THE NASEBY SLUDGE CHANNEL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 233, 22 August 1873, Page 4

THE NASEBY SLUDGE CHANNEL.

The Sludge Channel Company are working with great vigor and spirit, taking-advantage of the mild weather happily now setting in to make up their banks—appai'ently an easy matter, but not so in reality, as the soil in summer is drought-bound and- in winter locked up by frost. We were much pleased to see the progress that had been made during the winter. Over a mile and a half is completed ; the sides and bottom *have been pitched with great regularity and strength, the angles being' carefully maintained. The three tiers of sods above the stone are well set, and being trimmed to line, give a very pleasing and solid appearance. The work at present completed is part of a straight run of about three miles, below Amies' Hotel. The* Channel, as is well known, is six feet in the bottom, ten feet at the top, with a mean depth of three feet six inches, and is to be ten miles in length. Nearly three miles have been opened up ready for pitching, andthe stone is being laid with expedition. The contractors have had great difficulties to contend with, and expenses they perhaps hardly could have anticipated, .and which, I probably from the new nature of the work, I were not clearly anticipated by the Government agents. .For instance, it was very properly insisted on that all the stuff taken out of the ditch should be thrown at least three feet from the edges, to- prevent pressure on the sides-." Now, on the low ground, where baking became necessary to keep up the level, it was found that this thrown-out stuff had all to be thrown back, and more besides,

to make up the hank to the necessary solidity, thus entailing extra expense. This is one of innumerable instances where circumstances have heen rather hard upon the contractors. Then there was a serious difficulty with regard to the pitching. The stone obtainable is of a very hard, heavy nature, and / it was a matter of difficulty to get men not *V masous who could work it. The only plan seems to have been that which was adopted, to pat a few on and select by trial those who shaped best. By this means, and the practical knowledge Mr. John Creighton was able to furnish, the men gradually became expert, at the—to them —new work, and a</e now giving a good return to their employers for the wages earned. We had heard so many rumors about the progress, or rather want of progress, of works at the sludge channel, that it was very satisfactory to see that these rumors were eutirely unfounded. The Government Inspector appears to have been as much pleased with the work as ourselves, as the finished piece was,/we "'eai'n, passed without a word of objection. At present over 'forty men are at work, and more good men will be employed when they can be got. It is expected that the Provincial Engineer will soon be in the district, and no doubt a very careful inspection will be made before anything further is done as to the commencement of the upper portions of the channel. About half a mile remains to be cut at tbe extreme end of the present contract, which is as yet not tendered for, the Engineer evidently desiring time before deciding as to the exact direction to give the channel when terminating. In his plan we notice he give 3 it a sharp curve at the end to the right—evidently thinking the evils of the curve would be over-balanced by the advantages to be gained by discharging in the Jine of the Hogburn'Greek, instead of at an angle, which would be apt, by force of reaction, to dam up the tailings. ■ *■■•'•; Of course, however: honest and competent contractors might be, the work done would not present such a satisfactory appearance were it not for the supervision of the resident. Inspector of Works, Mr Gladwish, whose task has, we learn, been exercised with justice to the Government, accompanied by tact and discretion towards the contractors. ~ Mess rs Farm er an d Green took un der their im - mediate charge the cutting out of the channel; ' Mr. Joseph Creighton, the superintendence of the quarries and the placing of stone along the line, and the finishing up of the completed work. •.'•'"■' '■■.'.■•." ; When v. e consider that every stone and sod has had to be carried by hand or • barrow over the rough bank of stuff thrown Out from a ditch some 10ft. x 3, we confess to being astonished to see so great progress. We noticed that it took live men to keep one man going placing sods: one of the five to cut sods, and the other four to carry on hand harrows.'. , The ; stones were merely thrown intoL.the,ditch, the heavy ones by hand,- and built in from the , bottom. -:,;."■-. .