LAKES ELLESMERE AND FORSYTH RECLAMATION AND AKAROA RAILWAY TRUST.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 190, 14 May 1878, Page 2

LAKES ELLESMERE AND FORSYTH RECLAMATION AND AKAROA RAILWAY TRUST.

«. A meeting of the above body was held on Wednesday evening, at 7 p.m., at Lewis' rooms, Hereford street, Christchurch. engineer's report. The Engineer's report was read, as follows :— " Ellesmere. — Drawing No. 1. The whole of the field work is completed, and the survej', showing accurately the line of ordinary flood, is being plotted to a scale of 20 feet to one inch. The fair copy of the plan will be ready to lay before the Trust at its next general meeting. It may also be mentioned that the Avhole of the survey is connected Avith the trigonometrical stations in the neighbourhood of the Lake, and that the total length of transverse chained amounts to 97 miles.

" Drawing No. 2. —The fair copy of the plan of the estuary shoAving the proposed drainage works at the mouth is completed. This plan is plotted to a scale of one chain to the inch, and has soundings figured in feet throughout the estuary, and to seaward from a distance of ten chains from high water line of an ordinary spring tide. * ■''■''

" DraAving No. 3.—A series 'of 18 cross sections of the estuary, taken at a distance of from live chains to ten chains apart, and laid down to a horizontal scale of one section to the inch and 20 feet to the inch vertical. The fair copy of this drawing is in preparation, and will be completed in a few days. DraAving No. 4*. — Details of design, showing plans and transverse sections of portions of the proposed works, drawn to a scale of five feet to one inch. This drawing will be finished in a week or ten days. Borings.—A boring has been made in the shingle spit at the mouth of the estuary. The bole was sunk bj r means of a two-inch pipe to a depth of 60ft, i. c., 50ft below high water datum, with the folloAving result, viz.: 36ft firm shingle ; 4ft. yellow coloured fine sand, very hard ; 10ft yellow grey coloured coarse sand, very firm, and hard to drive through ; 6ft clay mixed with shingle, and forming a hard concrete, and lastly 4ft of fine shingle and clay, forming a still harder concrete mass than the last. I consider the above highly favourable for carrying out the proposed works. The boring Avas entrusted to Messrs Armitage and Unwin, of Christchurch, and the work Avas well and faithfully executed. Lake Forsyth—Drawing No. 5 Plan of the estuary and portion of the sea coast at mouth of tbe Lake.—The survey and soundings have been completed sometime, and I am in hopes the fair copy of the plan will be ready to lay before the Trust at its next meeting. Akaroa Railway.—The length of the line surveyed up to date extends from its junction with the Southbridge branch railway at Lincoln to Barry's Pass, being a distance, together with alternatives or trial lines, of 36 miles. The . remaining length to Barry's Pass will be completed in six or eight days. Meanwhile tbe plans and sections are being plotted, and it is expected that a fair copy will be completed early in next month. SIR JOHN COODE'S OPINION. The Chairman stated that an attempt had been made to get the opinion of Sir

- John Coode as to the drainage of Lake . ; Ellesmere, but that gentleman had stated '.."' that it was impossible to give it in the time required by the Trust. The final report of the Engineer would be ready in ■ July. NOTICE TO FREEHOLDERS. The question of giving notice to persons through whose land the line would j ' pass, was referred to the legal adviser of the Trust. LEGAL OPINION, Proposed by Mr J. Gebbie, seconded by Mr O'Callaghan, and carried—" That the Solicitor to the Trust be consulted as to whether the terms of tbe Act will be complied with if the survey of the railway line be constructed for the present so far as tbe mouth of the tunnel on the Akaroa side of the watershed, * leaving the ultimate terminus to be decided upon by a Commission." •VOTE OFTHANKS. Moved by Mr J. Gebbie, seconded by Mr * O'Callaghan, and carried—"That the thanks of the Trust be given to Mr W. Montgomery for his services in obtaining the consent of the Government to Sir Johu Cbode'B reporting on thedrainage of Lake Ellesmere." The meeting then adjourned to the 12tb of June, at the offices of the Trust, Lewis 1 Buildings, Hereford-street east, Christchurch. A »