COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8259, 12 October 1906, Page 3

COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

iThei following is a copy of the roiport submitted by the County Engineer to the meeting of the Master'ton County Council yeeterday:— Opaki Hiding:—Te Mara JRoad—- ■ Contract No. 99: Has been duly completed. The unformed length Loop Line bad been ploughed, etc.. preparatory to grading. A btart has been made with ithe.erection.of the stock bridge over the Waipipi. 1 would recommend than a. length ot tbe Matabiwi Road, from the,boundary to the Mill gate, .be repaired witb not lees that 200 yds oil metal; this would put the read.in fair repair until Autumn. Te Whili Rising—Robieaon's Road —The necessary improvements on :the unformed.lengths to the above xoad are being carried out. Master* ton-Waimata Road—Thojj necessary length of pipes have been laid, to check the scour complained of on the Otahoua cutting. The small truss bridge on tbe Taueru Road near mile peg 7, was last week •closed to heavy traitic; one of the main beams having been broken, as a result of the heavy tractiou engine haulage during the past month. This lihs replaced ty a new beam renders tbe structure ugain tit lor ordinary traffic (loads up to G tone.) I Deg to direct the Council's attention to the faot that the bridge is about 27 years old and was not designed to carry traction engine traffic; thereiore the loads should be limited. I would suggest that the present bridge be substituted by a concrete pipe and embankment which might be done at lobb cost than a timber structme end the curves on the horizontal direction of the road would to greatly improved. ■Colomba Road —Coutract No. 100: | ,80 chains more or lesd fencing. The Contractor is engaged getting and preparing the material. KaoKitumau Riding:—Necessary repairs are being effected to the unmetalled lengths on tbe Dorset's and Kakaumu loads. The metalling contracts No.'d 74 and 76 on the Waugaehu will be commenced next week, weather permitting. Altiedr.on Riding:—AlfiedtonWeber Road —Coutract No. 102: 25 chains of metalling witb burnt papa. The Contractor reports that be is preparing firewood, etc., for burning. Hutetvfci Road—(Tbirdß) When in tho district last week, I bad an offi r from J. beilshaw to undertake the necessary reformations aud matalli g, w t.: an Btu by 9ft layer burnt pupa, for the sum of &1 per chain. As the Council have been unsuccessful ou twu occasions in obtaining tenders for tbe work, 1 would reoommeut that this 'offer be accepted. Castle Hill Road —Two small groins have been placed Inthe'Je JLioe river, lor piotecting the roadway to the ford. I have marked oK tho subdivisions of tba denominational lots and defined the paths in tho Aliredton Cemetery. A culvert is necessary to give approach to the muin entrance. Flat Bush tinad—Contract No. 90: The Contract is progressing slowly. Wamuioiu Ridinn: East Coast Road—Accrued 1 birds have been expended in reforming and improving the formation of the terrace on the Waikaiaka lisiatt,'. Tbe grant available is now being extended in widening tbe narrow portions of the Eperaima Deviation, iernybarst btronvar Read. —1 have examined the platform tiidgo near the flaxmili complained of as being unlit for heavy tratli'i and find that the structure is quite unsafe for a load of more than about 2 tons. 1 bavo arranged for tne replacing of the unsound decking, but, to muke tbe bridge safe for engine traffic would entail new stringers and strengthening of tbe piers. Temporary repairs have been made to the Glenlean and Stronvnr reads. Wtraiti-Brance-peth Road.—Contract No. 94 a. Good progress is being made with the construction of the bridge over tbe Tauera River. The superstructure is now independent of its scaffolding and 1 expect that tbe work will be finished within tbe next tbree weefcs. The survey for tbe construction of the Weraiti -brancepeth JRoad will be put in hand immediately. Upper laueru Riding:— Mangarai Koad.—Contract No. 91: is nearing completion.