COUNTY WORKS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 104, 23 June 1911, Page 3

COUNTY WORKS.

SUNDRY REPORTS. At the meeting of the Stratford County Council on Wednesday tiie following reports Mere presented:— Foremen, I). Broun.—Tho roads under my care are in fair order lor this time of year. Mountain Road : This road has required a good deal of repairing lately hut there is plenty of metal about yet, so mo can keep it all light while if' lasts. York Road: I had the stone on tho upper portion of this road broken and the water cut off in several places, so it is in fair order mnv. I had new metal raked in and some drains cleared out, which is a great improvement. I repaired the lower end with shingle. Cardiff Road; T had to drag tin’s road again, as it was cut badly, but it is not much use raking if in, as it is only mud with a stone hero and there to remind one that it is a metalled road. Hunt Road: I repaired the iiili near Mrs Jones’s and blinded tho metal pm tion with sand from a pit on tho roadside. Radnor Road: Mr Johnson lias been repairing the upper portion of this road on his own and asked me to give a hand, so I sent up tun men with the horse and cart for a day, and they made a groat improvement. I hope I did not do wrong in helping the man ulio was helping himself. J. Kovaloski.—Nothing worthy of special mention is required for tho coming month. For the time of year the roads are in good order, with the exception of Beaeonsfield Road, which i have had to patch rather heavily 7 . The recent heavy rains caused a number of slips oil tiie hack roads. J have erected a fence on both sides of the filling on Cross Road (Stanley Cross and Croydon Roads). The formation, of about a mile of Croydon Road East is completed at a cost of £lB IGs Gd (clearing some slips on the road included) and the road is now in good order. The water-balilos on Aeklahd and Croydon Roads have been cleaned right through. >S. Parker.—All tho roads are in ■fair order, except tho upper Finncrty Road, which is out of order through tho carting of metal to Stewart Road. I have re-motallod. seventeen chains on the upper Skinner Road and seven chains on the Wingrove Road. 1 have made a start on re-mctalling Mountain Road. L. Roberts.—Olmra Road is in very good order. Beaeonsfield Road has been crowned up from tho boundary of the north and east ridings to within about 'ton chains of tiie Kahonri bridge, from which point the metal is not of sufficient width to enable the work to ho carried out further. The recent heavy rains have kept the new. formations very muddy in places. Hnianga Road: Work in the shape of gravelling and water-tabling to the extent of £3O is at present being carried out. During the month a considerable amount of patching has been done on the Toko, Wawiri, Ah urea and' Standish Roads, all of wliich are how in very fair order. Pipes used arc 15 Din. cement.

F. C. Gallon.—l have got the weak places nn the main road patched up and it is mnv .in very good order. I l '. Stevens and myself put in a ueek clearing siips on tho saddle. I, do not think it right that considering the Council employs a ranger a mob of about forty working bullocks: .should ho allowed to remain on the phura Road for .about a Meek. ! have started patching metal and cleaning out Mailer-tables on the Gordon Road The,,small bridge.on the Makuri Road needs re-decking, in staling in my last report that Die main road Mould require rc-motal-ling next,, summer from tho Now Kopna Road to Douglas I unwittingly left out the words “portion of.” Tho cottage l.,am living in does not agree with my, wife at all, and J am afraid 1 will have to shift. In the winter it is as cold as tho Arctic, and in the summer it is as hoi as the lower regions. Clothes go mouldy, even in a box, and when it rains the roof leaks. It is an iron building.

P. Hancock.— I have the honour to suhpiit my report on the state of the roads under my charge and what 1 have done since my .appointment. Makuri Road East: .My Mork on this road is re-decking two bridges and putting in one pipe culvert and clearing water tables. There are' a few more culverts to put in and 1 Mill do these on the first .chance. Makuri Road West: On this road it will take some time to put the metal in order. I will attend to it as soon as convenient. Mohakau Road: I have throe bridges to redock and one culvert to put in. I Mill get them done this month if I can. The other roads are in fair order for the time of year. 1 have .had to get a few tools to do bridge work. etc., and some spikes for wheel-guards.

