PAVING IN LEVELS COUNTY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18452, 19 December 1929, Page 15

PAVING IN LEVELS COUNTY.

WORK NORTH AND SOUTH OF TIMARU. SEPARATE TENDERS TO BE CALLED. At a meeting of the Levels County Council, held on December* 4, a resolution was passed as follows: That all the energies of the Council be centred on the paving scheme on the northern side of Timaru.” At a special meeting of the Council yesterday, the question of paving proposals was again gone into fully, and after lengthy discussion, the previous resolution was rescinded, and a decision made to call for separate tenders for work in the north end and in the south end, the tenders to be in on the same date. The meeting was called, following receipt of a lettei; from Mr F. Langbein (chairman of District Highways Council. No. 15), which read:— “While upon my recent visit to South Canterbury, I learnt that your Council did not contemplate proceeding this season with paving the sections of the Picton-Bluff highway south of Timaru, which are in your country, and at present unpaved. I am of opinion that the decision of your Council in this matter is not in the best interests financially, and both your Council and the Main Highways Board will be adversely affected by the decision if it is adhered to. “I understand that the paving contractors at present engaged in Waimate County would be willing to pave the sections of highway referred to in your county at the same rate, and to the same specification, as they are undertaking the paving in Waimate County, and this offer, I consider, should not be lost. It would, in all probability, cost a further £I6OO to pave the length referred to, if advantage is not taken of this offer, and this additional expense would be shared by the Main Highways Board and your Council in the proportion of £3 to £l. “It may be that your Council feel diffident about expending the £IO,OOO allocated for paving in your county for the current year practically all to the south of Timaru, but I am of opinion that there should be nothing in such objection, if it exists. The £IO,OOO referred to relates to the year ending March 31, next, and your Council will be able to encroach upon next year’s allocation after that date. You will, as far as 1 can see, have very little of your current year’s allocation expended by March 31, and this would be very regrettable, in view of the activity of the Geraldine and Waimate County Councils in paving.

“I consider the position so serious, that I feel justified in asking you to call a special meeting of your Council to reconsider the work to be done upon Main Highway paving in your county, as was decided at the last meeting of your Council.” When Mr Langbein arrived at the meeting yesterday, the chairman (Mr T. B. Garrick) remarked that at the last meeting the Council decided to concentrate on the northern side cf Timaru. Since then a letter had been received from Mr Langbein stating that a considerable saving would be effected on the work in the south end if advantage was taken of the willingness of the contractors, who were at present paving for the Waimate County Council, to do the work requiring to be done at the same rate as the Waimate contract. Mr Garrick asked Mr Langbein if he meant that the south end should be done first.

Mr langbein: “Not necessarily. The Council can please themselves. I understand that the Council is of opinion that some of the £K),000 on the estimates should be spent this year, and it is only reasonable that some should be spent on the north end as well as the south.” Mr Garrick: “Our idea was to concentrate on the one spot, firstly on account of the showgrounds, secondly on account of the racecourse, and thirdly on account of the volume of traffic. We have spent £l6O a mile on the road since last March.”

Mr Langbein: “There is a plant in operation at Pareora, and the company are in a position to give an extremely satisfactory price. So far as the Highways Board is concerned, they consider that as the work otherwise would cost £I6OO more, that advantage should be taken of the plant while it is there.” In reply to the chairman, the engineer (Mr T. Black), said that the length of paving to be done in the southern length was 38,500 square yards. At 5/1 a square yard, the Waimate contract price, the cost would be £9785.”

The chairman: “If. we don’t take advantage of that, what is the cost going to be?” Mr Langbein: “One shilling a yard more, probably.” The engineer: “That' is another £1925.”

The chairman: “You tell us it is not worth their while to set up their plant for this alone.”

Mr Langbein: “They couldn’t do it at the price.” ifr?' Mr C. E. Kerr: “There is only 3£ miles altogether.” Mr Langbein: “The Waimate contract was for 14 miles, and that enabled the Company to set up their plant and do the work at the price.” The chairman: “Can you say the extreme distance they can go?”

Mr Langbein: “It depends on the type of trucks used. It is more a matter of time than distance, for I believe they can line the trucks with asbestos and so keep the heat in. So far as the Levels County’s work is concerned, it is accessible from where the plant is now.”

Mr T. W. Brosnahan: “We have eight miles to be done in the north end. Couldn’t they do that too?”

Mr Langbein: “It would be a big disadvantage having to cart the material right through Timaru.” Mr Langbein added that if they were going to do the north end, too, it wquld mean another set up. The engineer: “They could set up at the Freezing Works, which is very central.” The chairman: “The whole cry is for the north stretch.”

Mr Langbein: “Why not do both?” The chairman: “It is a question of £ s d. We have got to find £II,OOO roughly, out of £43,000. If the work is completed in two years, we will have to find £5500 each year.” Mr Kerr: “Not as much as that. Payment is spread over ten years.” Mr Langbein said that whatever work was done in one year was treated separately. The chairman asked if the Highways Board would agree to the whole of the work being done in two years. Mr Langbein: “Yes. I have not asked them, but I have no hesitation in answering in the affirmative. It is not going to b.e hard on you for your share of £II,OOO, which would have to be repaid in ten years.”

Mr Kerr: “We have struck an extra rate this year, but we have done no work yet.”

Mi v Langbein further stated, after consulting a table, that the Council would have to pay 14 per cent, on £II,OOO.

