OPENING OF THE MALVERN WATER RACE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1980, 29 June 1880, Page 4

OPENING OF THE MALVERN WATER RACE.

The third section of this work was opened on Friday last in tho presence of the chairman and members of the Selwyn County Council. The new work is about two miles and seven chains in length, and extends from the end of what is known as Webster’s length to about a mile below the township of Sheffield. It has been constructed from plans designed by Mr G. F. Ritso, the County Council’s engineer, and the trial on Friday last demonstrated clearly that the principle adopted by that gentleman is the best practicable for a supply of water of such magnitude and importance as is required for the irrigation of suoh a large area of land as this is intended to cover. The work consists of an open channel 12£t. wide on the bottom, with concrete falls Ift. in depth so placed as to give an average depth of race of about Ift. 6iu.; culverts under roads 1 chain in length, and a concrete culvert 264 yards long past the railway station in the township. The contract was let to Mr David Jebson, and the work commenced on April sth last, the time allowed being four months, but, through the exceptionally fine weather and the abundance of labor at command, the contractor was enabled to push the work sufficiently near completion to allow of a trial being made, the whole being finished with the exception of the trimming of the spoil banks. On the arrival of the 11 a.m. train at Sheffield, the members of the County!” Council, accompanied by the engineer and contractor, proceeded to the commencement of the work. The water was then turned on, and the party were then driven about! a mile down the race, where luncheon had been provided. After luncheon it was found that the water was travelling down in a very satisfactory manner, and the Council expressed themselves as highly gratified at the complete success of the experiment, and complimented Mr Jebson on the workmanlike manner in which he had fulfilled his contract. The water took exactly two hours nine minutes to travel the new length, and although the head of water turned on was only 6in., the measurement on the sill of the last fall was siin., so that the waste through percolation, evaporation, &c., is practically nil.