COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXX, Issue 8478, 16 June 1906, Page 2

COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORT

The following is the report of the Masterton County Engineer, submitted to the meetingof the County Council, on Thursday : — Rangitumau Riding.:—Wangaehu-road, contract No. 75, CO' chains of metalling : The hauling of which was reported finished at last meeting is now being completed in torms of the contract before being taken ovar by the Council. To Ore Ore-Bid eford-road, contract No. 96, delivering 370 cubic yards of metal for surface lepairs lias been duly completed. Opaki Riding—West Bush-road, contract No. 85, delivering 110 cubic yards of metal for repairs, was.finished last month. Malaliiwi road, contract No. 87, supplying 11.50 cubic yards of metal, is reported completed by the contractor. Waingawa to Camp-road, contract No. 88, delivering lldO cubic yards of metal, was executed last month.

I have bad three defective culverts between the borough boundary and. mile peg 2 removed and substituted'by concrete pipes.

Opaki District Road : A great portion of : the metalled length of the above badly cut up by the traction engines "smr

limber hauling. From the weak appearance of the road, I" fear it will not stand the winter's traffic, unless repairs, to. the extent of 150 to 200 cubic yards, are made. Te Whiti Hiding. - Masterton-Gladstone-road : Surface repairs are being executed on the above road, as well as on the adjacent branch lines, Makora, Homebush and Manaia-road. Pa Karaka-road: Mr Donald made his contribution towards the formation, and the work has been put in hand as directed by the Council.

A 3in x 3in culvert under a large embankment on the Weraiti-road showed evidence of subsidence as a result of the water finding its way under the floor. For safety, I have deemed it necessary to have the floor of the culvert lined throughout.

Upper Taueru Riding-.—Wilton's road, contract No. 66, building a light traffic bridge over the Taueru River: The construction of the bridge was practically completed on my visit of inspection on the 7th inst.; there being only some small details to finish. The construction of the earthwork approaches is being carried out by the Council's roadmen and labour and teams by Messrs Toogood. I expect that the bridge will be now open for traffic.

Glenclonald-Wairpre-road, contract No. 72, 12 chains of formation : Some small defects in the work are to be remedied by the contractor before the contract is taken over.

Mangarai-road, contract No. 91, 27 chains of formation, etc., is now being commenced by the contractors, who have been detained until now, finishing other work for the Council. The roadman is improving a length of 15 chains of McLeod's-road by culverting and draining.

Millers-road : I beg to direct the Council's attention to the unsafe condition of an old 3ft x sft culvert, south of the Taueru Ford, on the above road. The culvert, which has been rudely constructed in a considerable embankment, may give way, without the slightest warning. Its collapse is only prevented by struts, which are placed in its centre and seriously obstruct the waterway; as a reconstruction of the culvert and embankment may entail an outlay from £80 to £100 it would be advisable to make provision in the estimates for the current year for purchasing the timber. Wainuioru Riding.—Masterton-Wairaata-road, contract No. 67, delivering 1415 cubic yards of metal, was duly completed last month.

Contract No. 94 : Diver's Taueru section, delivering 1010 of metal, is upon completion, with the exception of 220 cubic yards, which were specified from the Taueru pit, this amount I have agreed with the contractor to eliminate from the contract as the winter is so far advanced that the condition of the road will not allow the repairs being carried out with judicious advantage. BlairlogieEast Coast-road, contract No. 90, 98 chains of fencing, etc., is satisfactorily finished. The deviation at Beaumont Hill has been fenced off and the formation of the road is in the course of construction.

Weraiti-Brancepeth-road, contract No. 94a, building a bridge across the Taueru River : The contractor is now getting his plant on to the ground, and will commence work immediately. The clearing of v 16-feet width along the centre line of road, for a length of 72.8 chains, through the felled bush, east of the Taueru, has been completed, and rough culverts made to allow of stock driving.

Taueru-Fernyhurst road: The approach, spans to the Waipawa Bridge, which were in an unsound condition, have been redecked.

Alfredton Riding.—Alfredton-Eketahuna-road, contract No. 65 : Surface repajjfchave been abandoned for the season. W^ Flat Bush-road, contract No. 73, 37 chains of formation, culverting, etc: The contractor was engaged on my visit of inspection last week, endeavouring under adverse conditions to finish oft* his contract, he being unable to work a horse and dray on the fillings. Contract No. 90, 60.70 chains of formation, bridging, etc., which is let to F. McBarron, contractor for the preceding contract, will enter upon the work immediately following the completion of contract No. 73. Alfredton-Weber-road, contract No. 82, constructing a 4ft x 4ft culvert and embankment. The contractor has just reported his work finished.