R. Robinson.—The roads have received a good deal of patching during the last month. Brooks Road: As instructed, I have put a pipe culvert in. It took longer than I expected as the heavy rains caused the tunnel to slip in. Ronald Road: A small wooden culvert which is very rotten requires renewing Math a nineinch pipe. Opunake Road; A small wortdon culvert near Manilla Road needs renewing Math a nine-inch pipe. Rowan Road North: This road has broken up very badly owing to Mr Gamiin carting very heavy loads of firewood down. As instructed, I took proceedings against him for over-loading, and got a conviction against him. I have used up most of tho maintenance metal getting it repaired again. Waingongoro Road is breaking up very badly from Mr McFadgen’s gate up to Mr David’s. 1 am getting short of maintenance metal on this road. I Mould like to get a portion of this road re-metal-Icd next summer, as it is worn out. There is a lot of firewood being cartid down this road. It would save tiic roads a lot if the dairy factories Mould get their wood in before the wet weather comes on. 1 do not think there can he anything done at tho Kapiini ford, because if I take out the few stones that are there it will he just the same after the next flood. Mr Burk lias used some metal from the Finuerty .Road for his private road from the edge of the metal to his gate. He says he took it to make his load up so that Lis traffic Mould not break away the edge of the road, He has used about throe or four cubic yards. J. Ravage. -Mangaohu Road South: One filling has been washed out and a good few slips have occurred. Mavgaelui Road: Olio filling washed mil and a lot of slips. Taihore Road ; A very had slip. Clark’s Track; A washout. Runiwhakau Road ; A few .■■. mall slips. Taurakawa Road: A \ cry h; id slip. Old .Manga Road : A washout. The work is going on on each of these roads, except Tani ikawa Road and Clark’s Track. 1 1 ave dismissed Mr Newman, the, Rnl iwhakaii surfaceman and taken Mr Ringer horn Taihore and put him in Mr Newman’s place. 1 hav r e made arrangements with Mr Smith to open Taihore Road when it gets Mocked. 1 have clean'd half a chain of timber hack from the mouth of the culvert on Air Laughliu’s filling.

Engineer.

