RETAINING WALL FAILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20229, 13 April 1929, Page 12

RETAINING WALL FAILS.

CIVIC SQUARE EXCAVATION.

EFFECT OF HEAVY RAIN.

FALL OF TONS OF EARTH*

Gaping cracks in the footpaths surrounding the excavations in the civic centre oxtended ominously when the heavy rain commenced on Thursday, and at an early hour yesterday morning a retaining wall of heavy timber collapsed like matchwood under tho pressure of the bank. Tons of earth and splintered piles 12in. in thickness, and as long as telegraph poles, were burled into tho site which is being prepared by the Fletcher Construction Company for the Civic Theatre. Portions of tho basement of tho building which is tinder construction for Tanfield, Potter and Company wore laid bare, but the foundations, which extend 52ft. below Queen Street, were unshaken. Tho collapse occurred on the side of tho pit nearest the Town Hall. On this edge a rear entrance to tho theatro will be constructed, but there is at present 110 footpath. For sonio time, cracks have been noticed in the footpaths on the Queen Street, Wellcsley Street, and Fcrgusson Street sides of the excavation. Tho walls of tho excavation, which is 23ft. (lcnp in places, had been reinforced by heavy posts and boards about 2in. in thickness. Some of the posts were anchored with wire cable.

In parts of the civic centre (lie formation is very solid, but along tho wall behind Tanlield Potter's silo the material is filling, which was placed there when the old buildings and their basements were cleared from the area a few years ago. The collapse occurred about 1 a.m. The bank bulged inwards along about 80ft. of tho timber wall. Somo of tho 12in. posts were snapped in tho middle, and the cables wore torn loose. Tho earth partly buried tho razed wall, aud later in the day there was more movement as tho loosened material settled down.

A tower hoist apparatus which was being erected for concrete work was upset, but most of tho gear was retrieved undamaged. Tho fall encroached about 40ft. into the side of the excavation. The thick clay rendered work on tho site very difficult yesterday, and a number of men were engaged in strengthening tho 160 ft. wall along Fergusson Street. The cracks which have appeared in the footpath on this side have been filled, and the three main walls have been shored up with very heavy timber to prevent further settling of the footpaths.