Repairs to the Breakwater.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7655, 13 June 1896, Page 3

Repairs to the Breakwater.

The work of repairing the Breakwater was started yesterday morning, and Captain Thomson and his men are pushing the work \ on with the greatest possible dispatch, very good progress having already been made. They are at present working on the top break, where the large hole in the structure is. The sea side of the break has been securely protected from the entrance of the sea by a stout board facing, securely tied by half-a-dozen bolts top and bottom to the sound portions of the Breakwater. By this means the men working in the breach are protected from the sea, and there ia no danger, even if a heavy swell comes up, of the work being at all interfered with by water rußhing in. The work consists of filling the hole with ticra of bags of mixed cement placed compactly, which when dry will form a solid block. This will be carried on until the most irregular portion of the hole is filled. The bags will be securely bolted through into the papa rock, as a further safeguard against possible shifting. When the foundation of bags is completed, the remaining portion will be lined with sacking, making an immense bag into which mixed cemont will be shovelled and rammed into all the crevices This will be,continued up to the level of the Breakwater, and when dry will form a Bolid irregular block of concrete. Similar work is to be carried on at the larger break nearer the end, and when that is finished the top of the Breakwater will be levelled off, and given once more a finished appearance. Captain Thomson is satisfied that the measures being adopted will be thoroughly effectual, and when the apron is constructed there will be no further fear of damage being done. As a proof of this he gives his measurements of the positions of the blocks, which show that during the last two years they have not b, quarter of an inch. This goeß to show that the blocks have reached bed-rock t and can sink no further, aud the only thing to guard against is the blocks being lifted outwards by the waves working in and forcing them out of position, \Vhen the apron is construe! Ed the force of the waves will be broken, and their power greatly diminished, whilst the filling up of all the existing holes andjerevices will effectually prevent the sea making encroachments in the future. It has been decided to go on with the construction of the apron or wave-breaker atj once. It is recognised that to put off the work until such timea as the Empowering Bill is passed would be to lose valuable time and to risk serious loss. Orders have been iaaued for 500 tons of stone from the Island and along Kaiti beach, and the work will be pushed on with every possible despatch.

It is not generally known that rats cannot resist sunflower seeds. A trap baited with those seeds is the most efficacious method of catching rats.

The temples of India are to be lighted with electricity, the example having been set by the great Bhrine of Siva, at Koohicaddie, near Mutwal, in Ceylon, The innovation is enough to make Siva and Vishnu, and even the great Brahma himself, turn in their graves.

As showing the great educational advancement that has taken place amongst the English people during the last half century it is stated that when Queen Victoria ascended the throne more than 41 per sent. of the people could not writo their names. The proportion in that condition has now been reduced to 7 per cent.

Mr Andrew Carnegie, tho Pittsburg millionaire, was recently blackballed by tho Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. When at tho meeting ot members bis name was presented, a gentleman present delivered a bittnr Bpeech against him, denouncing him as an oppressor of the poor, and challenged anyone to dispute the statement. Some business men sided with Mr Carnegie, but more opposed him.

Beer and tea appear to be steadily growing in favor as the national beverages in tho United Kingdom. This tendency was fully disclosed in the late Budget speech of Sir Michael Hicks Beach. Last year was a prosperous one, and in consequence the average Britisher spent more money than usual on liquid refreshment. Thero were last year, it is recorded, 1,600,000 more barrels of bear drunk than in the preceding one, principally. Sir William Harcourt supposed, " in drinking the health of Her Majesty's present Administration." But there has also been a large increase in expensive wines— an increase which Sir Michael Hides Beach attributes to good business on the Stock Exchange. The taste for rum is, it srems, absolutely declining. The cup that cheers but not inebriates has, on the other hand, been fuller than ever during the past year. Ten million more pounds of tea have been consumed. There is however, etill a " slump " ia coffee.