VISIT TO THE DEFENCE WORKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7719, 1 March 1886, Page 3

VISIT TO THE DEFENCE WORKS.

(bt our reporter ) By the kind permission of Sir George Whitmore (who expressed a wkh that I should investigate for myself some rumors as to bad treatment of tbe Artillery, Engineers, and Field Fore) I started across tbe harbor in the Ellen Ballance on Friday morning, and arrived in. a quarter of an hour at Mahanga Bvy, where a jetty is being constructed about 70ft in length, and alongside of which small steamers will be able to discharge cargo in any kind of weather, and at any state of .the tide, as there will be a depth of 10 or 12 feet at the end of it at low water. At present cargo has to he brought over iu u punt, and it must have been no small undertaking to get tbe big guns into their present portions, The first thing that attracts tbe eye of a visitor, after landing, is the incline tramway leading up to Fort Gordon, It Is about 12 chains in length and the grade is very steep:; bub by means of a 6 h p. engine at the bottom, trucks of a ton weight can be sent to the top. There are two 7*ton guns Iu position at the battery, and the concrete work is finished ; whilst the excavations have been completed for a 6 inch breach-loader which is to be mounted on a Moucrief disappearing carriage. A very large cutting, 20 to 30 feet in depth, has been excavated through the rock formation for a room for tbe engine which is to supply the motive power for tbe electric I'ght. There will also be a testing-room, bedroom, alttlngruom, and kitchen for tbe men In charge, so that in tbe event of hostilities they would be able to lead an independent existence, whilst the electric light is to be attached to a disappearing carriage. The guns are connected by an excavat-d passage, with a magazine-room in the centre. Tbe passage is lined with very heavy timber, principally heart of totarn, with iron bars on top. Over these there is a concrete 3ft in thickness, Qud on the top of that there is Bft or 9ft of earth. The works are progressing satisfactorily, and the men appear to latjqr with a will. At all events, daring my vjrit I saw very Utile of what is usually termed the Government stroke.” At Point Harwell the works have been in abeyance for some time, but n 64 poupder and a 7-ton gun have been placed In position, tbe magazine and covered-way have been finished, and a portion of tbe ditch excavated, bat tbe conorete foundations for the guns have vet to be completed. *Tbe tramway lo only three or four chains In length, bat the grade is a very tough one—one and a quaiter to one. Over three miles of roads have been made, nearly all of which are meta’led, the ruling grade on the Fort Jannet side being one in 114. with curves of 60 links radius, aqd on the other side about 1 lb 25. Whilsfc on the subject of roads, I might stale that I took the trouble to ascertain bow many miles of unmade road there are between tbe oity and where these excellent roods have lately been constructed. If two to three miles were made, the residents of Wellington woald have a splendid drive added to their present outlets,

which are by no means too numerous. There would be no difficulty in making the road, as metal is plentiful, and the grades are easy. Perhaps some of our public men may move in the matter. ’1 here is a good deal of supeiflaou* energy wasted on trivial matters, but !b« addition of a drive such as I have drawn attention to would be a boon to large numbers of people. Whether it is to be done by the Government, by the local bodice, or by public subscription, it is not for me to say ; hut there will not, X think, be much difference of opinion as to whether or not the work ought to be done. In addition to the large quantity of concrete work, 70,000 or 80,000 bricks will alto be used in the fortification*, which will be of a very substantial character, and constructel on the latest and most approved principles. All the works have been carried out by the Public Works Department, according to the plana supplied by Major Boddam, Mr Duff, the representative of the Public Works Depart* meat, has now only a dozen wages men working under him, though at first there were about 200. All the available men belonging to the Engineers, Artillery, and field force are now doing whatever is necessary. A few of them, who, from previous' training, are able to save the cost of skilled mechanics, get a little extra from the P. W. Department. The three corps are under the command of Major Alessenger, who for many years was in chargi of the A.O. Station at the White Cliff*, on the borders of the Mokau country—and who was held in great respect by both races. Captain Baker, also an old and respected officer of the A C. Force, is the only commissioned officer associated with Major Messenger. The strength at present is follows ; Artillery, Oaptaio Baker, 2 sergeants, 23 mf-n ; Engineers, 2 sergeants, 18 men ; Field Force, 1 sergeant, 30 mm ; total, 77. Every Saturday morning the Artillery have to go through drill for four hours—from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. The Engineers have to construct works, such a? the jetty at Mahanga Bay ; and I recognised, just as I landed, a familiar face in the person of Sergeant Forbes, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Pung;irehu in the d tys of Maori disturbances. Oa that occasion he was superintending tho building of the block-house. The Field Force are ready for any emergency, and able, like Punch’s “handy Jack,” to take a turn at anything, from cutting a bush-track to repressing an enemy.

