MOUNT IDA PUBLIC WORKS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 363, 18 February 1876, Page 3

MOUNT IDA PUBLIC WORKS.

The gentlemen who gave up their time, in some c«ses at very considerable perso Hal inconvenience,/to visit Dunedin, in order to urge the a-ore speedy completion of the water works, will have ample consolation for any loss to themselves in the very satisfactory results which promise to accrue. His Honor, on behalf of the Provincial Government, met the question in a candid and conciliatory manner, although not pretending to hide a very fervent with that the Provincial Government had had nothing whatever to do with the carrying out of the work. This reluctance to put heart into the scheme - which has been very marked in every quarter —has not been from any wish to injure the Goldfields, but because it has proved impossible to administer the carrying out of any work when the funds for payment are wearily delayed. The delay of payment at the Colonial Treasury is the real reason why the money voted by the Assembly has not been drawn upon before now. The unfortunate- relations between the two Governments made it very unpalatable for the Provincial Government to go cap in hand for what ought to have been volunteered as the expressed will of the Assembly. The deputation's visit necessitated a full enquiry into the position of the works. There can be no coubt that the Provincial Engineer's report was amply justified that the works as they are are almost valueless. The report was as follows :

Sixty-seven miles of head race have been completed, and 7 miles n4 chains of sludge channel have been finished. The works absolutely necessary are stanching about 57 miles of the head race, construction of floodgates and bye-washes, completion of dam embankment, flushing race, repairs to tunnel and maintenance of race, and completion of sludge channel to within one mile of N:.seby. The estimated cost of head race and comple tion, &c., was £5,500, and of sludge channel £5,00.0; total £10,500. The ;total expenditure upon these works when the final payments to account of contracts have been made will be ; Race and sludge channel, £42,436 ; and the estimated cost was £42.375. I beg to recommend that the further sum of £10,500 be authorised to be expended, as the works in their present state are almost valueless. (Signed) W. Arthur, Provincial Engineer. Another useful work done was the practical views brought to bear, proving the necessity of some responsible supervision as the truest economy. This supervision his Honor at once saw should not only be carried out over works in hand, but over the work completed, in order that it may be utilised and rendered reproductive in the. autumn. It was shown that what the race wants js use, and that refusing to use it until'the whole plans are completed means extra cost of maintenance—Jjat is, more money gointr out, and nothing coming in. Should Mr. M'Xel--lar succeed in being able to lay before his Government a constitution for a Board of Management, which will meet with approval and speeiy embodiment, a good work will have been effected. Such a JJoard would not be able to interfere with the plans adopted by the engineers for the completion of the race or channel, but the opinion of its members would be entitled to great weight. His Honor pointed out a fact which we could not omit to notice - how highly creditable it was to Mr. Simpson that the original work had been actually carried out at a cost so nearly within his estimate. The alteration of plans rendered necessary from subsequent information, and the long delays in the work itself, necescitated the additional vote. In every other instance of Government water works the first estimates have proved to be but barely the half of what has proved necessary. His Honor's remarks as to the conduct of supervision carried out by Mr. R. H. Browne, now District Engi neer, were very flattering to that officer, and were, as the gentlemen who interviewed Mr. Macandrew assured him, amply merited. Mr. Browne has had to take the unpleasant and anomalous positions of serving the Government, satisfying his special department, accelerating by all lawful means the progress of the works, while yet having to strive to satisfy contractors who had in some instances taken the works at so low a rate as barely to save their pockets from loss. It is now not a matter of heresy to state that the head race will prove remunerative. Owing to many causes, until last week anyone stating such a thing in Dunedin would be laughed at as a fool, or sneered at as one who wished still more public money spent in the place. Owing to the figures submitted of actual fact—the presen* price of water, the amount the race can almost immediately deliver at Nasebv, the heavy revenue being now paid to shepherd the ground the race can work—the laughers and the sneerers are placed at sad disadvantage. There can be no doubt that if a good Board is appointed, and they have the command of a small sum of money for first emergencies during next spring, the race will maintain itself, build up all necessary adjuncts, pay interest on its cost, and a small surplus besides. It could not be expected that a profit could be reaped which would satisfy a private company, but the profit will certainly prove a fair interest on the outlay. This should be sufficient.