ROADS AND BRIDGES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17569, 20 June 1925, Page 11

ROADS AND BRIDGES

CANTERBURY WORKS. i REPORT BY HIGHWAYS EOARD. "Among a number of other forward steps,” said Mr Bruce, of the Main Highway's Board, this morning, " the board has recently set up an institution by which road foremen may receive an adequate training and have an oppor- | peteney and efficiency. At present there i are twenty-five members, and it is our hope that eventually v/e may have trained road foremen at command who will be able to oversee the work of road building.” Mr Bruce said that several local works had received the favourable attention of the board. The Ashley-Kaia-poi bridge was to be subsidised to the \ extent of £7OO of the total cost of £llOO ! or £1200; this was a free grant. It ! had been decided to complete the approaches of the Hapuka bridge, and at- \ tention was to be given to the amount \ of damage done to the Kaikoura Road j by heavy motor traffic. Progress on ’ the Wandu Bridge was well under way, t two forty-foot spans having been erected, and tenders let for the remainder of the work. Applications for financial assistance in the matter of purchasing plant, from the Ashburton and Waipara Boards, had been acceded to in a very substantial manner. The report submitted at the monthly meeting of the Main Highways Board, held on June 18 and 19, stated that road work in the country had been badlv affected by bad weather. In a number of localities, particularly in the far north and Gisborne districts, metalling work had entirely ceased. Considerable progress had been made with the Karamea bridge on the West-port-Karamea road. The Waitea road bridge had been-completed, and the approaches were being built. The temporary structure of the Tnangahua road bridge was practically completed, and a start would be made ; shortly with the permanent bridge. Guide: piles for the cylindrical piers had been driven. On the Christchureh-Blen-heim road, via Parnassus, rapid progress was being made with the Clarence River bridge, but some delay had occurred, due to the recent flood. Tho approach banks and protective work to the Last Greta bridge were completed. The Waitati section of the DunedinChristchurch highway had been taken over by the Main Highways Board as a Government road. Fifty men were employed, and 120 chains of the heaviest | scarifying, and pipes for culverts hud j been distributed where required. Mr Bruce said that several applica- > tions for additional roads to be declared Main Highways had been considered by the board, but in view of the liabilities already entered into, chiefly in regard to maintenance, only one or two