WAIKATO WORKS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2808, 26 July 1866, Page 4

WAIKATO WORKS.

E are glad to leava that tho construction of the metal road from Maungatawkiri to Point Russell, a public work to which we referred early in the present month, is being pushed forward, there beiug now some sixty nien employed. Since our last notice contracts have been entered for the construction of a new bridge at Maungatawhiri Creek, and for a wharf at Point lhissell, both of which have been taken by Air. Martin, contractor for the road. The wharf will be 250 feet long by 10 feet wide, and will be a permanent and substantial structure. The accommodation provided by the wharf will be sufficient for three steamers to lie alongside, discharging,, and receiving cargoes, at the same time. The river" steamers will call there instead of at the Bluff, as hitherto. Point Itussell is destined to be a place of some importance, which is evidenced by the amount obtained at the sale of allotments there on Monday I last, when 22 quarter-acre allotments in the new township of Mercer realized in the gross about £930, a sum which will go far towards paying the expense of the carrying out of the works undertaken. We observe that the whole of the road works in connection with the Upper Waikato dia trict are now placed under the charge of the Engineer-in-Chief, who has already advertised for tenders for the erection of no less than eight timber bridges in the delta between the settlements of Ngaruawahia and Hamilton, Cambridge, Ohaupo, and Alexandra. These, with, some few other bridges which are in progress, or for .which drawings are being prepared, will open the communication between all the thriving settlements referred to. It is intended to bridge over all the main gullies before any other works are undertaken ; and as the roads generally are exceedingly level, and over a dry sandy soil, the bridging of these gullies will be really all that will be necessary to open up the communication between these settlements. Of course hereafter, as funds are available, swampy parts of the roads will be drained, and sidelongs or inequalities will be formed. The construction of these bridges and the requisite approaches will afford a considerable amount of employment in the respective localities, and their being all advertised at the same time may be an inducement for contractors of means to teuder for their construction. The eight bridges will be let separately or together ; but recent events have shown that the solvent contractor is really the best employer for the working men.