SNAGGING THE THAMES RIVER.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 342, 27 July 1878, Page 4

SNAGGING THE THAMES RIVER.

(From the V. Z. Herald, June 24). Many years ago Mr J. C. Firth began operations to remove snags in the Thames River. These operations were conducted for some time by Captain Tizard and a parly of natives. The work was progressing when Sullivan was murdered by Purukutu in 1873. Captain Tizard persevered in the work until his native crew deserted him, and he himself was warned that if he continued the work it would be at the peril of his life. Mr Firth instructed him to discontinue work for a time. That these operations had not been in vain, may be inferred from the fact that steamers are now able to run from Ohinemuri to Omahu, a distance of about 25 miles. Before making this first attempt at snagging the river, Mr Firth addressed a letter to the editor of this journal, telling what was to be done, and requesting him not to publish any notice he might from time to time receive regarding the progress of the work, lest by too much noise being made about it the attention of the natives would be aroused, and the work of improvement put an end to. This request was attended to. Since then five years have passed, and a change has taken place in the Maori mind. Mr Firth has begun operations again, and we see no reason why our readers should be denied the pleasure of knowing what is being done in regard to such an important work as the thorough opening up of the Upper Thames District by clearing the navigation of certainly one of the prettiest and most useful of our numerous rivers.

The very important work of removing the snags and rapids, which have debarred the navigation of this river quite as effectively as the opposition of the Maori proprietors, has been undertaken for the second time by Mr J. 0. Firth, at his own sole expense, and is now in full swing. We are pleased to be able to say that, though the difficulties have been very great, they are in a fair way of being overcome. Mr Firth’s steamer, the Tui, some time ago penetrated within a few miles of the head of the navigation, blowing up by means of dynamite, as she ■went up the stream, the' more important snags and rapids which were met with. Since reaching the head of the navigation, she has been for some time at work clearing a channel down stream 40 feet wide. Some of the snags taken out were 120 feet long by 4 feet diameter at the butt, stretching in some instances almost across the river. During the last four months two of the worst rapids have been removed, and 228 large snags have been entirely destroyed. In places where not more than 18 inches of water existed formerly, there now is a depth of from four to five feet during the dry season. Captain 'lizard, who is in charge of Mr Firth’s steamer, the Tui, thinks that when the operations are completed, there will be an even channel, nowhere less than four feet deep, from the head of the navigation down to Ohinemuri, a distance of about 70 miles. For some weeks past the party who are engaged in this work have been engaged in removing a tangled mass of snags near Waiharekeke. After a deal of very hard work and a liberal expenditure of dynamite, the mass has all been removed, and the workmen have the prospect of much easier work formany miles down stream. The operation of removing the snags must be a sight well worth seeing. A charge of dynamite having been placed under a large mass of timber lying across the river, and the fuse lighted, all hands beat a hasty retreat. The fuse quietly smoulders on the surface of the water, and in a minute or two thereafter a tremendous explosion takes place. A dome-shaped volume of water suddenly rises from the river, out of which there shoots up a column of water 150 feet in height, like a gigantic fountain, and when the commotion has subsided, the snag is found to have disappeared, broken into fragments, some of which are frequently discovered 100 feet away. Some of the pieces float down the river, and the larger and more dangerous portions are anchored by fencing wires to trees on shore, to prevent their getting into the fairway.

The disposal of the rocks which form the rapid, is a work of greater magnitude and difficulty. In one instance, a body of rock stretched nearly across the river, affording a passage for canoes only. About eighteen inches of water flowed over the rock, forming one of the most difficult and dangerous rapids on the river. About lOOlbs of dynamite was placed on this rock in a narrow bag, about forty feet long. The preparation being completed, and the fuse lighted, the working party went to a safe distance. The explosion was most terrific. Amidst the deafening roar of rending rocks, the water was seen for an instant heaped up for the whole breath of the river, and the current for a second or two was up-stream instead of down. Meantime, a large mass of water, nearly the width of the river, rose to the height of about 150 feet, falling backward with the noise of a vast cataract. When the commotion had subsided, it was found that there was a channel right through the rocky barrier 40 feet wide and 5 feet deep. The main channel is being indicated by boards erected on the banks, so that even a stranger will have no difficulty in navigating a steamer, when the buoying is completed. The operations above detailed give an instance, not too common in this colony, of private enterprise accomplishing works ) which it Ims hitherto been too much the j

costem to ask the Government to do. In the colonies the functions of Government have been greatly extended. The colonists having become accustomed so much to Government assistance, the very necessary quality to success—selfreliance—is in great danger of being extinguished. We are glad to find that a good example has, been set of not asking Government assistance for the performance of a useful work, and we hope that from time to time, either by individual or combined exertions, many of the works which it has been the custom to look to the Government for their performance, will pass from their hands into those of the settlers themselves.