As instructed a communication lias been sent to Public Works Department re a grant for the upper end of York Road, and a toply received which is now before yon. Plans ami specifications have been prepared for the renewal of Wa puku bridge Mountain Road, in reinforced concrete. I have discussed with the i Eltham County Council the qnesiir..i of the renewal of a small in lay on Kinnerty Road, and we decided that owing to the heavy cost of obtaining suitable foundations for a «oncreto bridge it would be advisable to carry out the renewal in hardwood. Alter a further examination of the small creek crossing North Douglas Road near Waitara River, I think it will be quire feasible to replace the old bridge with a Idling resting on a small concrete arch.. The necessary timber has been ordered for repairs to the two other bridges in the locality, and the work will bo pub in band as soon as it arrives. At the end of last month very heavy rain caused damage in the way of slips, etc., to several county roads, namely, Mangaohn South, Mangaolm, Taihore, i’uniwlmkau and MangaoapaMatau: The damage was at first thought to be serious, but lias proved to bo not. nearly so bad as expected. It would in all amount to, between £7O and £BO. The slips which occurred on Mangaoapa-Matii Road temporarily Mocked traffic, and on the application of settlers concerned and with the approval of the riding members, I had them partly cleared at a cost of CO 12s. I would, however draw the attention of the Council to the fact that this road lias since its vesting been a continual source of expense, and as it takes the traffic principally from another county some alteration from the existing state of things should be brought about. Contracts Nos., 847 and 818 (drain cutting and creek cleaning in Now Kopua Distiict) have been completed, and a further contract let for cutting ... about 30; chains of drain from main drain to the boundary of Mr Law’s section. The metalling contract on Mangaohn and Puniwhakau Roads has been completed and twice cleared of slips by the contractor. For some considerable time past the matter of obtaining a connecting road between Ra whit iron and Mangaohn Roads has been receiving public attention, and has been urged on the Government, with the result that a road has been laid off, junctioning with Mangaohn Road about three miles east of Tutntawa,' and work thereon has boon put in hand. The road as selected runs through very broken and difficult country, necessitating not only very heavy -expenditure in the making, hut providing for the local body that will have ultimately to take charge of it the certainty of costly maintenance. As the question of the best line for the road having boon already selected is very much open to doubt, and as Stratford County will ultimately control part of such a road, it would, I think, he very advisable to move for a report on the whole question by a competent Government officer before = anything further in the way of construction is carried out. Ranger. On the 21st I got two cows on the Kinnerty Road (released). On 22nd nit. owing to complaints i went to Midhirst and found two cows (released;, also 1 three cows (released) on Radnor Rond. On the same date I went to Waipuku and Beaconsfield Road hut found nothing straying. On the 21th I went to Rainier and Manaia Roads. They were clear of stock. On the 2!)th 1 .went to Wawiri and Hniroa hut found nothing. On the 2nd inst. 1 found one horse on the Ahuroa Road. On the Itli 1 went to Salisbury, Ackland, Cross and Croydoii, Roads. On Croydon Road 1 found two cows and two horses and on the Cross Road two cows (released). On the /sth I went to Monmouth and Rembroke Roads (owing to complaints) hut found nothing. On the 7th 1 got one horse on blast Road and five horses at Tutntawa. These wore released at Toko. On the Bth I went to Climio and Cornwall Roads hut found nothing. On the 10th I impounded two bullocks from Uird Road. On the 13th f impounded from Fast Road three horses. On tlie 1-1 tli 1 went (o Rnniwhakan owing to complaints. J found seven heifers at Tutntawa (released) and four horses at Rnniwhakan (released). On the loth owing to complaints I went to Toko Road hut found only three cows near the tunnel (released). Again on the' 18th from information received 1 went to Toko Road re a mol) of cattle at huge. 1 found tho owner getting them in when 1 arrived. I received information from Gordon Road that on the night of May 13th upwards of 200 head of cattle had been turned nut there to graze and left till next morning. They did considerable damage to the water-tables as well as to settlors’ fences. 1 have ascertained the address of the drover in charge, hut am led to understand that he is prepared to pay the cost of cleaning the water-tables where they have been trampled in. DECISIONS. The'following aiction was taken in regard to the Engineer’s report:— Tlie Clifton County Council is to he asked if they will assist the Stratford County in keeping the Manga Road open or assist, in tho direction of having it handed over to them. The Engineer’s recommendation regarding the proposed Rawhitiroa-T.i-tntawa Road ho given effect to. Foreman Brown.—The Engineer to inspect Cardiff Road and do \ihat is necessary in tho matter of getting out maintenance shingle. The action in connection with Johnson was approved. Foreman Parker.—Engineer to .keep a strict tally of damage done on Stewart Road so that the cost ran he recovered from the Eltham County contractor. Foreman Gatton.—Makuri Read hirdge to he re-decked. Small (v.lvort in the same road to he renewed.

Regarding Hatton's cottage, Ci. Walter said tins locality mis vary damp. On a foggy morning ii was sometimes eleven o’clock before liie sun peeped through. He would like it they could follow the example of the West Hiding and put e.p a cottage for the foreman. .Vs to the position as regards the work to he done, the present locality was about tin l correct thing.—lt was decided that Crs. Muriel! and Maxwell report to next meeting on the question of acquiring land and building a collage for (latton.— The Chairman said the 'West Hiding foreman’s cottage cost CldO. foreman Robinson.—Mr jlurk to be asked to pay for two yards of metal at 10s per yard, at’l to be informed that he had done any wrong in taking the metal without leave. Hanger’s Report.—Cr. .Mar fob moved that in future Ibo ranger should repoi t each month on the fees charged for the hoasts releas 'd.- Th notion laps-.d for want of a seconder.— A claim is to ho made m regod to the cattle grazing on Cordon Read.