During my visit to the works I chatted freely with the men, having first obtained Major Messenger's permission to do so. He told off Sergeant Roberts to accompany me, but, lest there should be any conattaint, I obtained permission to speak to the men by myself. There were complaints as to dysentery, which was attributed to the bad water used in cooking, a small bottle of which X took back with me for analysis. Another source of complaint was, that there was no medicine chest at the barracks, whilst the only patent medicines kept at the ration contractor's store consisted of Painkiller and St Jacob’s Oil. The principal grievance was the distance of the mess-room from the barrack. To go round by the road would necessitate walking a miie or more to and from each meal, whilst, if an almost perpendicular de scent and ascent were made, the distance could bo shortened. It is rather curious to hod complaints of indigestion amongst men working in the open air and going to bed at regular hours. One is not ear* prised to hud dyspeptics in factories, printing offices, and warehoug-s j but to hear strong, healthy-looking, vigorous men, in the prime ut manhood, complaining in that way, almost staggers one. Several of them told me that they never experienced such a thing before, aud they were all satisfied that travel ling up a steep hill after a lull meal was the main cause of their trouble. Some of the men averred that on a wet night they preferred staying ip barrack, and asking their comrades to bring them back something in the shape of food, rather than travel down to the beach for a meal. There is no reason that I can see for such a hardship. A kitchen with large fireplace has been erected near the barrack, and there is no doubt in my mind that the mess-room ought to be there, too. There is however, one difficulty in the way, independent of the question of expense—a water-supply. Though a large well has been *unk and a pump fixed in it, I was told there was at present only a depth of 3ffc of water. There are a.so nine 400-gallon water tanka, but it is probable that the . whole lot would notprovesufficieut. That difficulty, of course, could be got over by having a large storage tank ; but then again the question of expense unfortunately crops up. There were also complaints as to one of the dormt tones being over-crowded, and as to defective ventilation. There are plenty of windows on both sides of the barrack-room, and there are four ceiling ventilators—two' in each dormitory. If ail the men would consent to have the windows open a little at top and bottom, the ventilation would be effective enough ; but men's habits and constitutions vary too much to expect anything of that kind. As a consequence I heard several of the men complain that they never awoke in the morning without a headache. A few pipes on the Tobin principle would, I feel sure, get over that difficulty. The overcrowding is for the present unavoidable, as when the works are finished the number of men will probably be reduced to 50. Even as it is now, I found that in one room, where 36 men and two sergeants'sleep, each has about 400 cubic feet of space, whilst in the other room the men have 600 cubic feet. I asked if fc ere was any truth about the barrack-rooms being unswept and unwashed, but only found tbat a few had a complaint on tbat score, the majority being quite satisfied, though several stated tbat it was kept cleaner lately than it used to be. I afterward inspected the barrack, and it certainly looked very clean from the officers’quartera to the lavatory. I was informed that there was a standing order that it should be washed out once a week, and swept every day, but that if at washing day the weather happened to be broken, the washing was dispensed with, in consequence of the difficulty of getting the floors dried. As to provisions, the men have the matter in their own bands. They let their rationing by contract, and get everything supplied at Is 7d per diem. They appeared quite satisfied with way the contractor treated them, I think, summing up the result of my inquiries, tbat the men should have their mess-room near the barracks ; that the dormitories should be provided with ventilators in the sidewalls j and if possible, that a small medicine chest should be kept at the barrack, and if ai competent man is available tbat be should be sent to* take charge of it,* The removal of the mess-room from the beach to the bill would do away with the complaint as to bad water, which'would also be a great consideration. ’•