REPAIRING THE DAMAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1935, Page 8

REPAIRING THE DAMAGE

TARANAKI COUNTY WORK MAINTENANCE OF THE ROADS. REQUESTS FROM RATEPAYERS. The repair of flood damage, road maintenance and attention to requests from settlers formed the principal business at the monthly meeting of the Taranaki County Council, which was held yesterday. There were present Crs. S. Vickers (chairman), W. Hall, L. G. Andrews, R. Wood, L. Carey and W. Thomas. The chairman reported that arrangements had been made with the overseer to remove the obstruction to Mr. W. Hoskins’ fence line at Bell Block. Repairs to the Okato cottage were deferred for further consideration. Only ordinary maintenance could be done on Huatoki Road. A contract had been let to Mr. Moratti at £4O 10s to reinstate a washout on the Carrington Road between the Kiri and Mountain Streams. This action was confirmed. The consulting engineers, Messrs. Sladden and Palmer, reported that in the company of Mr. Keller, of the Public Works Department, a further inspection of the washout on Junction Road and of the two bridges on Devon Road, was made. With regard to the washout on Junction Road it was decided that as the existing four-foot culvert not large enough to take the flood water in the creek it would be advisable to place a three-foot pipe culvert along the old bed of the stream, in addition to the nineinch pipe previously recommended to drain the spring under the embankment. Plans and specifications and estimates had been prepared. They considered that it would not be safe to fill in the washout at the end of the Waiongona bridge on Devon Road as the abutment pier was not in good enough condition to withstand the pressure of a new filling. It was therefore decided that a land span would be the best method of repairing the damage. Plans were forwarded in connection with the work proposed to be done at the Junction Road deviation through Messrs. Thomason and Bowen’s properties. Plans were in hand for the proposed improvements at the Oakura hill.

WORK OF THE STAFF. The overseer, Mr. G. Mackie, reported that the plant and staff had been engaged clearing slips, filling in washouts, repairing culverts and carting 1487 yards of metal, etc. Mangorei, Baker and Carrington Roads had been surfaced with shingle and graded. Seventy-five chains of Korito Road had been scarified, metalled and rolled with metal from Mr. Ashman’s pit. Blinding and watertabling had been done on Huatoki, Saxton, Carrington, Mangorei, Kent and Albert Roads. The New Plymouth-Kaimata highway had,-been gritted with shingle where bitumen was showing signs- of bleeding. The Upper Hill Road bridge decking had been repaired and the bridge painted. The repair work on Hill Road was nearing completion. Surfacing with shingle and blinding had been done on Hursthouse, Henwood, Upland, Corbett, Wills, Mahoetahi and Te Arei Roads. Metal patching and shingle surfacing had been done on the Wai-tara-Huirangi highway. Cold patching had been done on Devon and Mountain Roads and shoulders of bitumen strengthened with metal as required. The approach to Brown Road had been repaired and - sealed. A start had been made with the metalling of Manutahi Road, about 20 chains of metal having been put down. The grader had been run over Corbett, Te Arei, Henwood, Smart, Egmont, Manutahi, King and Hursthouse Roads. The drain on the Egmont Road had been completed and the drain through Mr. Stanley’s property had been filled in. The Mangoaraka, Waiongona and steel bridges had the decking attended to. Resealing 120 chains of Mam South Road from the borough boundary and 12 chains of Barrett Road had been completed. Watertabling and blinding had been done on Frankley, Veale, Barrett, Hurford, Waireka and Sealy Roads. Surfacing with shingle had been done on Cowling Road. A slip on the Omata hill had been cleared, the spoil being used to fill in a washout on Ngamotu Road. Carrington Road had been blinded with shingle, slips cleared and watertables and culverts attended to. Wairau Road had been patched and graded. 'Die grader had been run over the Puniho, Oxford-Saunders, Minarapa, Hoani, Hempton, Dover, Leith, Perth and Pitone Roads. Blinding and watertabling had been done, on all roads. A culvert on the main road had been repaired. The small bridge on the Wairau Beach road had the approach filled in. The Kirihau Road bridge had been chipped and cleaned 'and received a coat of tar. Cold patching on bitumen had been done between Puniho and Pitone Roads.

NEW ROAD ASKED FOR. The provision of a new road at the upper Alfred Road washout was referred to the chairman and Cr. Wood. It was decided that the consulting engineers report on the upper bridges on Hill Road. The chairman’s action in accepting the quote of Messrs. Ellis and Burnand for timber for repairing the Waiongona bridge was confirmed. Cross Road from Richmond to the Kelly Road is to be regraded. Settlers on Corbett Road were granted permission to lay waterpipes on the road, subject to the approval of the overseer. The overseer was authorised to let a contract for repairing the washouts on Carrington Road, south of the Pitone Road, subject to the approval of the Public Works Department. Mr. O. Penwarden is to be asked to submit a price for the delivery of shingle on lower Pitone or Greenwood Roads. The inspector was instructed to place a white division line on the south side of the Timaru stream on the Main South Road.

