MASTERTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8021, 17 December 1904, Page 2

MASTERTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Engineer's Report. The engineer reported at the meeting of the County Council on Thursday:— South Riding.—Waingawa Protective Works.—The exceptionally high flood on the 18th ulfc. made a breach at the upper end of the protective works on the Northern bank and a large bjdy of water escaped crossing the roadway to a depth of 4 to 5 feet. yir There is a much increased volume of water along the northern bank in flood owing principally to the greater portion of the river bed having risen by the recent floods. / I have deemed ib sufficiently necessary to extend and strengthen boulder bank as there-occurrence otlP' such a flood would undoubtedly bring the larger portion of the Waingawa stream north of the bridge as the level of the roadway here is lower than the river bed. Black Creek Ford.—The flood on the 18th ult. also proved disastrous to the crossing on the above creek; a temporary lord has been constructed which may serve for the summer months. Gordon Street.—Contract No. 38. 97 chains formation and metalling. As nothing had been done on this contract up to Bth inst. I have served the contractor with notice that unless satisfactory progress is made with his contract within 7 days Clause 9 —dealing with the cancellation, — will be put in operation. He ha?, however, started work since. Te Whiti Biding.—Te Whifci Road. Contract No. 37, 54 chains of formation. The above contract is beingpushed on with alacrity, the bulk of the formation is benched out and the smaller embankments made up, ajtifct greater portion of the culverting on the ground. Masterton • Gladstone Eoad.— Contract No 31, 132 chains ot formation and metalling. Good progress is being made with the metalling, the settlers are giving the contractor the greatest facility for obtaining shingle at the shortest haul. About a mile of the metalling is laid. Upper Taueru Riding.—Mangarei Road. Contract No 19, One mite of formation. On my visit of instruction on the 25th ult. the work was on towards completion. 1 pointed out small discrepancies which the contractor agreed to remedy forthwith. He now reports his contract complete. Contract No 20. The contractors were engaged widening and finishing up that portion of the road, roughly formed during winter. They advised me that the bulk of the timber would be ready for delivery this month. Alfredton Riding. — Rotopungaflfcu Road. Contract No 39, 17 chains of formation. The contractor reports that he expects to finish towards the end of the present month. Accrued Thirds.—l have located the sections proposed to be metalled on the Waihohi, Hutewai and Puketoi Roads. In the case of the Waihohi, it has been deemed admirable to metal only eleven chains at present; this may be performed in shingle. The balance with some anticipated thirds is proposed to be expended in burning papa. The lengths proposed to be metalled on the Hutewai road are within half.a-mile avenge haul of hard rock. It will, however, be necessary before advertising the work to get the Land Board's sanction to the thirds being expended on metalling. The 1 bulk of the allocations having already been approved for formation, etc. A gang of three men with a dray, are effecting repairs to the end of the Ihuraua Valley road. Bβ Elatßush Road.—The above road, which was partially formed last year, is in a somewhat boggy condition having been subjected to extra- | ordinary traffic during last winter. 1 purpose draining and culverting the unformed lengths, and removing the intruding slips from the formation. Mr Clapham has offered a contribution of £12 towards the extension of this work. Messrs Nicholas and Rolfe, flaxmillers, have also agreed to [ contribute £5. There is considerable difficulty in obtaining labor for road works in this part of the district, the flaxmilling industry having absorbed the surplus labor. I have sent a gang of nlen from here.