TRIP TO THE WAIMAKARIRI WORKS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2147, 12 January 1881, Page 3

TRIP TO THE WAIMAKARIRI WORKS.

"Up at half-past seven, and so to the works of the Waimakariri Board of Conservators." Such yesterday would have been the record in the diary of genial Sam Fepys, that progenitor of special correspondents, had he been living in these degenerate times. The newly elected Board of Conservators, thirsting for information as to their new domain, paid a second visit to the river yesterday. It waß a gay and mirthful cavalcade, though before the day was done, over all, except the flow of conversation of one of the members, there was a spirit of sadness, evoked by miles of tramping over river boulders under a scorching sun. What we may term the upper part of the river, i.e., that reached by the West Coast road, and lying to the westward of the overseer's house, had been gone over by the Board. The trip yesterday, therefore, included the remainder from No. 7 embankment to above McLean's Island. After what seemed to be a week's bumping over the roughest and most deserted looking country it is possible to imagine, the party reached the spot where the torture by boulder was to commence. Some of the more robust members, by divesting themselves of their coats, seemed to have a knowledge of these things, and before the party had got through, it was plain to be seen that they had so in fact. No. 7 was the first examined, which oonsisted of a shingle bank running inland, with heaps of cement blocks tumbled in front of the face to act as a sort of breakwater to the flood. This seeming waste of material drew forth loud comments from some of the members, who on the spot entered into a most abstruse arithmetical calculation with the overseer an to the cost of each block to the most infinitesimal amount of cement. These blocks resembled nothing more than a heap of ruins, the water having undermined them in many instances, causing them to settle down into the most fantastio shapes. Leaving the lovers of arithmetic still deep in calculations, the remainder of the party proceeded to inspect n gorse groyne, constructed similarly to those in the Rakaia, which has been run out here in front of a willow plantation which intervenes between the bank and the low-lying sand to the westward. The members of the Board held solemn conclave, the result of which appears to bo favorable to the construction of these gorse groynes, though in this particular spot there is not a great strain upon it, as the one under notice stands in the centre of a half circle. The two ends of this half circle are protected by banks faced as before described, the No. 7 being the most easterly, or nearest Ohristchurch. Between the gorse groyne and the next work is a willow plantation of stakes put in so far as possible in regular lines a little apart. These intercept the floating debris, which in time settles down, and the sand covering it forms, as it were, a natural obstacle to the water. The work at the western end of the halfcircle, or towards McLean's island, is an overflow bank of shingle, faced with boxes made wedge shape at the top and filled with shingle. Another arithmetical problem is here solved, apparently to the satisfaction of the Board, and onoe more the weary tramp over those flinty hearted boulders was resumed. Before leaving this point, it may be noted that it is one of the dangerous portions, as the oountry behind covered by the works described is low-lying in nature and full of small gullies and courses trending in the direction of the Styx and Avon. The next work is remarkable for the chaotic masses of immense cement blocks, the scour of the freshes having tumbled them over in almost every conceivable position. They form the face of the ordinary type of shingle bank, which has, in addition, wiog groynes of cement blocks built out on the western side. Behind this bank again and extending along the slightly rising ground are the willow plantations as before. This work is nearly opposite McLean's island, the water having been turned completely out of the south branch to the northern channel on the other side of the island.

From this up to No. 12 work, the extent of the visit of inspection yesterday, the protective works are mainly of the same character; indeed, one appears simply to be a reproduction of the other, consisting of shingle banks running inland, in many cases covered with gorse or willows and faced with oement blocks of varying sizes. Here a keen-sighted member descried the commissariat division in the distance, and the quickest time on reoord over the boulders was made to the lunoheon. A shady spot being selected, this important business, rendered doubly so by the heat and exertion gone through, was quickly dis patched. The Board was then formally constituted, the chairman occupying a convenient sandy knoll.

Mr England said he had been requested by Mr Harman to read the following letter, as he (Mr England) had made use of some ex- ' pressions at a late meeting calculated to create an impression that the late Board were obstructing the present one in getting to work. The letter was as follows : Christchurch, January 8. Sir, —In consequence of your remarks which you are reported to have made at the last meeting of the Board of Conservators, I venture to ask you in justice to the late Board to make public at your next meeting tho following statement. At your chairman's request I made an appointment with him for Thursday last. I met him at the hour appointed, and after about five minutes' conversation was proceeding to get him some information that he wanted when he told me that he could not stop, as he had an appointment. Maps, papers, plans, crown grant?, &c , were all at hand, but he asked for nothing and himself cut the interview short. I am ready on behalf of the old Board to da all in my power to render assistance to their successors, but it is hardly reasonable that we should be blamed for shawing a want of raepect to the present Board when I go out of my way to meet their convenience and am not afforded an opportunity of rendering assistance other thin such I have mentioned above. I have, &c, R. J. S. Habmin.

MrR. England. The Chairman explained that he had asked for the books, &c, and was told that the greater part of them were away at the audit, Bad that the Bank book which was given to him by Mr Karman was all that he would require that day. He was further given tomo memoranda of the financial state of the Board, which he had laid before them at their last meeting. He had it was true to go away, aa the annual meeting of his Boad

I Board wa§ to take place that day, but he cer tainly understood that he had received all the information that Mr Harman -was going to give him. Some little discussion ensued, and ultimately the matter stood over till next meet* ing. Mr Jones, as chairman of the finance committee, reported that owing to Mr Ollivjer having to go away on his annual tour of inspection, they would be some three weeks before the books, &c, of the late Board could be audited. A move was then made for the next point of inspection, viz., Ohaney's corner, which was duly reached. Here the ravages which the river haa made were carefully examined by the Board. On the northern bank some five acres of a crop of wheat and peas has recently been washed away, and where the river infringes on the southern side, near Mr Ohaney's, there has been scooped out quito a bay within the past three weeks, the water here describing a complete circle. The overseer was consulted on the subject, and close and careful scrutiny of the^ place made by the members for further consideration. A visit was afterwards paid by the chairman, Messrs Boag and Atkinson, to Stewart's gully, to see the groyne there, after which the party returned to town.