WAIKAIA BUSH ROAD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1152, 28 March 1884, Page 3

WAIKAIA BUSH ROAD.

» The following ia the report of the • Vincent County Engineer re the pro- .. posed Wailuia Bush Road, read at , the meeting of the Council on Wednesday last:— ’ , Vincent County Offices, Clyde. March 18 th, 1884 The Chairman Vincent County Council ' I have tbe honour to report that I have inspected (the country between the main road to Roxburgh at a point near u'Lach--8 lan’s and the Waikaia Bush, with the view ’ of estimating the cost of constructing a 9 dray road between these places. In making this estimate I have been 8 guided by the fact that the road ia principally required for the conveyance of timber from tbe Bush to the Clntha Valley, and will be used for the most part by bullock teams only, and that it will therefore not • be necessary to form the road to such grades j and to such a width aa would be considered requisite for an ordinary main road, or even a district road.. ■ , I I may here mention that without anything 9 at all having been done to the road, bullock : teams have already carted heavy quartz- ’ crashing machinery up’ the Shingle Creek ; Spur of the Old Man Range to the Alpine Beef, and that during last summer a bullock r team went to tbe Bash on the precise route which it is proposed to take, and brought back a load of mining timber to the same i reef. These instances will serve to show that 1 the difficulties in the way are not such as might be anticipated in country of so 1 mountainous -a description. The proposed line of. track commences at a point on the piain Tevtnt-Alexandia road, about batf-a-mile south of Shingle Creek, and follows'a leading spur (known aa the Shingle Creek Spur) to the top of the range. Still keeping on the top of the range, but gradually descending, it skirts the head wateis of the Pomahawk and Waikaia rivers until it arrives opposite the Bush. Prom this point it follows another leading spur (known as the Wuitecomb Spur) down into the Bush, and terminates at tbe Wbicecomb Creek near its Junction with the Waikaia River. : ' The Shingle Creek Spur is about five miles in length, and tolerably good grades can lie obtained with very little expenditure. In many places it will only be necessary to clear off the spear grass, snow grass, etc., in order that a good bullock track may be made. The total length to the top, allowing for windings, will probably be about six miles. For the next mile the ground is easy and hard There will be about hnlf-a-unile of side cutting, tho remainder l-eing clearing only, 'the next four miles is easy as regards grades, but very swampy. The peculiarity of the swamp, however, is that it rests, directly on the t«d rock, and is on the average certainly not more than 18in. deep In many places which we tried, it was not more than 12in. deep. I propose, therefore, to remove it altogether in the line of track, bv cutting it out to a width of say 14ft., ami providing I outfall drains in the depressions to carry iff the drainage. In s nie few places, where tho hog is deeper, it may be necessary to liu up wish stone ; but then these do not occur often, and there is plenty of loose ' surface stone available The remaining i distance on the top of' the range—one mile in length—ia good hard ground with tolerably easy grades and for the most part only requires clearing. There is then the descent into the Bush down the Whitcomb Spur, distance about three miles. For about two m les ’.of this distance the grades will bo steep,- and this spur being narrow, there will "ot be much opportunity for winding. ' Nevertheless it is the opinion of those conversant with the working, of bullock teams that the spur is quite practicable. On the ! remaining utile the grades are easy. The work required to be done on this part consists principally of clearing a sufficiently wide- track through the burnt and fallen timber, and making side cuttings when . practicable, to ease the grade. : The burnt timber referred to extends * nearly to the top of the range on this spur, and that which remains standing will be 1 found valuable for mining purposes, and ' will be leas costly to procure than the ( growing timber at ihe bottom. I therefor e estimate the total distance to 1 be formed, cleared, or otherwise improved, to be 15 miles, and the cost as follows : 1 §ix mi'es of easy foimation, part clearing, part cutting, at £BO .. £4BO ] One mle of easy formation, part ; clearing, part cutting, at £160... 160 , Four miles soft swampy ground, cut- , ? ting out bog, etc., at-6240 ... 960 ] Ditches for same 50 One mile easy ground requiring to be | cleared only, at €4O ... .. 49 l Three miles occasional side cuttings, , clearing timber, etc., at £2OO .. 600 , Total ... £2290 ] The actual extent of the Bush cannot lie less than from 40 to 50 square miles, covered with good timber, a large proportion of i which is red birch. Of this area from 15 to 20 square mdes would be rendered available by this road. i It need hardly be pointed out that the open • ! ing up of the Bush would greatly facilitate ' the working of quartz reefs in the Old- Man 1 Range, _ the existence of which in payable veins is now an assured fact, Timbe * suitable for this purpose can be chained 1 very cheaply, and can be conveyed direct ! to the site without leaving the range at all, 1 at very slight cost for road making. In the event of the road being made it is ' also more than probable that one or more 1 mills will be erected for the supply of sawn 1 timber, and at a cheaper rate than is now charged. A change in this respect is much to be desired, and would conduce to the 1 general prosperity of the lower end of this county, together with a part of Tuapeha County. ' In concluding I may mention that lam 1 indebted to Mr Forrest, of Alexandra, for I much information on the sn ject, and for 1 his courtesy in acting as guide on the - occasion, L. D. Macoboroe, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., i ' County Engineer. I