THE DEFENCE WORKS AT KAIWARRA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 691, 29 May 1885, Page 25

THE DEFENCE WORKS AT KAIWARRA.

The defence works at Kaiwarra aro steadily progressing. A tramway twelve chains in length has just been laid for hauling up the guns, and the carriages are almost ready for their reception. The foundations are very solid, being made of heavy totara, placed crosswise, with the interstices filled in with concrete, and a layer of concrete over the whole. The defence works will be constructed on Mrs Rhodes’ land, almost over the first tunnel on the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company’s line. The guns will have a clean sweep of the inner harbor. A road forty to Sfty chains in length will be formed from a point near the railway bridge which crosses the Kaiwarra-road, and will be taken across the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company’s line about five chains further along, by means of a bridge about 12ft in height. It will then pass up a gully a few chains on the Wellington side of the tunnel, right up to the fortifications, and will be rather steep in some places. There are thirty-eight men now engaged in the works, including the carpenters. A passage has been excavated between the positions where the guns are to be fixed. It is 3ft din wide and 6ft high. The quarters for the gunners in time of action will be built right on the top of the passage, which will have layers of sods and gravel over it. Close to the passage the carpenters are erecting a shell-room, 9ft x sft ; a cartridge store. 9ft x sft ; and a shifting-room, 4ffc x sft. There will be a sod bank all round the fortifications, 4ft' 6ia high, with a ditch 7ft deep at the back, and position for riflemen, in case of an enemy landing and attempting to effect an entrance. As soon as the rough work is finished, a detachment of the Armed Constabulary will be sent to mount the guns. A barrack room, 30ft x 12ft, is to be built for the men to be stationed there. In connection with these works, it may also be stated that the submarine wire and torpedo sheds, near the junction of the Kaiwarra and Karori roads, have just been completed. The buildings are 40ft x 20ft, 30ft x 10ft and 12ft x 10ft. A yard, 200 ft long and 80ft wide, has been fenced in with corrugated iron 6ft high. There are two entrance gates—one for drays from the roadside, and another leading to the concrete steps on the reclaimed land. Theße sheds were finished in a very short time, only three weeks elapsing after the plans had been prepared. All the works are carried out by Mr Connal, Engineer of the Public Works Department, acting under Major Oautley and Major Boddam. Mr Hayue, formerly engineer to the Manawatu County Council, is superintendent of works, and courteously conducted our reporter all over them.