Mr Kerr: “Actually it is not going to cost us any extra.”

The chairman: “it is going to be a paying proposition all right.” Mr Langbein: “it undoubtedly will

be as traffic develops. You will even- ( tually get to the position where it will be an economical proposition. The Board does not like t*o hear people growling, and it is not satisfactory to the Council either.” The chairman: “If it had not been for the floods, we could have pushed on with a lot more.” Mr Langbein: “There is no necessity to start before March 31.” Mr D. Grant: “We want to start now.” ... Mr Langbein: “What runs away with the money is the paving.” Mr Brosnahan: “Could we not get the south end done from Pareora, and then get them to do the north stretch? Mr Langbein: “Yes, if they get the The chairman: “What competition is there?” , _ Mr Langbein: “We get four tenders for one job in Canterbury.” The chairman: “Would you advise calling for tenders for the whole thing, formation and all?”

Mr Langbein: “We have done that in connection with Rangiora jobs.” Mr Kerr said that of the southern end, only 20 chains at Smith’s Hill, was near Timaru, the rest being at the Pareora end. The company now at work also gave a five years’ guarantee. Mr Langbein: “It is a great price they have given.” The chairman: “You don’t think it is likely they will tender for formation?” Mr Langbein: “I would not like to express an opinion on that.” Mr Kerr: “They may tender for the whole thing.” The engineer: “Our roads will have to be practically reformed. I can’t take advantage of the 3 or 4 inches that are in to suit a modern pavement.” Mr Kerr: “That is going to take a fair time.” The chairman: “Would you agree to us widening the Washdyke bridge?” Mr Langbein: “I think the Board would like to see it 20 feet, anyway.” Mr Grant: “It won’t cope with the water that comes down in flood time.” Mr Langbein: “Put it in your reconstruction programme.” He went on to say that it would be some time before the Council had sufficient preparation work done to be able to start paving. Nothing could be done this season. The engineer:, “The representatives of this Company told me they would tender for the complete job in the south end.” Mr Kerr: “You need to push on as hard as you can with the formation in the north end.” Mr Langbein stated that the Council would never get such a satisfactory price again. Mr Kerr: “It would be well worth Councillors’ while to go down and see the plant.” Mr Langbein stated that he had submitted his letter to the Highways Board to see that he was acting in accordance with their wishes. He had received a letter from the chairman of the Board, in which he stated that under the circumstances he agreed that every effort should be made to complete the work this summer. It wa r . quite certain that no price like that quoted would be obtained again. Mr Kerr: “It is an opportunity that comes only once.” Continuing, he said that the whole of the north side could be done next summer.

The chairman: “Are. you satisfied we are on the right class of road?” Mr Langbein: “I think so.” Mr Kerr: A concrete road to Washdyke would be the thing.” Mr Langbein: “I think the Board would agree to that.” The chairman: “That would run to £6OOO or £7000.” Mr Langbein: “Yes.” Mr Grant: “The Board turned it down befor.e.” Mr Kerr: “Don’t you think it is up to them to give us a bit of concrete road in South Canterbury?” Mr Langbein: “I would not mind recommending concrete from the Borough boundary to Washdyke.” The chairman* “We have got to make up our minds what we are going to do. If it was not for the plant being at Pareora, there would be no question which end to start first.”

Mr Langbein: “By doing the south end, it won’t make the paving of the north end one day later.” At this stage Mr Langbein, after having been thanked by the chairman for coming to Timaru, retired from the meeting. * The Council then further discussed the matter. The chairman asked if it was the opinion of Councillors that they should rescind the previous resolution. The Board seemed to be of the opinion that they should alter their plans. Mr Grant asked how long the company was going to be at Pareora. The chairman: “If they get another stretch in the Waimate County, they will shift soon. If not, they will endeavour to finish from where they are.” Continuing, he said that if they called for tenders, it was going to be a month before they would be out. The Company might not get the tender, and it would then be a question which end was to be started first. The public were behind them for the north.

Mr Kerr said that that was only fair, but the work had to be done in both places. They would be losing nothing by getting the south part done. The chairman: “We have got 11 or 12 miles to be done, so we should call tenders for the lot.” Mr Kerr: “You have a definite offer now for the south end.”

The chairman: “They will do the south but not the north.” Mr Kerr: “There should be two contracts, for we can effect a big savingon the south.”

The chairman: “We might be robbing Peter to pay Paul.” Mr Kerr: “They would have to make another stand to do the north, and then possibly they could do to Pleasant Point as well.”

The chairman: “There is no reason why we shouldn’t.” Mr Kerr: “The south end is a small job, and these people are on the spot, and can make a big saving to us. It won’t make any difference to the price in the north end. The delivery cost of doing the work from the north end would kill the job. The motorists are calling out for good roads.” Mr Grant: “Yes, in the north end.”

Mr Kerr then moved that the previous resolution be rescinded. The motion was seconded by Mi* Brosnahan, and carried.

After a further short discussion, Mr Kerr moved, and Mr Selbie seconded: “That separate tenders be called for the formation and paving of the Main Highway from the Timaru Borough boundary at Saltwater Creek to the Pareora bridge, and from the Timaru Borough boundary at Waimataitai, to the Opihi river bridge at Arowhenua, and that the engineer secure assistance for surveying and levelling.” The motion was carried unanimously.