STATE HIGHWAYS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19334, 26 May 1937, Page 16

STATE HIGHWAYS

EFFECT ON COOK COUNTY LOAN .MONEY RELEASED PROGRAMME OF WORK "The declaration by the Government of certain highways in tlie county as State highways has released the loan money allocated to such high ways and the amount thus released is being set aside for other necessary highway improvement and for giving access to the t'nr-back settlers,'' slat ed the annual report of the chairman of the Cook County Council, Or. ('has Matthews, to the meeting of that bod\ to-dav.

"The raising of the 10 per cent ad ditional on the county loan has beei sanctioned by the Loans Hoard. Sonu difficulty, however, is being expert enced iii the raising of the money at the authorised rate of '■'■!: per cent.

"Under the Government's housing scheme application has been made t'oi sanction for the raising of a loan ot £4OOO for the erection of seven cottages for roadmen, . ,lt is anticipal.ua that by this means improved efficiency will be obtained as the workmen wilJ be more contented.

"The programme of reconstruction work on the loan schedule was inter; rupted by the establishment of .Stale highways during the year.

"Activities on the Hangaroa route to Wairoa and the ilotu route to Opotiki were affected, but the loan balances available from these highways are being allocated to other works. The programme of reconstruction on State highways is being carried on by the Wain HighwaysBoard entirely from its own funds. "On the Patutahi-Eere main high way the reconstruction work put in hand last year is now all completed and the Ngatapa Hill particularly is considerably improved. ".Subsidies from the Public Works Department on the basis agreed to in 11)20, are being utilised on various county roads. "On the Manutuke-Wairoa, via Ma ngapoike Valley road, Koay bridge section, the reconstruction and bituminous surfacing is completed to within a mile of l.'eay Bridge and pro posals are in hand for the completion of the remaining portion at an early date.

"On the Waimata-Arakihi road about one mile of new metalling work has been carried out. "The reconstruction and scaling ol Nelson road is well in hand and will be completed at an early date.

Main Highways Maintenance "The main routes became .State highways from November, Hl.'Ui, bin the council has co-operated with the .Main Highways Hoard as far as possible with regard to maintenance work. A. noticeable improvement generally in the travelling qualities of the high ways lias been effected during the year. "As forecast last year, a large amount of new work has been carried out during the season with Govern inent assistance and approximately seven miles of new metalling on backblocks roads have been completed. About 75 per cent of the subsidies available were expended, the amount received from the Public Works Department fund being nearly £'JOOU The expenditure was spread over a huge number of roads throughout the county. As a moderate estimate still indicates that £IOO,OOO of. expenditure is required before every settler in the county has all-weather access, the council has a task ahead of it for some years. "The expenditure during the past year on maintenance on riding road: was approximately £21,000, an increase of nearly £9OOO over the previous year. The increase was due largely to the fact that the roads generally were in a very bad state, due to luck of attention during the slump period. A tremendous amount of Ice way remains to be made up and in view of rising costs heavy expenditure will be necessary during the coming year if the loads are to be maintained tit a satis factory standard.

Work on Bridges "The expenditure through the No.I ."> scheme under relief works has been £K;,S!».:, and every endeavour has been made to create a permanent asset The average number of men employed has been about 220 per week. A number of attempts have been made tc develop a system of back-block road improvements, but so far without success. The system of paying sus teunnee has been vigorously opposed by this council in view of the fact that so much development work still remains to be done in the back blocks "A steady programme of bridge re construction out of revenue is being carried out, and an old wooden truss bridge on Jobson's road, Reay Bridge is being renewed with a concrete structure. Plans are completed foi the renewal of l'aopao bridge, on the Hangnroa-Tnhora road. Proposals arc also in hand for the renewal of Wilkin's bridge on the (iisborne-Onnond, via Waiohika main highway, and Grey's bridge on Ihe Waimata Valley road.

"A steady improvement is being effected in the plant, particularly the graders which are now equipped with new power units and are in lirst class order. An additional grader has been built up and four grading units arc now available. The gravel drag line :il Mtttawhero is doing good work. The portable crusher proves a very useful item of plant. The policy of employing trucks on a contra"! basis is proving very satisfactory, and is still being adhered to, the council having only one truck of its own on general cartage work.

"A survey of all the houses under ihe control of the council is at present in the course of preparation and it is hoped to utilise, whenever possible, tli*- loan money available from the Government for the purpose of housing. County Plantations "Development work on Waterfall Hill area has been held up pending the approval of the Lands Department to the proposals, The favourite attitude to the council's proposals expressed by the Minister of Lands on the occasion of his recent visit, will be of considerable help in the future development of this department of the council's activities.

"Proposals for the establishment of drainage areas for the Tnniheru

and Taurau Valley localities are well advanced.

"The number of permits issued for buildings throughout the county during the past year was ,'i.S, and the total value of the work was £20,17.1, an increase of over £SOOO on last year's figures. Extension of Highways "As anticipated in my last year':report, a little* over three miles of tin Manutuko - Wairoa, via Mangnpoikt Valley road, Manutuke to Iteay bridgi section, has been declared a highway and an application for a further length will be applied for as soon as the opportunity offers. Xo other declarations have been made in (lib county. Earlier in this record I made reference to the declaration of Stale highways and their effect on loan (bianco. The highways concerned are the flisborne-Wairoa, via Morere, high way from the Gisborne borough boundary to the junction with the Hangnroa highway: the Gisborne-Wairoa, via Hangaroii; the Gisborne-Opotiki, via Motu; the Gisborne-Opotiki, via the "During the period under review, our district lias been honoured by visits from a number of Ministers of the Crown. The Minister of Public Works has twice been to Gisborne and has given useful financial assistance to several ratepayers til rough the council, while the Minister of Internal Affairs, I lie Minister for Lands ami Pensions, and the PostmasterGeneral and Minister for Defence have each paid one visit. During the stay of Ihe Minister for Lands opportunity was taken to place before him a request that certain areas of Crown land in the county should be vested in the County Council for plantation purposes. This request was sympathetically received and the vesting is now being prepared for. The Waterfall Hill Reserve is to be 'surveyed immediately and an area of Li acres on Parakanapa road is now available, while a section of KiO acres at Tiniroto is also being considered.

"The system of control of cemeteries, as outlined in my previous report, is still working satisfactorily, but the work is increasing find extra labour is being employed to keep operations working satisfactorily. The time is rapidly approaching when it will be necessary to acquire a further area for cemetery purposes."