COUNTY WORKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19866, 14 June 1927, Page 11

COUNTY WORKS

THE WAITOTARA AREA RECENT ACTIVITIES. The Waitotara County Council wt yesterday, when there were present: Crs. W. Morrison (chair), J. Campbell, R. Laird, L. Turner, G. Russell, R. Farley, H. Goldsbury and L. Jones. A letter was received from the Patea County Council stating that it would join with the Waitotara County Council in objecting to tho Watershed! Road being taken over by the Government. A request by the Mata Mata County Council for support to a suggestion that the financial year of counties should end on December 31 instead of March 31, did not receive the support of the Council, it being tho opinion of those present that the general tendency of local bodies was in favour of March 31. The engineer (Mr T. Dix) reported on the work done during June as follows: * Auckland-Wellington Highway.—Constant grading has been carried out over the whole length of highway. Between the 15 and 21 and the 4 and 9 mile posts, six portions of roadway have been scarified, reshaped and 5 rolled. 364 yards of chips were used to renew the loose metal surface and 183 yards of shell grit were required for patching. Between the 4 and 5 mile posts side drains were cleaned and a larger pipe culvert was used to replace a culvert near the 7 mile post. The asphalt surface has been patched. Rangitatau-Watershed Highway. Surfacemen have quarried maintenance metal near Waitahinga and metal patching has been done where necessary. The highway has been graded between the Main and Brunswick Roads. On Bayly’s Hill, a channel and stop bank have been made to help cope with flood waters. The District Engineer, Public Works Department, has recommended that the portions of the highway that were destroyed recently by floods should be asphalted, the metal surface would then be protected from further scouring. General surface work, comprising removing slips, cleaning tables and cutting fern was carried out. Near Paparangi low corners were built up with shell rock boulders. Waitotara Riding. Maintenance

work received attention on most riding roads. On the Rangitatau West, Nukumaru Station, Waitotara Valley, Huxley, Bushy Park, Omakainga Roads, metal repairs were done, 182 yards of metal being used for the work. Brunswick Riding.—Metal patching and general surface work and grading have been carried out on the Bruns- 1 wick, Kaikokopu, Blueskin, Lilybank, i Grange, Tokomaru East, Campbell, Western and River Roads, also on Delhi and Roberts Avenues. The Blueskin Road and the Western Lino —between the Main and Westmere Station Roads—were scarified, reshaped and rolled. There is practically no metal on the Western Line, and it ;is proposed to surface same immo- ; diately with chips. The estimate for i forming and metalling Campbell Road extension is £175. Westmere Riding.—Tenders are being invited for the supply and delivery of 500 yards of shingle for the Rapauui and Mowhanau Beach Roads. Metal patching was done on the Rapanui, Fox, Springvale, Tayforth, Cameron and Boundary Roads. Symes and

Smith Roads were graded and general maintenance work was done where necessary on all riding roads. Drains were cleaned and a surface pipe culvert placed on Mission Road; Inpins were cut on Springvale and Caversham Roads. Tokomaru Riding.—The punts at Taunoka and Te Tuhi landings were sunk during recent floods; no difficulty will be experienced in raising them. Routine maintenance work has been done on all roads. On the Ahu Ahn Road, three surface culverts were placed and a new inlet was made to the tunnel "at Martin’s, The Tokomaru East Road has been graded and the metal portion patched. Settlers quarried 41 yards of shell rock and the metal was carted by County trucks for metalling wet portions of the Morarau Road. Brunswick Road.—346 yards of gravel were carted out, it is proposed to postpone further metalling work until next season. The road to the Kaikokopu pit is in a bad state. Rangitatau-Watershed Highway.— Work is being carried out on four contracts. A considerable number of wet days have been experienced; progress of work has consequently been slow. The report was adopted.