LATEST TELEGRAPHIC

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 669, 17 January 1881, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAPHIC

[from our own correspondent] WELLINGTON. This Day, Arrived—The Rotomahana, with the 'Frisco Mail. The Exhibition of Local Manufactures opens on the 25th April. The directors of the Theatre Royal refused to permit the lecture on freethought .on. Sunday night. A large number of informations have been laid for wasting water. DUNEDIN, 15th.' The Presbyterian Synod, by 24 to 4, carried a resolution in favor of re-ihfro-duction of the Bible in public schools. •■■ -GHRISTCHURCH, 16th. • Over £4O has been subscribed at Waimate for the Parnell Defence Fund. AUCKLAND, "' . . 16th.' The Governor has proceeded to Kawau. It is reported that Grey will make the Patetere land question the subject of public addresses throughout the Colony. GISBORNE. 15th. Four thousand cartridges have; been seized in a native whare. TIMARU. ■ 16th. Tlie Tiimaru rioter, O'Driscoll, was lined £IOO, and the rest, bound over in £IOO each to keep the peace. MELBOURNE, 16th; The Auckland.yaoht : Taniwha Becured third place at the Intercolonial Regatta, . I LONDON.'. . ■ • 14th. Forty,, thousand: coal miners ,are on strike in Lancashire, and serious rioU have taken place,

WAIRARAPA 'WEST; county ■.-"■;.- -OOXTNOIt,-.-.:.-: ENGINEERS EEFOKT, ;■' .'.. ' ••• ■ Mastertoh, 13th'Jan. ■ The'Ohaifman Wairarapa West County Council! " • Sir,- I have the honor to submit the following brief report on tlie public works of tho Wairarapa West County : Opaki to Mffhdwatu Eoad—Manptainoka Bridge;-Except one coat of paint to bo applied to the trusses, atid two Coats of tar to the deck-planking, the bridge is completed. It was opened for general traffic on the lfth of last December. 'The contractors have,- from the commencement, pushed on the works with great energy; at tliesame time, they have completed every part in a thoroughly, workmanlike manner.; : Dreyer's Rock Bridge!— The new bridge at Dreyer's Rock is very nearly completed. It will be opened for traffic on the Mth inst. This bridge is erected in a thoroughly satisfactory manner, and -with the best materials. Credit is due to the contractor for the satisfactory arrangements he made to enable the traffio to pass while the new bridge was in course erection. The contracts for the construction of culverts and embankments let previous to the last meeting of the Council are- now all completed; the workß having been well-executed and best materials' used throughout. Seven of the old bridges are taken down, and culverts and embankments substituted, Plans are' prepared; and tenders received for lire other's prbv posed to be treated in a similar manner. The section/of road between, tho Camp, Opaki, and Eketalfuua has for Bonie time back been undergoing considerable repairs ; large Seotions are re-metalledi and others, where the surface was found to be in better condition, patched. Although gravel and rock is plentiful along the line of road, it is not the best for road purposes, the rock being very brittle, and easily reduced to powder by the wheels of heavily-loaded wagons. I have noticed recently several heavilyloaded vehicles with narrow tires working on the road. ' '-'• I have recently re-examined the old bridges, and find that eight out of the number for which new bridges must be sutstituted are in a vory dangerous condition. They range from 25ft to 80ft in length. I beg also to suggest that the unformed fortion of the road at the Camp, Opaki, which is about one mile in length, and the only piece unformed-between Miisterton and the boundary of' the County, be formed and metalled. This section is bad during the winter, and if fenced in would be impassable.The section of road between Masterton and the new bridge over the Ruamahunga at Opaki has received no attention from anyone for at least twelve months, and is consequently in a very bad state of repair. If immediate stops to remedy this are not taken the road will .be almost impassable during the winter mouths, ~* --■-—■"- Ekelahunato Alfredton road.-Oullen's contract-erection of three bridges—is now almost completed. The three bridges have been open for traffio since the 10th inst. • . :■■-• Chapman's contract-erection of four bridges. The formations for these bridges are being prepared, and the necessary timber for their erection delivered. '' Culverts and embankments.—Agreeably with instructions from the Works Committee, I let the construcion of these works in five separate contracts, as follows :—Supply and delivery of timber, E, Smith, £57 9a 10d; culvert and embankment No. 1, James Brow.i & Co., £56; 'No. 2, Olaen and Frederickaen, L 26; No. 3, McMillan & Meads, £SO; No. 4, H M. Peterson, £3O. The contractors are pushing on with their contracts, which will be completed by the end of the present month, Pahiatua Block.—Road AB, contract No. 1, mile formation and culverts. This contract is almost completed; the works throughout are well executed, Oontnct No. 2, one mile of formation and culverts. About one-third only of this contract is completed. ContraotNo. 3.-One mile formation and culverts. This contract is nearly completed. Contract No. 3.-One mile and thirteen chains formation and oulyerts,- This contract will be completed in about a week's time. The works are well executed. Contract No. i-Erec-lion of a bridge over the Mingaramararoa stream, The necessary timber for this bridge is cut, and is all of good quality. The construction of the bridge is not commenced. Mauriceville North Road.—Oontract No. I.—Metalling 153 chains of the Mauriceville Road, About 118 chains of this contract are nearly completed, ■ Con-

mauiiuovinß- ama roaa, About 6b chains of this contract are nearly completed. Oiiaki to Manawalu Road (Day's contract), forming and metalling 23| chains. This contract will be completed in about four or five days' time, The works, ao' far, are n ell executed. I have, &0., ■ • JomKito, County Engineer.