THE WATERWORKS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1001, 4 July 1879, Page 2

THE WATERWORKS.

At last night's meeting of the Municipal Council the following report from the Engineer on the Waterworks was read, and it was resolved to grant the L 35 applied for by the Eugineer for day labor in connection with necessary repairs : Oamaru Waterworks, Engineer's Office, July 3, 1879. To his Worship the Mayor and Councillors. Gentlemen, —I have tlie honor to report upon the damage done to the Waterworks by the recent floods, as follows : At the head works there has not been

any damage done, and generally on the Biack Point section to the Awamoko Creek there have been only a few small slips off the rock, quite immaterial, and such as might happen at any time, all the permanent work being perfectly sound and untouched.

From the Awamoko Creek to Georgetown the. works are all sound, but from there to Mr. Peter Aitchisou's considerable damage has been done, consequent noon the unfinished state of the work. To explain : If all the works on this section had been finished, and the water flowing in the race to the Waikoura aqueduct, where wa could have relieved it, no damage at all would have been done. As it is "we had the water banked up in reaches as far as Mr. Aitchison's, and when the flood water came and tilled up the entire race, as we had had no means of relieving it at the Waikoura, it overflowed and broke through at several points, in some instances breaking down the sides. The bridges are all sound on this section, but in some cases the over-race rain flood shoots have been found not to be sufficient.

On the Papakaio section all the finished work is untouched, but here and there

along the freshly cuttrace there are some slips, almost all on the high side.

On the Landon section all the work is sound, there being a very few small slips in the race. From all accounts I hear that this has been the heaviest rain flood v.-e have had in this district for ten years, and judging from what the effects of it have been to our works, I have every confidence in saying that when finished they will be quite capable of withstanding any future llond of equal, or even greater magnitude.

As it is all important that the Awamoko section should be completely finished at the earliest possible date, to prevent anymore harm being done, I have shifted almost all the men now employed on the works up there, so as to have it properly secu reel at once.

I shall also have to make some special arrangements for the timber necessary for completion.—l have, &e., B. A. M'Leod, Engineer.