THE DEFENCE WORKS AT KAIWARRA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 7488, 28 May 1885, Page 2

THE DEFENCE WORKS AT KAIWARRA.

The defence works at Kaiwarra are steadily progressing. , A tramway twelve chains in length baa just been la : d 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 j)a the, Wellingtou-Manawatu Kailway

(jotripany’a line. The guns will have a clean sweep of the inner barb ir, A road forty to afty chains in length will be formed from a point-near the railway brt»lj*s which crosses K'iiwarra-road, and will be. tvkea across the Wellingtoa-Miuwatu Kalin ay Cun piny’s line about five chains farther along, by means of n bridge about 12ft in height. It will then pass up a gully a few chains, on the Wellington side of the t'lunel, right up to the. fortifications; dad will be rather itrep iu some place*. There are thirty : eighfc tueu 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 6ln wide and 6:t high. The quvrtera 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 tho passage the carpenters are erecting a shell-room, 9ft x sit; a cartridge store, 9ft x sit; and a shifting-room, 4ft x 6ft. Thera Will be a add bank all round the fortifications, 4ft 61n high; with a ditch 7ft deep at tha back, and portion for riflemen, in case of an enemy landing and attempting to effect ah entrance. As soon as the rough I s .finished, a detachment of the Armed Constabulary wllf be sent to tnnmt the guns. A barrack room, SOft x 12ft, is t> hi 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 Kaiwirra and Karori roa is, have just besn completed, The buildings are 40ft x 20ft, SOft x 10ft and 12ft x 10ft, A yard, 200 ft long and SOft wide, has been fenced in with corrugated iron 6ft high. Ihete are two entrance g\tes-*Dne for drays from the roaddde, and another leading to the concrete steps on the reclaimed laud. These sheds were finished in a very short tint?, only three weeks elapsing after the plans had been prepared. All the Urorks are Carried opt by Mr Oonnal, Engineer of the Public Works Department, acting under Major Cautley and Major Boddam. Hayup, ♦ formerly engineer, to the Manawatn County Council, is superintendent of work**, and 1 courteously conducted our reporter all over th?m.