The inspector reported that all the farmers concerned with one exception had been working on the Mangaone drain. The water was backed up at the Egmont Road culvert and he was waiting for this section to be completed. Eight to 10 chains were left to be cleared there. There was approximately one and a-half feet of fall at the Henwood Road culvert and about another 18 inches could be obtained there by deepening the drain from, say, eight chains below. It seemed rather unfortunate that farmers did not make more use of the dry spell to have the work completed, the drain being full of water at present. Official and verbal notices had been issued to farmers to have their road frontages cleaned. In a number of cases the work was being done and he hoped to see an improvement in futuiw. In one case he proposed to take proceedings unless authorised. Mr. Peterson especially asked that the county foreman be instructed not to throw rubbish on his frontage. On account of complaints received he had inspected lorries for mirrors and equipment and had found three that had no rear vision mirrors. The equipment had now been fitted. The inspectors was instructed to have road frontages definitely cleared. Mr. F. T. Davis reported that at a meeting of practically all residents on Mangorei Road from the New Plymouth borough boundary to Avenue Road it was decided to draw the attention of the council to the state of the road. At present it was a’distinct danger to motorists, while cyclists were practically

.prohibited from using it owing _ to the corrugations and to the quantities of screenings which caused much skidding. The meeting considered that it was imperative that steps should be taken forthwith to restore the road to a state which would obviate the existing dangers and inconveniences, and the council was asked to give the matter early attention. Most of the residents spoke strongly against the use of screenings on the road which, they held, were responsible for the corrugation. It was also decided that a deputation should wait on the council at its April meeting so that further representations could be made, particularly with reference to the question of tar-sealing the road. The chairman said he would take exception to the statement that screenings

were responsible for the corrugations. He held that but for the screenings the corrugations would have been much greater* Consideration was deferred till the deputation waits on the council. The acting-district railways engineer, Mr. H. G. Stevenson, notified that the gang had made a start clearing the Mangaone drain and would have it cleared this week as far as could be done until the next adjoining owner did his portion up to where the drain came back on to the department’s land. The county inspector is to look into the drainage of the upper portion. Mr. J. W. Spindler, honorary secretary to the Frankleigh Park Progressive Association, notified that the borough council had completed its portion of Doralto Road, and he therefore asked that the council complete its portion. The chairman said the association evidently forgot that there was the question of finance to be considered. The council had some years ago provided a path to the school and the borough had only recently done its part. He had informed the association that the matter , would be considered when the estimates for next year were being framed. On behalf of the Bell Block school jubilee committee Mr. W. J. Bethell asked that the monument be washed and cleaned and all the long grass cut in time for the church parade on March 17. He also asked for the help and co-opera-tion of the traffic officer on March 16 and 17. The request was acceded to. Mr. A. S. Baker, Alfred Road, Kaimiro, notified that . approximately four chains of the Alfred Road had been washed away by the river in the recent flood. He now had no access and asked that the matter be granted immediate attention. The request was referred, to Cr. Wood and the overseer to deal with. The secretary of the Taranaki Education Board (Mr. H. W. Insull) notified that the board had no objection to the contractor entering the Kent Road school site and removing spoil required to fill in a washout.

JUNCTION ROAD DEVIATION. Mr. P. Keller, Main Highways Board’s representative, wrote that the board had agreed to accept the council’s offer to pay £l5O at present towards the cost of the’ deviation of Junction Road near the Waiwakaiho River and the balance as the work proceeded. He asked that the £l5O be forwarded so that a start could be made with the work as soon as the plans were completed. The amount is to be paid. Mr. S. E. Neilson, honorary secretary of the New Plymouth Airport Board, thanked the council for co-operation and assistance in granting the use of barrows, tools, etc., for the work on the aerodrome. The’district engineer notified that plans for the Waiongona bridge on Te Arei Road had been forwarded to the head office for approval. Mr. P. Keller wrote that the Highways- Board objected to unnecessary expenditure on the acquisition of metal, and in general the payment of royalty constituted an unnecessary penditure. Royalties might be subsidised only if the board’s representative had been notified and had concurred in the payment of royalty for metal from any particular source prior to the metal being taken. , „ Mr. Unwin, of the Public Works Department, Stratford, notified that the balance of authorities was as follows:— New Plymouth-Kaimata, £7B 6s 9d; Auckland-Wellington, £B7 4s; Lepperton Junction-Hawera, £842 4s lid; Mangorei, £6 17s 8d; Carrington, £26 9s; Egmont, £l5 19s lOd; Oxford-Saunders, £lOO 19s 9d; Ngamotu. £l6 9s 9d, and Waitara-Huirangi £56 ss. Reporting on the Oakura beach cottages and camp the health inspector (Mr. F. Swindells) stated that on his inspection he had found the sanitation in reasonably good order. Constant inspection, however, would be necessary to see if the facilities were sufficient t< stand u; to long usage or excessive use. He was of the opinion that some provision should be made for conveniences for the use of picnic parties on the beach. The water supply to the cottages and camp sites should be above suspicion and he proposed to take samples for analysis. Mr. Swindells added that the beach was becoming increasingly popular and in view of much further building and camping he was of the opinion that the council should consider making by-laws to bring the erection and occupation of those dwellings, also the camping area, under control, as the beach committee could not function on private property. Mr. Ernest A. Taylor asked that a culvert on Pitone Road, Tataraimaka, be shifted as it was draining on to his private track. The matter was referred to riding councillors and chairman for a report. . The council abcepted the tender of G. Kehely, Stratford, for culverting and earthwork at the washout near Kent Road. Dog tax collection has been completed in the county, a total of 1151 dogs having been registered so far.