OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5473, 11 April 1917, Page 1

OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer, Mr. E. Shaw, submitted the following report at the meeting of the Council on Wednesday last: — “Re Drains. —In connection with the applications for the cleaning ol drains I confine my report to those drains which I consider most beneficial to the roads, and they appeal hereunder, in their respective order of importance:— Komata North drain from the river to Kaimanawa Road; Alexander outfall drain; Robinson’s Road drain from a point on the eastern side of the above road through the railway to the river; Vowles’ outfall drain; Outfall drain, old Te Aroha Road. (Mrs Thorp applicant for this drain being deepened in accordance with a promise made to her to that effect some 4 years ago); Kaimanawa drain from Gubb’s gate to the river; Rangiora Road drain, (south side), between Komata Railway Station and the river; Rangiora Road drain west of the river. (This drain lias not been cleared for some 5 years although a contract was let last year, but the settlers interested failed to pay in their portion of the cost and the work was therefore not proceeded with; Laughlin’s outfall drain; Opukeke drain. This drain affects two roads—Thames Road and Puke Road and is the boundary in part between the Borough and County and the Council’s contribution to this drain is small, being a third of that portion in the County; Netherton-Kere-peehi Road drain from the Main Rd., to Coldicutt’s; Robinson’s Road drain west of the Waihou River; Puke-Netherton Road drain from Laughlin’s outfall to the Puke culvert

“During the month in company with the chairman I attended a meeting of settlers at Waitoki, of settlers and owners interested in the land bounding the Waitoki stream , in connection with the removal of willows which are obstructing the free flow of water in the stream. The matter of the damage caused by this obstruction was pointed out to them and the result of meeting was that those owners interested agreed to meet and go into the matter of their liability, and the best and cheapest means of remedying the evil, after which they would notify the Council of their intentions. “I wish to draw the Council’s attention to the dangerous state of one of the many bridges which span the creeks in the Rotokohu Gorge. Other bridges in this locality will need attention in the near future. The approximate cost of a new bridge in place of the one above referred to as dangerous is £26. “During the month just past I visited Tahuna, Patetonga, Kaihere, and Waitakaruru, an( j j found the roads on the whole in fair condition with the exception of 100 odd chains between Kaihere and Torehapa. I am negotiating to let a contract for th repairing of this road. “I have ordered 120 9-inch pipes and 10 18-inch pipes for various roads in the locality, and these pipes will be landed at Waitakaruru and carted to their respective destinations.

“Between Mangawhero and the Maukoro estate there are several frame culverts and small bridges which will need renovating in the near future. I find it exceedingly difficult to obtain casual labour in the Waitakaruru locality. “I also visited Hoe-oTainui and arranged for the expenditure of the sum allocated for the Tahuna-Ohine-wai Road.”