ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Thames Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 18384, 4 July 1917, Page 6

ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The Engineer reported that the conued wet weather experienced througnotit the month necessitated considerable maintenance and repair work being earned out to a number of the roads throughout the County. In the Hastings district the Thames to Waikawau road came in for consideruible fct/tention, fresh slips coming down between Lemma's and .tKe Waikawau, whilst the two large clips between Tapu and Puru still continue to come forward. With the extra assistance it had only been possible to open the road, for traffic, and during the coming mouth additional assistance would be required. The Waikawau Creek still continued to work into the road near Steadman's, and he proposed Visiting this district during tie coming week and take steps to prevent any further enroachment. On the Waiomo Creek Road a large sUp had come down near the first crossing of the creek. Permission has been granted to temporarily deviate the road through GundlocFs property, and from the ieport received from the foreman it may be found better to acquire this piece of land than to attempt to remove the slip. In the Waiot&hi, Kauaeranga, and Parawai districts slight repairs were necess;uy H to a number of the roads. The Collarbone bridge had been completed. Aiten- i tion would be given, during the coming momth to renewing the bridge on the Waiolahi Creek road carried away by the lecent flood. A few days had fceen devoted during the month to repa'.riag the Crosbie's Settlement and Kauoeronga Tainia tracks, but owing lo the unsettled weather it had not been pos. sible to do much work on the latter. In the Totara, Puriri, and Hikutaia districts there wasi also considerable maintenance and repair work carried out. General repaire were carried . out to Neavesvin* track, man re-ad, Wharepoa road, Ferry East road, and Omahu. Whangamata track. In the Tairua district work had. been confined to the carrying out of general repairs to the Hiki.aiPuketui, Puketui Fourth Branch, NeavesviTle Fourth Branch, and Ohui Whangamata. A cut had L<ien made round a large slip on the Kaueranga^Tairua j Road and the foreman reported that the track cm the oast srae of the range was overgrown with scrub, etc. In the Turua district work had been contined to the carrying out of ( repairs to the Turua-Nethertcn, Turua-Kopuai-ahi, and Turua-Op&m roads '

Stone Breaker.—During the mont'i the breaJEer had been working more or lees regularly, work being suspended a. number of times on account of the weather

Contracts.—Considering the nature of the weather satisfactory progress bass been made with all contnujts.

Water Race. —Owing to th© unsettled state of the weather (throughout ih.e month it was necessary to devote considerable attention to ihe working o! the race. In the early part of the niontn a small break took place near Curing necessitating the water being cut oft for a couple of days. For some consider able tune there hud been, a leakage from the race ait the old Waikiekie gate. Every attempt to make the old wooden culvert water tight proving unsucsess. ful. A concrete vail had now been put. in, the foundation being carried well down into the eolid ground. The teakage had completely stopped. In th© Karaka thie masonry work foundation under the northern pier began to be under, mined by the creek, and it was necessary to take steps to repair it. Portion had now been filled in with concrete and when properly set further work would be undertaken. On the No. 1 section work had been restricted on Sundays to attending to urgent work ait the break on the No. 1 section, putting in concrete wall at Kaakiekie, repairing Waiotahi and Kaaraka tunnels, only one Sunday being devoted to the concrete elab work" in McCallum's^ tunnel. On the No. 2 section Sunday work was deroted »,to repairing Stevens' and McCowatt's tunnels. The large quantity of s;lb and debris being brought down the Mangakirikiri Creek sine© the lust big flood is a continual source of trouble to the caretaker, necessitating one main heing constantly in this vicinity. To enable a man to be close handy during the unsettled weatheir a. small house will be required to be built at the Mangakirikiri.