MAIN STREET EXCAVATIONS.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 33, 24 January 1929, Page 3

MAIN STREET EXCAVATIONS.

The lowering of the exaggerated crown, of the main street near the Post Office has revealed the most unexpected conditions. Although this part of the main street has been excavated many times to lay vaiious underground services, the previous excavations have not revealed anything but solid ground. When the work was started, immediately after the Christmas holidays, all appeared to be plain sailing and good progress was made, and the Borough engineer, Mr. A. G. Bush, was satisfied that his estimate for the work would cover the cost of the undertaking. Apparently things went too well; for the workmen very soon discovered an unexpected soft patch.

Mr/ Bush is a great believer in the old axiom that "If a- thing is worth doing it is worth, doing well." He therefore instructed his men to dig out the soft spot until a hard bottom could be found which required an excavation of about 4ft in depth. This proved to be a tremendous task for the excavations revealed not only evidence of swamp but huge rata roots and stumps —one stump just below the surface of the old road measured five feet across its crown and a service pipe had actually been laid under this root.

The removal of evidences of swamp and forest has necessitated the lifting of many hundreds of cubic yards of clay or papa. Had these obstructions not been dealt with in this -manner there is little doubt that, sooner or later, serious trouble would eventuate as a permanent bitumen surface is to be laid. The excavations are now being filled up with what is known as second class sandstone rock with a layer of harder material on top.