO in the previous year. ‘ The past year has been one of marked activity Lil connection with the recoilstruction work involved on the various roads on tlio schedule of loan works. An early start was made with the season's programme and splendid progress was made despite adverse weather conditions," commented the report. “On the Oisborne-Opotiki, via Molu, main highway a further miles of bituminous surfaced road has been completed and it is hoped to complete to t he Kaituratahi bridge during the coming season.

“Work on the Gentle Annie Hill seelion of the Gisborne- Wairoa, via llangarou. main highway is gradually transforming lliis road into a first-class highway. “The'Pat-utalu-Rcre main highway has also been improved by the construction of a new concrete culvert near Fitzgerald's and the elimination of a dangerous bend at the Karaka yards. Further improvement work has been carried out- on the Ngatapa Hill. "The Public Works Department lias carried out a further three miles of bituminous surfacing on the GisbovneOpotiki. via Coast, main highway irnin Wainui onwards. "On the Gisborne-Wairoa, via TTnngaroa, main highway the department has completed the reconstruction of Harris’ Hill.

“Subsidies from the Public Works * Department on the basis agreed upon in 1929 are being utilised on various county roads.

"On the Mamitiike-Wairoa. via Mangapoiko Valley, road. Reay bridge section, 2v miles of bituminous surfacing has been completed and a further two miles "of reconstruction work is in progress. “An old wooden bridge on the Waimata Valiev road has'been renewed with a concrete structure and the alignment of the road considerably improved. “Jex-Blako’s bridge at Mangnpoike. a wooden structure which suffered considerably from last year's flood in tbaf locality, is being renewed in concrele.

HATH HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE “The total amount expended on highway maintenance during the past year was approximately £24.C00 over a total mileage of 127.17 miles, or an average expenditure of about £IBB per mile. "Tho programme of resurfacing existing bituminous surfaces has been continued. an additional five miles being completed during the year. The superelevation of a number of the curves lias been brought up to a modern highway standard.

“Extensive maintenance work has been carried .out by the Public Works Department on the Gisborne AYniron, via Aloreve, main highway, where a number of the worst corners on the Wharerata Hill have been straightened. The department has also effected a considerable, improvement to the Gisborne-Wairoa. via llangaroa.. main highway from Harris' Hill onwards. “As forecast last year, a large amount of new work has been carried out during tin* season with Government, assistance. On the llangaroa-Waikaremoana road the Public Works Department have now completed about five miles of new metalling. On Hushv Knoll road. Tiniroto, one mile of new metalling work is in band and is at present- completed as far as the Tiniroto Hall. "Work on the Wnimata-Arakihi road was delayed owing to the wet season, but it is hoped to have a mile of row metalling in hand early next summer. “Every consideration was given in providing improved access to soldier set - I f lements and both Glencoe and Reponga - 1 ere areas benefited considerably. “As riding finances have permitted further metalling work has been, carried out on Bcllerby’s, Moncks’, Ngakavoa, Papatu, Parakanapa. Stafford’s, Stevens’, and Tokonui-Tarewa roads. The total mileage of new metalled roads for the season is .approximately eight miles, 1 but a large number of settlers still remain without all-weather access and this part of the council’s activities must come in for primary consideration in Hie coming year. MAINTENANCE OF RIDING ROADS “Approximately £12,000 was expended in this direction, and the average, expenditure per mile of metalled road was £44. This figure is an increase of about 80 per cent on last year’s, and it is obvious that a steady improvement must be effected as finances permit. “The expenditure through the No. fi relief scheme has been £16,924 and every endeavour lias been made to create a permanent asset with the labour available. The average number of men employed lias been about 250. A summary of expenditure on. all works to which the council lias contributed during the year ended March 31. 1936, is as follows, the figures for the year 1934-35 being shown in parentheses :

EXTENSION OF HIGHWAY? “It is anticipated that, about 3-J miles of the Mnmituke to Wairoa, via. Mangapojke Valley, road will shortly be deelared a highway, following the. undertaking of the board to proceed with the declaration as soon as the vvtork, which was in progress when application was made, bad been completed., This stage has now been reached arwf the renewed application has gone forward. '‘Although every effort was put forward during the year for additional declarations. no satisfactory results have been obtained. In view of the policy of the Government as publicly expressed by the Minister of Public Works, it ap- ' pears possible that all throng!) roads will he eventually taken over by the Main Highways Hoard and counties will then be called upon to construe! and maintain only county loads and lesser highways. 1

‘‘Tt, is possible, too. that other legislft-f tiou will come on the Statute Hook will have a bearing on county council workings, for the Minister lias publicly stated that he is opposed to the ridii' {n system and is in favour of a, dO-V miweek. i

“Another fact that becomes np-}#. m int from the declared policy of the TV ,vernliierit. is that the Arbitration C.v nrt is to come into greater protniueg t . e . Tt appears possible that ft 40-hour \/> ( »| r will be instituted throughout the T.J mninion. and this will require counties,. f 0 eome into line if thev desire to l ar o ld satisfaetorv workers.”

£ £ Main highways const ruction 32,000 (17.000) Main highways maintenance 24.000 (22.730) t.oan ami Oovt. subsidy 11,000 ( 8.400) (leneral County work 12.400 ( 7.900) Relief works 16.000 (16,200) Taruheru Creek clearing 342 — 96.642 (72.250.)