THE PROTECTION WORKS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1107, 14 February 1872, Page 2

THE PROTECTION WORKS.

|TO THE KDITOB.] Sib— -As the Borough Council, or the Committee of' Works, or whoever Is responsible for the protection of the town appear to be unprovided with any professional advice, will you allow me to suggest two things to them through the medium of your columns. In the first place, I would suggest that they should immediately utilise the heap of stone lying ou Mawhera Quay, by forming with it a groin to save what is left of the lower township. If any energy had been directed to this object, the work might have been nearly completed by this time. With the materials close at hand, as they are, a tramway might have been laid down from the stone to Purcell and Skoglund's corner by last night, and trucks constructed to carry the stonethere being plenty of truck- wheels in town. This done, a few hours of energetic work would have sufficed to run out a groin which, would effectually have protected the bank against the wash of the river, whish is continually workiug down the shingle bank and hourly rendering the salvation of the property between Boundary street and Johnston street more difficult. In the second place, I would suggest that instead of confining their attention to opening Hp'a quarry, at which a do^en men at most can be employed in getting stone, the authorities should treat the whole face of the hill along the river, for at least a quarter of a mile in length, as a quarry., All that is necessary is to lay down a traniway on the present road, and then quarry men can work along the whole length. It will thus be practicable to get 500 tons of stone in the same time that would be occupied in getting 50 tons. At the same time, every ton of stone excavated will be a saving in the cost of the railway and road which are about to be formed, and the cost will be fairly chargeable against those works. One great advantage of forming the protective works of Pierre-pedou, as I have always recommended that it should be, is that the works can be pushed on from commencement to completion as fast, as can be desired — the limit to the rate of progress being the amount of energy that can be brought to bear upon it. Of course a work of this nature must be constructed on proper scientific principles, otherwise the only effect will be to fill up the bed of the river with blocks of stone and destroy the. navigation. Ido hope that whilst the calamity which has befallen the town is freßh in their minds, our worthy Councillors and others will bear in mirid the fable of Jupiter and the Waggoner. If they put their shoulders to the wheel with energy and promptness, they may be assured that the higher powers will give them every reasonable assistance. ' I am, &c., .:,.-■'.«, James Wylde. : February 12, 1872. v v :\';\