TAIERI FLOOD DAMAGES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 41

TAIERI FLOOD DAMAGES.

THE ENGINEER'S REPORT. The following report was submitted to the Taieri Drainage Board on Monday by the Acting Engineer (Mr B. B. Couston) : — Repairs to River "Embankment. — The ■work of effecting repairs to the Taieri River embankment was divided into nine contracts, seven of which ha\e been let, ! one abandoned, and for the ninth tenders are receivable to-day. Contract No. 1 ! (approach to Otokia bridge, let to James Sinclair and Co. for the sum of £70) : My last visit of inspection was on Thursday, 27, when the work was within three days of completion. The road is to be maintained by the contractor or a period of one month. There is a washout in the paddock at the foot of the embankment which I recommend be filled in, material required being 150 cubic yards. One half cost of this contract is a charge on the Taieri County Council. It will be necessary to reinstate the river approach roads, and I suggest that thia work be also carried out on the half cost basis, and that tenders be called forthwith for the work. Contract No. 2a (reinstatement of embankment Outram to Allaniton, Jot to Joseph Hughes for the sum of £60 8s 4d) : There were two gaps in this seotion at Blairs and at Callander and Webster's. The contract is completed with the exception of a few yarde of material required on ths land side of embankment at Blair's, which will be attended to during the period of maintenance. I have arranged with the contractor to fill up a small gap bejpw the first washout, day wages to be paid for the -work. Contract No. 2b (reinstatement^ of embankment Allanton to Otokia, let to William Bryant for the sum of £230 16s 8d) : The gaps in this section were at Souness's, Gibeon's, and the Otokia bridge, and the work is practically completed. I instructed the contractor to fill in a washout in paddock at toe of embankment, for which he is to be allowed 150 cubic yards at schedule rwte. Contract No. 2c (reinstatement of embamkment Otokia to Bull Creek, let to William Bryant for the sum of £463 15s): The breaks were in Fleming's paddock, near the railway bridge, m Reid*6 30-aore paddock, in Craigie's paddock, and at a number of places between Henley bridge and Bull Creek. The work ie about half completed, and the contractor has sufficient teams and men engaged to carry out the work in specified time. The junction with the railway was not by any means satisfactory on account of the nature of the material that was used to reinstate the bank under the railway, and I have instructed the oontraetor to strengthen the embankment with a curved wing of 50ft radius, to be carried up along the main embankment. Contraot No. 3 (minor washouts Outram to B road, let to William Brvant for the sum of £64 7s 6d) : The contractor is sending teams to start this work early m the week. The material is to be taken delivery of by the' board's surfacemen, end I recommend thait while this work is in progress men be employed to dig out all rabbit holes and generally repair this section of embankment, I further reoommend that steps be taken to have all gorse within half a chain of the toe of embankment dug out. Contract No 4 embankment at Otokia pumping station, let to Willaam Bryant for the sum of £817) • lhis work k about one-third completed, and the contractor has sufficient teams engaged to carry out the work in specified time. Ihe board is obliged, under this contract, to insert a flood outlet for Renton s drain prior to the filling of the gap and it is necessary that the work be immediately proceeded with. Contract No L**^ ™** houts B road to Bull Creek, let. to B. Ooverton for the sum of £52)we! C<> O tra f iS -° be «"nm«nced this weok Overton is working in Oc no?t° + n - Wit \ Bryant ' a»d EOSE 0S it was of hist importance that the gaps in em™Sl1 nn n Sl TldT Id first *" Proceeded wit.Jl granted Overton an extension of time of four weeks for carrying out his contract My recommendation regarding general repair apphes also to this section o^ emnanco it will be advisable to sow down in grass those portions of embankment where S^r?*;.^* 511 ca , rricd 0"*. and I recommend that this work be carried out by the boards surfaceman. Contract No. 6 (river protecfcori work near B road): Tenders were declined for this contract. The bank here serves for both road and river embankment, but the original reserve has be°n washed away, and it becomes necessary to set back some 12 or 15 chains and protect the river slope with rubble. I have already submitted a proposal that the necessary land be- acquired and the whole work carried out in conjunction with the County , Council. Pending your instructions, I have arranged with Mr Miller, the occupier of the land, to remove his fence in order tbat the bank might be temporarily battered 1 back to save the material bein? further e u° j y the liv€r ' and have fenced off j the dangerous portion of embankment. Opening up Roads : The board's instructions | were to open up the whole of the roads I where neeeesarv from Heuley to Outram |to allow the flood waters to get away. This I has b&en done, and temporary bridges con- ; structed on the Henley-Berwick. B road, Otokia-Maungatua road, Dan Miller's road', and Centre road. A number of cuts ha\e also been made into the lake, and the outlets to tho main drains have been Rooured ard silt removed from the, flood openings. In this direction I think sufficient has now been done, and the best policy for the board to adopt is to fill up the gaps as each section is brought within the area of the pumping stations. Obstructions : I have also removed all remaining obstructions to the outfall of flood waters from the properties of Mo«srs Claik, Fold, Hastie, and Young : some of tho obstructions were removed by outsiders prior to receipt of yov>v instructions. At Young's, Lee's, and Nimmo'% pipe culverts have been inserted, this work beins carried out on the pound for pound basis with the County Council. A truck of metal is required for each culvert. At Clark's the line of paddock ditch was continued straight across the road and the opening bridged. Pumping Operations : The board's instructions wore to piMDceed with the neoeseaa-y pumping operations to abate tho flood waters on submerged land within the district. The pumps on the Taieri are principally owned by nrivate persons, but in every instance these have been placed at my disposal, and I have completed arrangements for the working and supervision of the plants and for supplying the necessary motive power. The Bcrklev pump, the Maungatua, Board's pump, Buckan&n'e

pump, and Patrick's pump are driven by steam, and the coal is being supplied) direct by the board. M'Lean's pump, Kempshall's pump v Robinson's pump, Thomson's pump, Jeffree'a pump, Miller's pump, and Patrick's No. 2 pump are driven by oil engines, and in eech case I have arranged with the owners to continue their former procedure regarding purchase of oil and suproly of labour and render a monthly statement of account, Mr Kempshell, as a member of the board, receiving no remuneration. All these plants, except the Maungatua Board's wheel, are now at work. The board's plant was submerged, and a thorough overhaul has been necessa-ry to put the engine in working order. I a.m not satisfied that the engine is capable of driving this wheel to advantage unless the scoop and arms are modified in design or another engine obtained to assist in the driving. I have arranged for a trial run as soon as repairs are completed. Mr Heenan has offered to supply a- 10 h.p. engine if required. With regard to Mrs M^Pherson's wheel on the other side of Berwick, I have arranged to supply motive power for driving when pumping can be carried out to adavnta-pe. Otokia-Maungatua Road : A centrifugal pump has been fitted near the county hut, and Messrs Brown (of Mosgiel) are supplying engine and working continuously iy intention was to fit another pump to the B drain, and Mr Reid has offered to supply his engine for driving. Geary's Pump; This pump, near the Lake bridge, is at present submerged. B. Oyerton has offered to supply engine for driving, and is prepared to start at once. I have to thank the board for the honour conferred in appointing me acting engineer. If there is any further matter in which I can be of .service I shall be honoured to receive your instructions.