Rodney County Council

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 26 February 1936, Page 8

Rodney County Council

MONTHLY MEETING.

The usual monthly meeting of the Rodney County Council was held in the County Chambers last, Wednesday, February 19th. Present—Crs. W. K. Becroft (Albert) chairman ■; C. F. Hooper (Tauhoa) ; D. Kempt (Omaha) ; W. R. Grant (Hoteo) ; T. O. L. Jenkins (Kaipara) ; H.. Skelton (Arai); W. J. 1 Scholium (Puhoi) andT. A. Gubb (Kourawhero). An apology of absence was received from Mr Medland.

The minutes as circulated and read by the clerk, were confirmed with the exception of a resolution re Whitmore's road, which was deleted.

Accounts, as presented by the treasurer and examined by the.finance committee amounting to £3396 14s 5d on County fund account and £89 3s 6d on loan account were passed for payment. Removal of Gates—The Council decided to give notice to the gate owners on Ryan's road that all gates must be removed by the end of June next.

Flood damage and clearance—A resolution was passed congratulating the officers of the Main Highways Board on the prompt measures taken to clear a way for traffic on the road from Puhqito Wayby after the havoc caused by the storm on the Ist and 2nd February. On other highways the Council will endeavour to make good the damage on the same basis as ordinary maintenance providing the Board can issue additional authority, the amount required being £375 Quarry Stripping — The Council confirmed the action of the engineer in arranging with Messrs bakes and Fletcher to strip Phillips' quarry for the sum of £10. It was decided to ask the Public Works Department to metal Birdsall's; Coxhead Creek, J. B. Witten's and M. H. Greenwood's roads in conjunction with the metalling of the Pakiri River and Ti Point roads. The following contributions have been promised toward the works—Birdsail's rd., £30; Witten's rd., £20; Coxhead Creek rd., free labour. Entering on Land —Pursuant to Section 121 of the Public Works Act, 1928, it was resolved to serve notice on A. L. Greenwood, through his agents Messrs Holloway and-Hubard, advising that the Council intends to enter on the land of A. L. Greenwood at Pakiri for the purpose of taking stone.

The Council confirmed the arrangement made with W. Dean for quarrying and breaking 32 c.yds. sandstone at 5/6 per yd. for Streamlands Swamp road.

The tender of R. Edwards for contract No. 393 at 3/- per yard was accepted. Contracts Nos. 394 and 393 were left in the hands of engineer and Riding members. .

" The action of the Riding member and engineer in arranging with the Wellsford Transport Co. to supply 64 yds. of limestone to Workers' access road at 2/6 per yd., was confirmed.

The clerk was instructed to take the necessary action to have the balance of the Whangaripo loan transferred for. expenditure on the Wha-ngaripo-Matakana road.' It was decided to' call tenders for the lease of the Council's section at Leigh.

The offer of a settler to do formation work on Wyllie's road was accepted, the Council agreeing to extend the metalling by five chains. Penalty jon Rates—lt was decided that a 10% penalty be added to all rates remaining unpaid on and after 20th March next.

The clerk. Mr S. W. Brakenrig, was authorised to exercise the vote on behalf of the Rodney County Council at the forthcoming Powerloan poll. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Gentlemen,—l have to preseni my report for period ended 18th February, 1936. The very severe storm at the beginning of the month was the cause of considerable damage but considering that the prqvisiona estimate of cost of restoration is £2000 including highways other than No. 1 M.H., we can count ourselves fortunate, as the total damage for oui 1924 floods was £21,000. Our sympathy is with the Highways Bbarc in the amount of damage done to their works on the Puhoi-Way by section of M.H. No. 1. I have supplied to the Dept. estimates for cosl of restoration.

Albert Riding suffered little damage beyond slips on Cleasby'a hill and loss of surfacing metal ai

various points. Workers Access road Govt. grant will be completed this month, also Pearman's bridge approach, given suitable weather. Further subsidence a* Kokako bridge approach required a few more yards of repair metal. A set of nine-inch pipes were ordered for Te HanaWaiteitei road. I have a draft proposal and estimate for replacing McPherson's bridge with a box culvert.

Arai Riding has had no flood damage worthy of note. The Depfc.'s relief workers have finished metalling on Ryan's road and out of the final clearing of the quarry I have arranged for. about 50 yards of maintenance metal on both highway?, No. 80 and 388. The chairman of the works committee has looked over the proposed Albertland-Hakaru deviation with me and we agree that there is only one obstacle in the grade to connect with the Te Arai-Hakaru road, A team has been sent to Ross' road, Topuni. ;

Hoteo Riding—The principal flood damage has been scouring of metal on Wayby-Tomaiata and Tomarata Valley. Slips on Highway 389 and at Waiteitei settlement were not a serious matter. There are about 200 c yards of spauls stacked in Wayby quarry. An inspection of limestone outcrops near Rusty Brook road revealed no promising material, but tenders have been called leaving source of supply open to contractors. School culvert and Petrie's bridge, Whangaripo, are being repaired. I regret having made no progress on the surfacing proposal M.H. No. 1 to Wellsford railway station.

