Page image

α-i

38

Tauhoa and Komokoriki. —Lengths of roads formed and particulars of expenditure have not yet been sent in by Upper Mahurangi Road Board. Kaimarama Roads. —This is also a vote granted under the Loans to Local Bodies Act. Works are now in progress for the construction of three miles of bridle-track. The works were let by tender in four sections. Tairua-Whenuakiti. —About 50 chains of bridle-track has been constructed on this road, and improvements to four miles of dray road; and five miles of bridle track has been made. All the Crown lands in the two parishes of Whenuakiti and Purangi have been made more valuable by improvements to this road. Roads, Otau Parish. —This vote is also raised under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act. During the year seven miles and a half of bridle-track have been constructed, and seven miles and a half more are now in course of construction. The whole of the works have been carried out under the co-operative system. Whisky Creek Road. —This road was made to give settlers a much-needed outlet, and a bridletrack has been constructed for five miles and a half. There are still some portions of the road to make, but the Road Board have not acquired the necessary title to land required for the necessary deviations, and the present authority is exhausted. Works in Akaaka Swamp. —With the balance of the vote raised under Loans to Local Bodies Act the work of deepening and widening the main drain for some 40 chains has been carried out, and the construction of a cart-road alongside. The work of deepening 124 chains of a side-drain is now being performed. Maioro Swamp. —Money for this was raised under Loans to Local Bodies Act, a portion of which was spent the year before last in constructing a main drain through the swamp, and the balance is now being expended in the continuation of the drain some 66 chains in length, for the purpose of giving access to the Maioro Settlement. The present road to it is becoming completely blocked by the encroaching sand. It is advisable to construct a road alongside this drain, as it would afford the Maioro settlers an outlet, and give a road to the settlers who have taken up the swamp. Opuatia Bridge and Grossing. —A road has been surveyed through the Opuatia Block, connecting at both ends with the present formed roads. Owing to opposition of some of the Natives to the road being taken through the block, a considerable amount of annoyance and delay was experienced in carrying out the work. Tenders are now called for clearing a track along the surveyed line, and a contract has been let for erecting a temporary bridge across the Opuatea. When these works are completed settlers will be able to " pack " into their selections. I would strongly recommend that this road be formed at least 12ft. wide, and be continued southwards, connecting with the Mangapiko. It would then become a main road through the heart of the Raglan County. Ahuroa (Aivaroa). —This is also a vote raised under the Loans to Local Bodies Act. A survey of the main road through the block and connection with present formed road has been made, and about five miles of bridle-track has been constructed. The contractor has still the works in hand, having about one mile and a quarter to construct. Maramarua. —The survey of about eight miles and a quarter of road has been made through this block, but none of the road has yet been constructed. Whangamarino District. —About two miles of dray road has been constructed out of this vote, and four bridges, making a total length of 46ft.; and nine culverts, totalling 21ft. Huntly-Kahuhuru. —Much-needed repairs have been made to this road, and when the works now in hand are completed there will be a good bridle-track connecting Huntly with the Hot Springs and with the Mangapiko Road. To obtain a really good road a deviation is required at Pukemiro, where the road goes over a high range, which I believe could be avoided by following the valley of the Awaroa River. Works on this road were carried out under the co-operative system. Waingaro-Ngaruaivahia Road. —This bridle-track is now being formed into a cart-road 12ft. wide. When the works now in hand are completed the road will be available for wheel traffic as far as the Huntly Branch, a total distance of about eleven miles from Ngaruawahia. There is still a further distance of about five miles of road to construct before reaching the Hot Springs Hotel. The works, however, will not prove costly, as most of the culverts which were broken in or rotten have been replaced by pipes, and the road over them formed to the full width (12ft.). Further, about 5 chains of road through heavy rock cutting have been made to the required width. To make the road available for heavy traffic during all weathers it will be necessary to metal portions of it, at an estimated expenditure of, say, £1,000. Mangapiko Roads. —During the year the bridges Kahuhuru Nos. 1 and 2 were completed, the Kahuhuru No. 2 bridge being built with a subsidy from the county of £30, as the vote authorised was not sufficient. A small portion of road between the bridges was also constructed. Unfortunately, during the year very heavy floods have been experienced, which destroyed the bank of the river on the upside of Kahuhuru No. 1 bridge, and necessitated the construction of protective works, which are now in progress. Mangaokahu (Karamu). —Vote also raised under the Loans to Local Bodies Act, and is being expended in erecting a bridge over the Waitituna River. The small balance of the vote remaining, after paying for the construction of the bridge, will be expended in forming the road where most necessary. Waitetuna Bridge.- —A tender has just been accepted for the construction of this bridge, which will consist of three spans—one of 40ft., one of 20ft. 6in., and one of 14ft. 6in. The erection of this bridge is absolutely necessary to afford access to the Karamu Block, a portion of which is already taken up. Te Aroha-Katikati. —Nothing has been expended on this track since 1892.

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert