THE HOCHSTETTER WATER-RACE.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1697, 12 January 1874, Page 2

THE HOCHSTETTER WATER-RACE.

["TO THE EDITOR.! ' ■ . • ■•*••"(■ Sib— The announcement that all tenders sent in for making the Hochstetter'Riace are declined has caused afeelingbf'disappointment throughou i 'the Whole i of the Grey distuiefc. The construction of this race was looked forward to, not only because it would be a direct benefit in • itself, but. also because it would be . the ' meiiu's^ of eventually benefiting the''wholeof^the gold-fields by causing similar -works'Mo be completed elsewhere: If the matter, be^allowed-sto rest at the present, stage, that indifference which is usually the -result .of postpone' ment in such cases may ensu,e, and thja most important work; may he allowed to drop out of sight altogether ; but lest such a calamitous' termination to . all our hopes, should ■/hap'peri, it is best, .to see: if a remedy cannot be - suggested. ;v All. the tenderers; I believe,- > are •of ■opinion/ that the race cannot be made at the estimated cost, if - that; piart of the specification relating to the aortj of timberto be used is, strictly a lhered f to, and this is'ihe/prhi': oipal reason .why. so many of the .tenders so greatly" exceed Hhe i ".e'stirn : ate i!l of : the engineers; of the ' workid Black'birch r and the other description of' timber'to be used cannot be found anywhere' '-in 'close proximity along "the;courso of the race, in'SUph quantities, that they could be, used with adv^niage,.and in cons'equehce^f the very short notice given to intending tenderers, there was not time to make a thorough examination of the country a.way from the race-line tq see if suitable timber could be found; Consequently a very large, margin,, had ,tq be left for linforseen difficulties ' in' ' procuring theitimber required,- and this is the principal reason why all the tenders were so rauch; above the mark. A defect in the survey, or at all events in the preparation of the plans, was another reason why it was necessary tenderera stiould leave a large margin for contingencies. In. the specifications, tenderers were informed that- they could flume across certain ravines, or go round them, 'or, ( head them, as it described. These detours in several instances were marked *'| too rough to be levelled," and as a matter of course intending tenderers would have to*"" 7 grope in the dark as;tq.>what it, would cost to get round the Jbead of these gulches. Fresh tenders, if. j called f or, . will ; ,no(i materially alter indefinite ; postponement of the work unless the specificaiibne are; made' more' explicit^ and .before this can be done a new survey will' have to be made, and to Bee into these matters is no doubt :> the object of the, .present,. visit of Mr' Higginson, tW exceptioin of the defects in the present; survey, in omit? ing have- the detours" sur^eypd' in detail, it is not likely^ from the character and ability of the .gentleman and his staff who performed . the >tvork, that a new survey will make any great alteration in the "cost ( iiltiniat6ly, ; 'provided^ the necessity of using "the timber' .specified in the plans be' insisted upon, 'and it is therefore best 'to go 6ii ; with ! the "work as far as the ! fundsavailable%ill allow. I would therefore suggest that the first two sections of the race, with the. dam at/the soufce,n should be commenced': at once witl'outany further delay through waiting -for voluminous' reports, calling for fresh tenders, or-ahy » of' the numerous artifices which are ireually employed gain time 1 ! in '■' Buch- cases. The race, if .. made for...ab.out... r eight.,rn,iles,(the.Jength of the two first H sections) will bring the water into the Beart of the country where the greatest area of auriferous ground to be 'operated upon 1 'exists. Abundance of timber of ( .the requisite description can be found, all jalong thn course of the race in the first section, 'and* by the time the water i: >is7^relL l up on : thg ranges, and before the ; s^cond section is reached the cost ; of^ the; ; construction of theditch willbe paid as itt is brought along. • iWhen the water ; is \ once ■•> at its greatest possible: ■'; elevation, \rhich the case twill be before the second section is completed, the greatest difficulty ia achieved, because small branch races can. be cut in every dire6tioh,.eitiher at 'the Gbvernment exIjense Qr';by;'pnY,ate'/pariies, who require .the. 4 , wafer j ; and!. ', ;they , w.ill ; , "nbt ' t hesi"tafe to” make 1 rac^.jwihen,', they, have a guaranteed supply of water "at a sufficient elevation. By the adoption of tliis plan the work could go on a*

once, it would be complete as far as it went, and at any future time the extension of the main race could be made, but it is well-known that if the water is brought only so iav as the termination, or evtn the middle of the second section, there is profitable work for it for years, and tl c money set aside will make the race thus far. Trusting you will use your influence to urge this suggestion as a preventative for the perhaps indefinite shelving of the Hochstetter race question, and as an argument in support of going on with the work at once, I am. &c, Aquabius. I