Kaipaba Riding.— The bridge oreman has had to go to an urgent ob at Pakiri, further delaying a start at Araparera culverts. Considerable damage has been suffered both from slips and loss of metal, the latter on Ahuroa-Araparera, the slips on Ahu-roa-Woodcoeks, where the big bridge on this road has had a heavy blow from a big log. A raker pile, has been carried away and its companion 'orced out of the headstoeks, and >oth braces on the pier broken. Two toms that were placed under the nain span for the passage of the xnver grader were also washed'away. Fortunately the West Coast route was available for through traffic the day after the storm, and saw a little heavy traffic for three days. KOURAWHEEO Riding shared with Puhoi and Kaipara the brunt of the flood damage, the Kaipara Flats road b^eing blocked for nine days. A good deal of metal was also washed off this section of highway. Flood water at Kaitoto bridge, Ho;eo, held .up traffic for three days. Proposals for this bridge are again being considered by the Highways Board in Wellington to-day. Slips on Woodcock s-Ahuroa were cleared sufficiently to let traffic through last week. About 60 yards of top course metal was lost near Edwards' bridge on the Woodcocks road. On Kaipara Hills the settlers had cleared a track for the cream lorry by noon on the Monday after the storm. Relief workers have made a start at Smith's quarry, for metalling of Dill's and y^%^ s roads. Tenders have been accepted for supply and delivery of 250 -yards of sandstone to Wyllie's road. Formation work here^is offered free, if the council will extend the metalling by five chains. Matakana Riding was fortunate in the matter of flood damage— slips occuring on Waiwhiu Mill road and a few on Sandspit Wharf road. Rolling of this road for the department has been completed. The teams working on Anderson's road had to be transferred to slip clearing Work on Mahurangi Heads wharf was finished at the end of January, but the week-end gale smashed the pile frame.. -praetors .are breaking stone in Phillips' quarry for Hamilton's road. A lump sum for strip, ping was arranged with them. Tenders have been called for delivery of lm? esJ°f _*J . Colville's road and shingle to Whitmore's. Grading has not yet been done on Sharp's road OMAHA Ridijsg, considering the abnormal rain, was a little more fortunate than usual in the matter of slips. Leigh-Pakiri held up traffic for two days, and the Pakiri Block road for iour days. The metal contract in Rogers' quarry is completed, fine material is being cleared pT f ifl °°r ' ?° r privafce °^rs. Relief workers will go in here shortly for Ti Point metalling. The power grader has graced in metal as far as Whangateau, finished Coxhead Creek road and now practically finished Birdsall a road. All piles are driven at Salt s and Barton's. Proposals are bemg prepared for Pakiri River bridge, and preparations are in hand ■*.r-.«~t.~i-\i ■■■■ t■■ t:- 1.-,,■-■'. ' .

for driying piles. The department's! relief workers are delivering spauls' from Taylor's quarry for the River' road. .

PUHOI Riding has suffered more flood damage than any other Riding, the estimate for clearing being £470. Puhoi-Ahuron, Puhoi-Tahekeroa and Puhoi-Upper Wai w era were all blocked for several days, while the upper end of Tunnel road is almost beyond repair. The contractors for metalling on Tunnel road are going ahead very slowly. A few hours' lorry work did some rough patching on Schisehka's road, Wai wera. Traffic planking full width has been fitted on Hall bridge, Puhoi.

Tauhoa Riding.—Costs of repairing flood damage, ai'e'luckily,in keeping with the Riding's financial condition. Contractors in Macky's quarry have completed .their deliveries to the highway, and are now on Run road, tenders for which closed on 28th of January. All side roads in the Wharehine district have received attention. It is hoped to complete deliveries of Mt. Brame metal, including Budding's road proposal, before the end of the month. Repairs to Newcdmbe's bridge had to be carried out after the storm. _ Next year's estimates will have to provide for a new bridge. . : PUBLIC WORKS. The bridge foreman has in view pile-driving at Pakiri, repairs to Araparera No. 4 bridge, new concrete, culverts at Araparea and Makarau, repairs to Omaumau bridge, painting steel joists of Mangakura Bridge, and repairs to Ward's road bridges, Matakana.