MAINTAINING ROADS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1934, Page 2

MAINTAINING ROADS

EGMONT COUNTY AFFAIRS MAIN HIGHWAY MATTERS. MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. Maintenance of the roads and main highways matters formed the principal business that came before the monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council yesterday. There were present Crs. W. C. Green (chairman), Jas. Young, E. G. Holmes, A. J. Lilley, J. S. Tosland, G. Gibson, E. A. Collins, S. F. Farquhar and T. Willcox. The county engineer, Mr. J. G. Mclvor, reported that on main highways banking and cold patching on the Main South Road had been attended to. The big drain at Punehu had been cleaned, the sides packed with stone where necessary and the guard fence re-erected. Scrub and willows had been cut back near Bayly Road. On the Eltham Road, widening of the formation at Te Kiri had been completed, sufficient space for reasonable traffic being provided. Banking, draining and cold patching had been done. The Ouri Bridge had been repaired. The macadam portion cf the Skeet Road had been trimmed and blinded with the grader. The upper end of the Ihaia Road had been blinded with pit metal and cold patching had been done on the lower end.

In the south riding Watino and Patiki Roads had been graded. Patching and blinding had been done on Nopera, Patiki, Oeo, Kiri, Stratford and Kaweora Roads.

In the central riding about 10 chains of the Upper Kina was scarified, strengthened with knapped metal and rerolled. The road was in fair order from the Main South Road to the factory. Opua Road had been patched and blinded, arut draining and blinding done on the Ngarik; Road. In the north riding the surfacemen had been engaged on the Main South and Kahui Roads. A considerable amount of patching and blinding had been done on the latter road. Two lorries were at work carting shingle from Tooke’s pit to Okahu and Newall Roads. PLANT REPAIRS EXTENSIVE. Plant repairs had been extensive. The crushing plant had been overhauled, the crusher being completely dismantled and refitted at the depot. Formation work had been extended on the upper Kaweora Read, and a gang had started with reshaping the Wiremu Road from Kahui Road south. Proposals for resurfacing the Punehu gap had been approved and the work would be put. in hand as soon as crushing for Watiuo Road was completed. The Main Highways Board notified authorisation of the following amounts on a £3 for £1 subsidy basis for maintenance and resealing: Main South Road, 26 miles 78 chains, £833; Eltham Road, 9 miles 75 chains, £414 7s Id; Skeet Road, 3 miles £79; Ihaia Road, 6 miles 11 chains, £167.

The Main Highways Board also forwarded authority for the expenditure of £230 on a £1 for £1 subsidy basis for reconstruction work at the Punehu Stream bridge. The Main Highways Board notified that a recent review of all bridges and main highways indicated that there were 300 bridges in urgent need of renewal ana no doubt before they could be rebuilt many others would be added to the list. The board viewed the matter as serious, particularly when, although 185 new bridges had been provided for on the current year’s estimates, proposals were not coming to hand as quickly as necessary to keep pace with the programme framed. In order to assist local bodies, the board had decided that if prior approval were obtained it could grant, a subsidy of £2 to £1 to local authorities who engaged a registered engineer in private practice or utilised the services of the Public Works Department if available for preparing plans and specifications of highway bridges. The Main Highways Board notified that subsidies would be allowed on wages which had been increased by 5 per cent, on the previous standard rates. The Public Works Department notified payment to the council’s account of £582 4s lid, being traffic census £l2 15s, Main South Road £396 Us, Eltham Road £74 5s 7d, Ihaia Road £57 4s 7d and Skeet Road £4l 3s 9d. The New Plymouth Borough forwarded £l2 7s 2d, being 2£ per cent, of the motor lorry license fees collected by the New Plymouth Borough for the quarter ending September 30. The Taranaki County Council forwarded £2 6s 4d. APPLICATIONS DECIDED. Application for the transfer of a slaughter house license at Pungarehu from E. H. Gray to E. A. Poole was approved. The application of E. Stockman, Pungarehu, for a billiard room license was approved. H. G. Clarke was granted permission to erect a benzine pump at Rahotu subject to the approval of the engineer. A. H. Sorenson drew attention to the necessity for repairs being carried out to the county fence adjoining the Oaonm Bridge. The letter was referred to the engineer. Mr. W. Weaver notified his willingness to accept the position of dog tax collector on the same terms as last year. It was resolved that the tax should be fixed at the same as last year.

The ranger, Mr. W. Weaver, reported having sezied on various roads 34 head of stock. All had been released. Councillor Tosland stated that cattle were still wandering on some of the roads in the south riding. The Main Highways Board notified that it would pay its annual visit of inspection to the district and would meet the council and the Opunake Town Board on November 29. Councillor Young drew attention to the state of the upper Ihaia Road. The engineer was instructed to confer with the Public Works Department overseer on the question. The tender of Mr. E. J. Wallis, Opunake, at 37s 6d per 100 was accepted for the supply of dog collars. The chairman, Cr. Tosland and the engineer reported having inspected the dram on the Watino Road. They recommended that the drain should be allowed to remain and that the council maintain the guard fence on the portion of the drain below the junction with the drain from Watino Road while Messrs. Corkill, Allen and Julian undertook to keep the other section clear. In the event of a major disturbance, such as a large slip, the settlers could appeal to the council for assistance. The recommendation was adopted. Councillors S. R. Farquhar, E. A. Collins and the engineer reported inspecting the culvert at Awatuna complained of by the Eltham County Council and recommended that a duplicate pipe be late across the Auroa Road delivery into the creek on the south side. The tender of Messrs. Matthews and Kirkby at £597 13s Id for the bituminous sealing of 54,000 square yards of the Main South and Eltham Roads was _ accepted. Three other tenders were received.