WORK OF THE MONTH.

Thames Star, Volume LXV, Issue 18332, 2 November 1931, Page 3

WORK OF THE MONTH.

m COROMANDEL COUNTY

State of the Bridges.

RECLAIMING MUD FLATS,

VALUE OF RICE GRASS.

The following report was tabled at the Qctobev meeting of the Coromandel County Council by the Engineer (Mr G. T. Stewart) :

Coromandel.—Timber has been ordered for the erection of a sheep pen on the Coromandel Wharf. A portion of the old stone wall at the waterfront has been renewed by the No. 5 men. The hospital grounds and part of the doctor's garden have been prepared for potatoes, w-hich will be distributed to those in need. The metal which was placed on the Coromandel end of the Whangapoua Road has been trimmed :Up by the grader. There are about 36 cubic yards $£ second grade metal in the quarry hopper which might be used to complete the Whangapoua metal; it is hardly good enough for repairing the holes which need attention on the Tiki Road, the. Wharf Road and the township generally f this should be small crushed stone. A gang of No. 5 men have been employed reconditioning the Coast Road from Kikowhakarere and.tho grader is now working there. '/The. berth at the Coromandel Wharf has silted up; it would be a good scheme to put a gang to shovel the silt into a punt.' The silt could then bo dumped into deeper water. A bridge in the Upper Township, known as. the ' Black 'Bridge or Edwards' Bridge, should be demolished; sometime ago turnstiles were erected to prevent cattle using it.- These have

been removed, also some of the i planking. and hand-railing. It is j now only a trap and access can bo , got either by crossing the creek or along'a road leading from t,he inland track. A gang of No. 5. men have been opening urj the road to McNeil's gold mine. • Colville The iron girders on the bridge at Amodeo Bay should be painted. Wood's Road: The P.W.D. Engineer has interviewed Mr Wood and' has promised to recommend a free grant of £l2O to recondition this road. The timber for the bridge at O'ConnelFs slip has been delivered and the construction is under weigh. Plans for the Big Bay Bridge are being prepared. No instructions re the metalling between Waiaro and Te Hope have boen received. Opposite Mr Doeble's house at Waiaro a set of pipes has been removed and re-laid at a lower level. This is where the flood Waters used to run ovc" the roadway. The ..lowering of the pipes necessitated 'the deepening of tho creek; to make this v possible two of the No! 5 men blasted the rock at the outlet, Mr Deehje supplying the explosives.-- The Port Charles Road has been reconditioned by the No. 5 men.

Kuaotunu.—The metalling contract, No. 60, is proeoding. The renewing of the swamp bridge contract, No. 67, is being proceeded with. The completing of the Waitaia track will be arranged for shortly. Contract 68: The Assistant Engineer, Paeroa, has recommended the grader be used to do the bulk of this work. On the reconditioning of the Knaotunu-Opito Road the £lO7/16/6 has been approved of and.there is now an additional -£2OO granted, in all £307/16/6 so the work should be laid out and proposals to do it by day labour sent in. Whenuakite.—Contract No. u

(Cupps Road) : A traverse survey and levels have been taken and plans and specifications have been forwarded to the Public Works for approval. Contract No. 65 (Hares Access Road): Plans and speciilcations for this work have also been forwarded for approval. / Whitianga—Mercury Bay Wharf: There are only a few more piles to be driven and the : ■superstructure has been commenced. The pipes' at

the Tennis Bridge are being laid; the old bridge Vill then be demolished. ~. Pipes for the Perry Road have be;e.n ordered.. A chart of the Mercury Bay Harbour has been procured to enable the landing places being located. : ' ; - '• '■"■

,>; Whangapoua.—lt was intended,, that the No. 5 men should be put infee-y camp at Tererenga, Mrs offering her house fcfr thei- accommodation. As single men 'have been offered employment by Hie Public Works, which a good number have refused, they are thus barred from the benefit of the No. 5 Scheme. As only married men \vere,ravai!able it was proposed;_to send;them. The matter was discussed,' and when their position was unde-stood I. concluded it. was , a hardship, so it was arranged that they, be taken and brought backvby lorry;-" with the understanding that they work the full eight hours. lorry in the mearttime'is being-em-ployed carting metal, the cost being £4, taking v and returning the men and doing eight hours' metalling. With the.sanction of Cr Bull I took this responsibility; the matter was urgent &M good value has-been, received. With the Council's permls?. sion it is proposed to continue this work! towards Whangapoua. ... . i

Main Highways. CoromandelWaikawau; ; More slips have occurred, the road near .the Kereta School being blockedrfor traffic;. it was an urgent, matter, so local men were employed. . Arrangements should have, been made to spread 100 cubic' yards; of- metal. The Manaia Flat, can be metalled frfon the river, where-a fairly good deposit has been left by the winter, floods. part of the Kereta HillWuires patching;_ as shell cannot be,obtained, fine shingle fr'om the beaches should be used. Then portions-of the Manaia Hill on the north sideband along the flat to- Coromandel require attention; this must eome.<from the qua-ry.

Three sets of pipes have been laid between Wilson's Bay and Waikawau. ' The grader has been used to trim up the whole of this road. Objections are being made by . a settler to the laying of pipes on' the north side of the Manaia Hill, who say's that water, will injure his property. Coronmndel-Mercury : Bay.—The surface has, been much improved with the grader. Between tho Sandy Corner and the foot of the hill.'lQQO cubic yards of metal should be spread.

Bridges.—Nearly the whole of the bridges on the main highways require (renewing, and this is true as regards all other;, roads. Concrete is the only economical material; it would be no hardship upon posterity if a comprehensive loan were raised for tliis purpQseJ a duty Qur children will thank, us for.

Genera}.—Biirihg the month 350' plants of Spartina Townscndii (rice grass) have boon planted at the Coromandel Estuary, Manaia, Kennedy's Bary, Mercury Bay, Port Jackson and other places. Mr Deeble has a goqd plantation at Waiara and Mr Adams at the Tiki. so that in years to come the whole of the mud flats around the Peninsula will be meadowed and will carry "more stock than the whole County is carrying at present. If these flats could be properly planted and protected for a year or two they would be meadowed in five or six years. When it is realised thot seven tons of hay may be gathered from an acre, the dairying nossibilites are .enormous. Mr Coater expressed his anxiety to reclaim mud flats, so now is the opportunity, with the aid of the No. 5 Scheme, Then there is the improvement of our -harbours, as the grass will not grow| : in fresh water. The rivers will naturally deepen and silting will be done away with. The big undertaking of reclaiming the Zuydor Zeeis depending to a g"eat extent upon this grass. I have to thank MiBryan,, of Thames, for his enthusiasm and assistance in popularising'.aud distributing.this grass.