RESURRECTIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1001, 21 September 1903, Page 4

RESURRECTIONS.

jTo the Editor Gisborne Times. Sir, —I observe your contemporary i s resurrecting sorue hash they dished up about two years ago, made up principally by the moralising ol parsons and doctors. It is a pity they cannot resurrect some plain facts, for we are all aware of the moral necessity of water and drainage, but we are not all free from doubt as to tho schemes themselves, and moralising Will not help to remove those doubts. It would be more to the point, Mr Editor, if you would kindly resurrect that impartial report of )yours concerning Waihirere which you published tho day before the last poll, and deals with facts as seen. — I am, etc., Doubtful.

Impartial Beport made by Representative of tho Gisborne Times. Reprinted from the Gisborne Times of ‘2lst Jan., 1902.

The Waihirere Source—Some Impression® Gained. It is a very important thing that before voting to morrow all ratepayers should havo a cloar understanding as to the nature of tho source. It would be well if all ratepayers could make a personal inspection of the situ, and having due regard for the engineering opinions, judge for themselves. With the object of obtaining a fair view of the position as a layman, a representative of the Times visited Waihirere yesterday, taking notes on tbiDgs just as he saw them, and without preteneo of bringing engineering skill to boar. The water was gauged first at the main branch leading into the creek, near the rimu tree at the foot of tho hill. It was found that the How of wator there, after making a liberal allowance for leakage, etc., was 6$ inches. To that has to be added perhaps a little for the water hanked up by the dam, but in tho figures given some allowance is made. About three-quarter distance up another test was made. The wator was there found to give a three-inch flow; in this half an inch is allowod for leakage, though practically none was perceptible. At the Falls numerous tests were made, tho result of which was that making allowance for everything there was hot more than a 2£ inch flow. Tests with a stop watch showed that tho flow of water was at the rato of five gallons in eight to eight and one-fifth seconds. This comes very near to the records taken by Mr Boylan, though at tho time it was not known what that gentleman’s gauge was.

An inspection was then made of the surrounding country, and thero is no gainsaying the fact that there is a good deal in what Mr Lysnar has said, as opposed to Mr Mestayer. That gentleman stated that thero was no appearance of slips or broken ground, which examination shows to be anything but an accurate statement, Two chains below the site of the dam there is a slip. At chains distance off there is broken ground, with loose soil showing all round. Half a chain on the town side of tho dam lino there is broken surface, showing an underground opening 15 inches deep aDd 2 feet wide. Thero is a dry watercourse sweeping through loose clay. Higher up in tho same watercourse there is a hole 5 feet long by 5£ inches wide and 3 feet 6 inches deep. Then was observed another underground channel running into the earth ; it is 2 feet wide and 19 inches deep. Among the party was Mr F. Stafford, who went there as a firm believer in Waihirere. He had his belief somewhat shaken when he fell into a hole, the dopih of which was up to his armpits. Furiher along there was a hole afoot deep and 12ft wide. Continuing the walk many other holes were found. In one placo tho surfaco shows a deop crack for about 12 foet, and numerous small slips were to be seon. The places where the excavations had been made along the line of dam were examined and the main thing come upon was hard sand or loose clay, which could be pulled away in flakes. In fact some of the holes had already been partly filled in by slips. At the bottom of the creek there is limestone, but it appoars to be in the form of boulders. On the hillsides it can be seen that the formation is most irregular, some of the strata being perpendicular with big crevices showing between the rock. 11 It was built in a great hurry,” was the remark of one member of the party. There is no doubt that an examination of the source fully justifies Mr Lysnar in the remarks he has made as opposed to Mr Mestayer that the country is broken, is subject to slips, and may not possess the supposed foundation. It should be understood that the site for a dam as proposed by Mr Mestayer is above that suggested by Mr Boylan. As to the purity of tho water there appears to be no question, There are oels in abundance, but as a running stream thero is no complaint to mako as to the wator. What the effect will be when it is conserved is another point. The flow of water over the fall can be spanned by a man’s foot. As it is desirable that tho ratepayers should have full information before casting their' votes the foregoing notes are given for the benefit of those who have not yet seen the source of the water supply, and perhaps do not give Mr Lysnar the credit to which he is entitled for so strongly representing his honest belief to the public.