ENGINEER'S REPORT ON HAMILTON CART BRIDGE WORKS.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1027, 23 January 1879, Page 2

ENGINEER'S REPORT ON HAMILTON CART BRIDGE WORKS.

The following is the report, crowded out of our last, of the Engineer to the Borough, read to the Hamilton Borough Council, at the meeting, on Monday night last, but which, by the carrying of Cr. Potter's motion, was not accepted :

Hamilton, Jan. 20,1879. The Mayor and Councillors, Borough of Hamilton, Hamilton Cart Bridge Contract.

Gentlemen,—l beg to hand you report of progress, &c, of the above contract.

! The Contractors have now almoat completed the driving of the piles in one of the main tiers of aforesaid Bridge, in fact, under ordinary circumstances, I expect that tie whole of the piles in said tier, will be driven by Wednesday next. The Contractors have now, about 120,000 feet of timber on the ground, and will, immediately one tier of piles is completed, commence framing one of the 100 feet spans. Excavations have been made for the concrete pier. I expect, by Monday next, the Contractor will commence the concrete, as he has now the materials on the ground. In the letter of the Town Clerk, of the 7th inst., I am instructed to explain the nature of any extra works that may be in hand, or contemplated, and the cost or contemplated cost of such extras, the reason for which the same are being undertaken, and upon whose authority. I have, in reply to above queries, to inform you there are, in my opinion, no extras being carried on, neither do I contemplate any extras, but, as possibly some doubt may exist in the minds of Councillors, regarding certain alterations which have been allowed. I beg to explain what has been done, and why. { The specification specifies that piles shall be driven to the minimum depth of 30 feet, and, should they not be long enough to give a resistance satisfactory to the Engineer, " the Contractor must provide longer piles." The piles did not prove long enough to give the resistance I required. I, therefore, had a consultation with the District Engineer, who agreed with mo, that the Contractor must either drive longer piles, or drive more piles in each tier. I wrote to tlw Contractor, that he must, in accordance with the specification and tf tii« WHteWtj?¥QY&Q, longer

piles, or, if he preferred, I would allow him, in lieu of providing longer piles, to drive a larger number of piles the same length as shown the number required being eight, so long as the resistance remains the same. .VJr Ross replied thav, he was aware that, in accordance with the terms of the specification, he would have to provide longer pilos, if they were required, but, as this would entail a lontr delay, he preferred the alternative, to drive eight piles, 30 feet long, but that, he considered, the Corporation would have to pay in any case. I wrote to him, in reply, stating that I did not oonsider he would be entitled to any extras. The <;ontraotor again wrote to me, stating that he was surprised at the contents of my last letter, and that if I remained in the same opinion, he would refer the matter to his Worship the Mayor. I am, Gentlomen, yours obediently,

William G Bekakbll.

We do uot consider it net;ess ry to publish the letters which have passed between the Engineer and Contractors, in reference 10 »he *ork being 1 carried on, >is th« gist of the. correspondence is embodied in the above leport. We give, howev.r, the following extract from a telegram received from the District Engineer: lie piling of borough bridge, I advise eight extra piles, of same length, to be put in. There ar« six spaces between piles on each end of the pier. Pu* the extra piles m two spaoes, at each end of each side, eight in all.

THE THAMES G )LDFIELD

The following table, taken fr»m the 4 Thames Advertiser,' shown the yield of gold from the above goldfiells since their opening;—

YEAR. OZ8. VALUS. 1867 6,637 20,7u0 1868 53,611 .. 168,074 1869 132,454 .. 435,687 1870 85,534 319,146 1871 330,326 .. 1,188,708 1872 143,036 .. 357,108 1873 119,449 .. 426,589 1874 110,218 .. 289,372 1875 98,937 259,700 1876 58,519 160,92." 1877 132,370 .. 364,017 1878 60,602 .. 16>>,655 Total .. 1,331,693 4,156,692