ASHBURTON RANGITATA WATER-RACES.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2493, 3 April 1882, Page 4

ASHBURTON RANGITATA WATER-RACES.

The ceremony of opening these works took place on Friday, a special train leaving Ashburton shortly after the arrival of the morning express from Christchuroh. Amongst the visitors present invited by the Ashburton County Oounoil were—Messrs W. H. Bhury, K. H. Bain, Outten, O. J. W. Oookson, sear., O. J. W. Oookson, junr., George Gould, Charles Harper, I. E. Taylor, Geo. Jameßon, O. W. Purnell, the Hon. W. 8. Peters, D. Oliver, W. H. PuddicoTbe, Thomas Taylor, Charles Martin, Fred. Strouts, some of the members of the Ashburton Borough Oounoil, Dr. F. B. Stewart, J. Taylor, O. G. Tripp, Quinlan, J. Bell, Morrow, J. Devery, the Messrs Cooper, W. J. Silcock, MoAvey, and J. Morrison. The train ran by ordinary engine to the point where the line has been taken over by Government. Here a number of tents are pitched in mining fashion for the railway employes, about forty in number. Thence the contractors, Messrs Cranston and Sutherland, courteously arranged for the carriages to be drawn the remaining five miles of railway by their ballast engine, and nine miles of coaching were traversed over shingle and tussock in coaches chartered under the auspices of Messrs Oookson and Mcßae. The halting plaoe was thirty miles from Ashburton, at the mouth of the Ashburton Gorge, four miles from Mount Somers township, and betide a point called Limestone Bluff, situate a mile south-west of the rooks named " the Brothers." The headworks are within a few yards of the Bluff, and comprise a concrete dam and weir, initiating a supply of water to races a oouple of hundred miles long. The first mile of the newly-constructed race is nine feet broad at bottom and thirteen feet at top. The raoe then forks, and is pro portionately narrowed. Three miles from the dam an arm is diverted towards Winslow, the trunk running along the north bank of the Lower Hinds. Eventually, the raoe is divided into half-a-dozen channels, averaging a oouple of feet broad. The headworks of the more extensive races cost £6OO ; the smaller (with flumings, fords, &3.), cost £4000; the Montalto (not yet finished) ia estimated at nboul £ISOO. Some 380 miles of races are already finished and beine utilised in Ashburton county. About 160 miles remain to be done. The extent of country to be benefited will be some 300,000 aores, and much otherwise useless land is being rendered valuable far stock raising. Mr W. O. Walker, Chairman of the Cownty Oounoil, standing on a wall of the dam by the sluioegate, on behalf of the Council, thanked the company for their attendance, which testified to the public appreciation in which the waterworks were held. Their value was not to be estimated by their cost, which would not be sufficient to construct a oouple of miles of railway or bridge the river alongside them. The total cost of the work would not exceed £SOOO, a satisfactory instance of the trueness of the principles by which the Oounoil has been actuated. At the same time, while the Council might claim oredit for persistence in pushing on the work as fast as possible, a great deal of the success was due to the energy and intelligence of the engineer, Mr Baxter. The undertaking had also enjoyed the advantage of having been backed up by publio opinion. At eight minutes after two o'olock Mr Walker turned on the water; and, at Mr A. Harrison's suggestion, three ringing cheers were given for the County Oounoil, " for carrying the waterworks to so successful an issue. At Mr Morrow's suggestion, three hearty oheers followed for Mr Baxter. Mr G. F. Henry, of Ashburton, then took a photograph of a number of gentlemen who were congregated on the walls of the dam. About eighty persons sat down to an excellent lunoheon in the marquee. The ohair was occupied by Mr Walker, the vioe-chair by Mr D. Williamson, Mayor of Ashburton. After lunoh, the Chairman gave the health of her Majesty the Queen, the toast being loyally honored. Tbe next toast was that of " The two Houses of Parliament," the Hon. Mr Peters responding for the Upper House, and Mr K. G. Wright, M.H R., for the Houbo of Bepresentatives. Mr Wright proposed, " Success to the Ashburton water race," and expressed his opinion that in years to oome, both the Bangitata and the Bakaia would be laid under contribution to augment the supply of water on the Plains. The races had in some instances raised tbe respective values of land by 10, 20 or 30 per cent, on original cost. He ooupled the toast, whioh was enthusiastically received, with the name of Mr Baxter, who briefly responded. The engineer took occasion to refer to his having had so much in his favor, serving as he did under a County Oounoil who seoonded his efforts so ably, and having good inspectors and oompetent contractors. The latter had borne the brunt of the battle, and he feared had, in some cases, sustained pecuniary losses. Mr Baxter concluded by an allusion to the satisfactory assistance he had received from landowners through whoee properties the races were out—" The Ashburton County Council" was proposed by Dr. Stewart. Mr Walker responded, reminding the company that Mr Charles Beed had been the first to exemplify, on his own property, tbe ease with whioh a system of water-races might be utilised. " The Visitors' " health was proposed by Mr Hugo Friedlander. Mr Tripp, chairman of Geraldine County Oounoil, replied, endorsing Mr Walker's remarks in regard to Mr Beed, adding that he (Mr Tripp) would gladly be a subscriber should a memorial be got up in honor of Mr Beed as the originator of the waterraoes. Mr Tripp pointed out that the adoption of the prinoiple in his own district would be most beneficial. "The Mayor of Ashburton" was proposed by Mr Duncan Cameron (of Springfield), Mr Williamson briefly acknowledging the toast. " The Contractors' " healths were proposed by Mr Julian Jaokson, Mr E. Cooper replying. The "Press" brougtt up the rear of toasts as usual, and the Ohrlttchurch visitors just succeeded in catching the evening express home from Ashburton.