The Borough Engineer.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 64, 19 March 1904, Page 2

The Borough Engineer.

KEI'OIIT FROM MR 11. 11. METCALFE. VINDICATES MR SI'ENCEH. The following report, addressed to Hie Town Clerk under date March 12th, has been received from Mr 11. 11. .Metcalfe, iMemb. Inst. C.E., of Auckland, who was instructed by the Borough Council, at Mr Spencer's request, to report on works undertaken by the lace .Borough Engineer, : THE REI'ORT. On 'lth uml fah inst., under the guidance of his Worship the Mayor and several councillors, i visited various works, the design or execution of which has been questioned. The chief item to which exception has been taken is the salt-water truths, the depth of water in which is often not sidlicieut. when tilled merely by the tide. The bottom of Ihe bath at the deep end is -three feet above low water of the ordinary spring tides, or slightly above low water of neups ; the tidal rangv at springs being by Mr Spencer's observations J 2ft tiin, which corresponds closely with the range computed from the New Zealand Almanac, which 1 make J2fl Sin. The range at neap tides computed from the same source *> Bft bin, but tides are always largely influenced by the wind and it appears [rem actual observation that the range at neaps is sometimes only six feet. The result is that while an ordinary good spring title puts Sift Oi-ii of water in the bath (there was 9ft ;iin on iVlarch 4-th) a poor neap may leave the bath with only six feet in it or even less. The outlet to the sea winch also serves as inlet is a aft x 2ft culvAl, extending some 100 yards below water mark spring tides with a fall of three feet in this length. It is contended that this three feet might have been saved und the bath lowered ; some fall, however, is absolutely necessary if only to clear the path of deposit, ami even now the mouth of the culvert has 12 inches of sand in it, so that only two feet is left for the grade, while within my own recollection there was u considerable thickness of sand where rocks are now showing, ami it is -qHiile an open question whether this sund will not return in course of time as it again works past the breakwater, so that to place the bath much lower would have been to risk the silting up of the outlet—a much more serious inconvenience than the pumping up by water power of the lust foot or two as is done at present. Fixing the levels was entirely a mutter of Judgment ; it appears to me that JVJr S|)encer at any rate kept on the safe side, unci events may yet prove that he acted judiciously ; the runge of tide under the circumstances—an exposed coast with the travel of sain! interfered with by harbour works, the ultimate effect of which has not yet been established—is not sutlicient to (ill anil empty the baths to the desired effect, without some artificial aid.

Another matter brought under my notice was the leading of waste wafer from the kitchen into the culvert ; this was beyond doubt a very undesirable arrangement and was very properly ultored ; it is only lair to say, however, that it; was not at first contemplated that the building would bo used as a residence ; Mr Spencer informs me that the kitchen was intended merely to supply tea and coffee at the counter.

ESPLANADE RETAINING WALL. It is complained that unnecessary expense was incurred by carrying down the foundation without reaching any better ground than was obtainable at the surface ; that a crosswall should Imve been built to the railway bank ; and that it cost JJV2 10s for additional filling which should have been provided for in the specifications. I have examined the drawings showing- the dvptlis to which foundations were carried, and do not think that any unnecessary expense has been incurred; sand,'if confined by overlying material ho that it cannot, shift, is an excellent foundation, while to build on sand at the surface is lo invite disaster. A cross wall is tpiite unnecessary, and if £l2 10s wits the cost of tl'ie lining at schedule rates, 1 presume the tender would have been that much higher in the first instance lrad it been specified. What should have been done was to have laid a drain pipe from the other side of the road to take tile surface water, which in its absence has washed out the bank ; Mr Spencer informs me that this was provided for in the contract, but the work was taken out of the contractor s hands and finished by the council, and the drainpipe for some reason omitted. How it came that the contractor was paltl for extras when he did not finish the work I do not understand.

WEYMOUTH STKEET. Kerb and channel not continued up to corner and arrangements for carrying oil survey wuter unsatisfac-tory.-There is no doubt this is the case. What is wanted is a pipe drain right down to the sea or otherwise •a rather costly an-angx-ment of flat culverts across the Breakwater Koad and taking the water from that road •■id U'eymouth-stretit. This can be car's I' miy l T whun th " boroi Mile& to incur the expense. STAXIHSH 11JLL. Cutting „„ I)rivntc property.-'!-!,,, position hero is that a 4acH n cutv ors „r" • , l * lsto,ice r ° r »""'.v . ai.s. both sides of the roads being lenced on top of the cutting ■ m o«» o" Ul , haS letdown still lower, the batter of the preconrL,7 SU ,' ,f? CUIU " g httvln * »<*« en . L without wid- " S. Alter the lrork is (lone , |)e piopeity owner on „ 110 siue )m survey made which shows his properly extends half-way down 'the batter considerably outside ~, '" islniK fence. This seems to be'a Piii'cl.v legal matter. .No „„ e Clm ■seriously maintain that a borou' engineer is responsible for the correct position of reads conslruclnd rr v;;v";,..»;„.::;;, -■* i veiling ordinary „„rks on en existing road. "

VOIINCI. POUDKHIIAM AXI) JiUOn.'IIA.MsTUKKT.S. Dissatisfaction i s expressed with Mieet the alterations wo ,. t , )r > cut into the hill „,. bm . v ox l _ 'sting ironlnges ; which 'in best is eiher'' * ,nUtU ' r " r o '* l,lio»'0 »' «"'» oilier course | H ~r en v Km ,, , inert with the <li s „,,,, roVllJ ~r n™ whose frontng, is affected. 1 owdcrham Street, it was evenfiml.v agreed by t| K , councillors present., had been graded in accordance with a resolution of the Council Hroiigham Street was formed high iiceuusu it was not then intended to metal it nmt when the metal was put on it might, for „11 I can see' just as well have been laid on Uio «'•'";'<"»> H'™ existing Ila i„ u I i-ench dug out for, ifc, raXDAUVKS STKISKT CJLLVRHT. The ])arapet wall, lour feet high "I a concrete culvert, slipped bodily into the creek. The work lias since been repaired, and though having seen it, 1 nm entirely dependent on what I was told, viz., that the work was done by (lav labour under the Council's foreman, who it is said neglected (o clean mud oIT the surface of the work below when building the wall, with the result that it. naturally slid on" when loaded. That the fault was in the workmanship and not in the design, is shown by the fact that a new wall, of the same thickness, has [seen built two feet higher than the old wall and has stood. However, ns 1 presume the foreman was tinder the control of the borough engineer, that gentleman must take the blame for his subordinate.

HOVER AND DEVON STREETS, Unnecessary expense of culverts across I'oiul to carry water from channel.—l saw this place during the heavy rain on Friday afternoon ; the culverts were just, on (.lie point, of overflowing and were certainly not too big. These tire the only works of which 1 heard complaints, and these were verbal ; no written list was furnished. The other works carried out by ilr Spencer which 1 was shown o» saw appeared well designed and constructed, neat, suitable, and always with such regard to economy as is consistent, with sound practice.