ROADS AND BRIDGES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 32, 7 February 1941, Page 3

ROADS AND BRIDGES

RANGhiKii COUNn COUNCIL, MONTHLY kIEETING HELD WORK Ob lAm MU.X’iH IN REVIEW ’t in: lolluv.ing lenders were acceptcd at the monthly meeting of thRangitikei county Council held. yesterday:— Erection ol roadman’:; collage, Mangahoe Road: D. Moir, £947 12s lid. Erection of concrete ferd, i.langaohane Stream crossing, Otupae: This work is to be carried cut by the council’s stall. Those present were: CT. K. W. Dalrymple (.chairman/, Crs. G. L. Marshall, A. b. Coleman, V. Smith, W. JDoole, J. Drive, R. G. Dalziell, A. D I Mair, L. Hammond and L. E. Deacon, .-.i-S-r.. H, H. Richardson (county |clerk) and S. A. R. Mair (engineer), i New Zealand Institute for the Blinc thanked the council for the donation of £5 ss.—Received. Mrs. M. A. Rhodes applied for a refund of the heavy traffic licence fee paid by her late husband. —This agreed to. C. F. Dalgety applied for permission to erect a private telephone line along the Potaka Road, which was granted subject to the usual conditions. Legal Opinions. The New Zealand Counties’ Association forwarded copies of legal opinions on a number ol subjects, which were laid on the table for perusal by the councillors. As there is a difficulty in obtaining buckle s and dees for dog collars the council accepted the contractor’s suggested alterations, and it was decided to write to the department for authority to use any dog collars left over by altering the year and number. Messrs. Treadwell, Gordon, Treadwell and Haggitt, wrote on behalf of Mr. I. A. Macleay in connection with metalling of Mangahoe Road, and stating that Mr. Macleay objects to pay the special rates for the loan raised for metalling the road until the metalling is proceeded with and is well under way.—Referred to engineer to reply. Application for Light. The secretary of the Home Guard Committee made application for the erection of a light on the pole at thv Rangiwaea School.—lt was suggested that the applicant apply to the vVan-ganui-Rangnikei Electric Powe: Board.

The following is a summary of th', quantities of motor spirits tn hand, purchased and consumed in the county, for the quarter ending December 31, 1940: 1105 gallons, purchased 5615 gallons; total of stocks and purchases, 6720 gallons. Consumed, on which a rebate ol 10 pi.t cent, is payable, 4621 gallor», leaving a balance of 2099 gallons; consumed, on which no rebate is payable, 931 gallons. On hand, December 31, 1940: 1168 gallons. Finance. Debit balance, after last meeting’s payments, £37,802 5s Hd; payments since last meeting, £6220 3s Hd—£44, 022 9s lOd. Receipts since last meeting, £2866 Is; debit balance before today's payments, £41,156 8s lOd, today’s payments, £1716 13s lOd. —Total, £42,814 2s Bd. Engineer’s Report, Mr. S. A. R. Mair reported as follow : Rangitoto Riding.—General maintenance has been carried out on Bulls-Scott’s Ferry Road, and metal is being screened for repairs. Noxious weeds nave been cleaned up jn Button’s Pit.' General maintenance work has been in hand on all roads The contractor for tar-sealing Curl’s Bridge-Upper Tutaenui main highway expects to be able to start his work about the middle of the month. Otakapu Riding.—All roads have been trimmed with the grader and drains cleaned out. Loose metal at Ben Nevis Corner has been raked oil the tarred surface of the State highway.

Porewa Riding.—Fern Flats and Uper Tutaenui Roads have been trimmed with the grader. Blackberry has been cleaned up in Crabb’s Pit, and young trees cleared around. Turnouts at the junction of Calico Line with the State highway have been tar-sealsd. The contractor is metalling approaches to Tutaenui Stream Bridge at Crofton. Wangaehu Riding.—Metal repairs have been carried out on Makohau Road. Kauangaroa roads and Turakina Road have been trimmed with the grader. The contractor has restarted the formation work on Mangahoe Road at Sutherland’s. The metalling contractor is expected to be down to start about the middle of February. Tenders have been invited for building a roadman’s cottage on Mangahoe Road. Rangitira Riding. Routine work has been in hand on all roads, which are now in fair order. Protective works at Onepuhi Bridge have been repaired. Otairi Riding.—Old timber culverts on Rangitira Road have been replaced with concrete pipes. Overhanging scrub on Watershed Road has been cut back. Repairs to Haumakariri Bridge at Otuwhiti have been completed. Metal repairs are in hand on Turakina Valley Road, about Otairi. The grader has trimmed up most, of the roads in this riding. Awarua Riding.—Metal repairs are in hand on Rangitane Road. Good weather has enabled most of the Awarua Roads to be trimmed with graders, and all are now in fair repair. The contractor for metalling Kotukuraeroa Road was to have started his work last month, but so far has been unable to get men for the pit. He is endeavouring to get a mechanical loader.

Tekapua Riding, Metal repairs have been carried out on Mangamahoe and Upper Turakina Valley Roads. A large culvert on Upper Mangamahoe Road has been repaired. A concrete pipe culvert has been put in on Upper -Turakina Valley Road, above Pukeroa. Roads in Tekapua are being trimmed with the grader and repaired. Erewhon Riding. Wainui-Moa-whango and Pukeokahu Roads have been trimmed with the grader. The Public Works Department have two survey parties at work locating and realigning the Waiouru-Napier Road with a view to its reconstruction as a military road to connect the State highway with the East Coast. Tenders

have been invited for a concrete crossing on Mangaohane Stream at Otupae. Ruanui Riding.—Metal repairs have been carried out on Ruanui Road. Taihape-Mataroa-Ruanui Road has been trimmed with the grader. Firebreaks around tree plantations at Hihitahi have been ploughed and generally cleaned up and fences repaired. The Public Works Department have recommenced reconstruction of the State highway from Waiouru towards Taihape.