THE WATERWORKS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1115, 14 November 1879, Page 2

THE WATERWORKS.

The following report from the Engineer was read at the meeting of the Municipal Council last evening : Engiueer'-s Office, Oamaru, 13th November, 1879. To His Worship the Mayor and Councillors.

Gentlemen, —I have the honor to report with respect to the waterworks that the contractors for the timber work are making very fair progress, and that at the reservoir good progress is being macle in filling up the embanking.

The excavation for the foundations of the valve tower is being taken out, the contractor, Mr. Knight, intending to commence the building next week. I have made enquiries as to cement that will be required for this work, and send you herewith a separate memorandum of particulars. We have hardly any iri hand to commence with, and it if) desirable that the required quantity should be Secured with as litile delay as possible.

The finished pur ion of the race is in capital order, and the supply of water everything that could be wished for. By the uiid of this month wo will be able to run the water down to Ross' paddock, it mMst stop until Ross is isrruvrrc'i .vith, and the 21 chains of race cut through his ground. The County Council are building a foot bridge over the Awanioko, Creek, and are anxious that we should build one over the v.'atereoiiTTo at Black Point. I have got ;:]i'nusr all the timber for th* - two small aqueducts at Peebles that were given up by ancJwould be as' Hell to let th'"* 1 tor erection as seen as possible. ijr. Peattie f -' e proprietor of the section on' v'.'" ? ch one of them is built, reouii-cs compensation for right of access l' e allows us to put the timber on the ground. In the meantime I have had is stacked on the sida of the main road, ready for snigging when Peattie is arranged with. By the time these two aqueducts were built, and if money was available to finish Ross' ground, and otherwise to complete what remains to be done on the Papakaio section, the water could be run right through to the Boundary Greek, at the 2S-cluiiu tunnel, or 2i miles from the river, All the tunnels are in good order. In town, as the Government are filling in part of the lagoon at the foot of Humber-street, it is desirable that provision should be made for the drainage of block IV., and, if the lower part of the street is to be raised to suit the rail level, and the level of Tyne-street opposite. Arrangements will have to be made with the owners of sections abutting on the street, or the lower part of the street will have to be slightly diverted, at all events an understanding should be come to with the Government us to whether, seeing they are blocking up the end of Humberstreet to a certain height, they would not do the whole or part of the work required to make it up to its permanent level.

Below the goods shed there is an alteration being made in the railway line to the beach. This alteration affects the outlet from the Tyne-street sewer, but Mr. Burnett, the Resident Engineer, assures me that the department will keep a proper outlet open. I need liardly point out that the original outfall of the Oamaru Creek lay along the foot of the bank to the boatlanding place, and that this was the only way in which the creek could naturally discharge its waters into the sea ; and that the stopping up of this natural channel is the immediate cause of the present cess-pool state of the lower part of tho present lagoon, and which can only now be remedied by expensive works somewhat in the direction indicated by mc in a former report on this particular subject. I enclose a rough tracing showing what I think the extent of reclamation to be done by the Government will be. I am, &c., D. A. M'LEOD, Engineer.