INANGAHUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 7 June 1880, Page 2

INANGAHUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

♦ Fngineeb's Eepobt : Tn accordance with instructions I re» reived from the Council, I proceeded to the Upper Buller on 3rd May to make die necessary sntrpys prior to preparing plans and specifications for a dray road from Oxnam's to the Matiri River, nnd a horse track up the Matakitaki River from the township of Hampden to May's Flat. Since my return I have prepared two sets of plans and specifications, one set for Hampden and one for Eeefton, and tenders hare been invited at both places for the work, which are to close on Wednesday next, 2nd June— due notice is given in the Lyell Times and Eeefton paper when the tenders close, along with other particulars. lenders have been invited for metalling road al ove the township of Crushington, and were closed this day at 12 noon. On my return to Eeefton, I made an inspection of the Westport road maintenance, and have to report as follows .— Eeepton to Left-hand Bbanch. Th« late weather fully proves the quality of the wprfe that has been per formed on this section, and in places I noticed that the sides of the road had been made use of to fill holes in the centre that held water, and still contain a pool of water. The metalling now being done from Bridge«street is about a third of what is required by the speeifi cations, and river bed gravel is being used instead of gravel from the reserves at the head of the town. Not the slight* est attempt is being made at forming the road from Church«»Btreet to the State school to a uniform gradient. In fact no attempt is made at all to perform the work according to the specifications. I therefore deem it my duty to ask the Council to authorise the Public Works Committee to deal with the matter, as T find that I cannot do anything more with this contract. Left-hand Bbanoh to Labby's Cbeek. There has been a small amount of grayel placed on this section since my last report, but instead of six inches of metal, there is barely three inches, and on the sides of the road, it is not more than two inches, and the required width of 12 feet is not even attempted in any place. A large portion of this section has not been gra7elled, and altogether the contract is not being performed at all. I therefore ask the Council that this con« tract be also dealt y\th by the Public Works Committee. Laery's Obeek to Mindebmann's. This distance is under contract to one man, and I have to report a very large quantity of work performed, yet the time allowed by the specifications for placing the gravel on the road is passed, and the work is not yet done. But it was the ins tention of the committee, who dealt with the contract of Thompson, to grant some time to the present contractor, and if this is done, I am certain that the work will be performed satisfactorily— for the reas sons quoted I have not passed the las' progress payment, but in this instance I would recommed a moiety of what ac< ordjng to time would be due last month Mindebmann's to Boundaby. The winter weather as usual with this portion of the County roads brings down plenty of slips, but otherwise the road is in good working order. There are a few places where the Buller River is underminin the banks below tha road, aod.

causing the road fo settle down o-. * outer edge, but this cannot be avoide . unless at an enormous outlay. Boatman's Deay Road and Tback*. The dray road to the township is in eoorl working condition. But the late weather has caused considerable damage to the horse tracts, having carried away the road ,n one place, and caQssn? slips in oH.er,, especially on the P actolus tracb> lbe maintenance contract for the borse tracks expired according; to time in March last, but owing to the work not being satisfactorily performed, I have refused a certificate, but the contractor has hnd a lot of work to perform since March owing to the causes mentioned. I wruld therefore ask that this contract be dealt with by the Public Works Committee. GSET EOAD. *, Eeefton to Saddle. These contractors have performed^ large quantity of work. and without a doubt are doing their best to the road ; but the work is not being done according to specifications, for the simple reason 1 they have not sufficient money for the work. However, with the latter I have nothing to do, and therefore recommend that the Public Works Committee deal with the contract. From Saddle to Squabetown. The work of widening and metalling this see' ion is being done simultaneously, as it is not at all times that the place where gravel is obtained can be got into, but very fair work has been performed since my last report. SQTJABETOWN TO BATISA*3. Eeally good work is being done on this section, and the contractors deserve credit for the attention paid to the road. Batiba's to Gbbt Junction. A very marked improvement has been made along these sections of the Grey road sjaee my last visit, and should the work now being done, continue, a good road will he the result. I may mention that two of the waggons have increased the width of the wheel tires to four inches and doubtless more wili follow their example, if this is- done, in a few months the roads will give evidence of their benefit. Track via Cannibal Gobge. The line of track through the Gorgff has been laid off, but I have not been able to prepare specifications for the work owing to tie pressure of other work ; but 1 respectfully submit that for the next two months it would be of no use inviting tenders, as no work could be performed in the Gt>rge during June and July. Contbacts Completed and on Hand The contact for forming Healy-street, and right-of-way at Boatman's, is completed, also the contract for repairs to Murray Creek track above Cement Town. The contract for forming hack up the Blacwkater. and the contract for forming road above Crushiagton are progressing, as also roads towards the Otututu River, and Devil's Creek. The late weather, however, has considerably retarded operations. Black's Foist and \ ut CiE3K.. There has been on i rable damage done to the Murray Cr >. track by the late wet weather, and t i timber work, upon which a considerab s ortion of the track is built, appears to be giving way all at once, wh'ch have necessitated the employment of an unusual amount of labor upon the track lately. I lay an estimate on the table of the probable cost of reducing the grade from the slips at Black's Point into the town« ship, it would be necessary to extend the distance from tbe D«untless machine about 10 chains in order to get a work* able gradient, Tback to Bi<j liveb. This line of track is now ready for traversing, and is the first work I will attend to after the Councils meeting. Of a necessity, the preliminary work has been somewhat expensive, owing to the Government requiring a map of the country traversed by the track previous to granting a subsidy towards its eon* struction • and there is no record in the Government Survey Office whereby I cruld supply the information, hence the necessity of the outlay.

Tn the Devil's Creek district, the lafp rain has brougnt down a lot of tlie country above the road, and fur a d<y or two prevented all traffic. The road is now, open, and the necessary repairs are being performed. Since the adjournment of the meeting on May 26th, I have been engaged tak* ing a traverse of the track from ReeftoD to the Big River, and will nos be in a position to prepare specifications for the work, wh eh can close at the nest meetins; of the Council. At Boatman's Greek where the machinery is about to be erpcted for the WeN come Campany, I would recommend the Council to widen the present borse-traek immediately above the machine site, to st least 10ft ; for in the event of a dray road being constructed at some future time it wou'd be a difficult matter to perform the work after the maehineshou.se and plant are erected', on account of the rock that would require Wasting away to make the road wide enoqsh,