TIMARU HARBOR WORKS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 1763, 25 June 1877, Page 5

TIMARU HARBOR WORKS.

The following ii a copy of the letter received on Wednesday by the Harbor Board from Sir John Coode : — 2, Westminster Chambers, Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W., April 30, 1877. Sib, — On mj return to England from the Cape Colony your telegram of 26th January, and copy of the telegraphic reply sent to you by my chief assistant, Mr Matthews, hare been placed before me. I gather from your telegram that your Board is under an impression that I might undertake to execute the -orks recommended m my, report of August, 1875, at a fixed turn. It is therefore Decenary for me to inform yon that I do not contract for the execution of works, but confine myself strictly to the practice of my profession as a Civil Engineer. It is true that m my report of August, 1875, I gave an estimate for the works therein recommended, stating the amount at which they could, m my opinion, be executed, . if carried on without the interrelation of a contractor ; but inasmuch a* tho execution of works m this manner imposes a great amount of work m matters of detail upon myself and staff m thii country, and as my professional engagements have considerably increased since the date of that report, I should not now be prepared to undertake the duties consequent upon the execution of the Timara Harbor Works, unless they are carried out by a contractor. Under these circumstances, if it be decided by the authorities m New Zealand to proceed with the works, it will be for them to determine whether they will execute them by the contract system under my direction, or whether they will make arrangements for carrying them on without the intervention of a contractor under some other engineer. I am, sir, Your obedient serrant, JITO. COODB. The Chairman of the Harbor Board, Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand.

The Nobthbbn Link of Railway and thb Floods. — On Tuesday, May 19, (says the Lt/ttelton Times) the traffic on the North line was resumed throughout,and the passengers between Christchurch and Kaispoi were enabled to note the extraordinary amount of damage that had been done, and to appreciate the strenuous efforts- which had been made by Mr Knight, the Inspector of Permanent Ways, aided by a large number of men, to restore communication between the two places ; indeed, when the state of- affairs which most have existed for miles along the line is taken into consideration, it is a matter for wonder that so much has been accomplished m the time. It was on Wednesday morning last

the mischief was done, and the toil nrcessitated by the work of repair has since been incesadnt, so long at any rate as the daylight lasted. Between Chaney's corner and the bndga over the Waimakariri, the line was covered with water, m some places to a depth of two feet six inches, the flood rising to withm nine inches of the crown of the bridge. Nothing appears along the line to attract attention until after reaching Chaney's corner where the fir»t breach m the embankment occurs, bat from there to the bridge there are more than 30 breaches, and the scene on either side v dreary m the extreme. In one instance a wooden culvert which had been placed under the rails, has been carried into an adjoining; paddock, perhaps a hundred yards distant, one ena only of it being visible as it projects from the fence over which it has been swept. In other places, numerous sleepers, with hero and there a huge balk of ironwood, may be discerned at great distances, with lines of shingle and debris marking the course taken by the floo.i. Of the 30 odd breaches mentioned, some are comparatively small, and these were ut once filled m with material obtained from the neighboring sandhills. But there are eight openings which could not be so easily dealt with. It was held to be of tjie first importance to enable trains to pass as speedily as possible, and these larger breaches have therefore been temporarily packed up with timber, which had afterwards to be removed by degrees, and its place supplied with sand. As a matter of course, if shingle were available, this would be used m preference, but everywhere there is sand, and, so far as can be seen, there is nothing else. A short distance beyond Chanej s comer, the line passes through large hills of sand, and then emerges into that howling wilderness known as Irishman's Flat. It is m this region that the flood has done its work most effectually. The whole length of the permanent way has been completely scoured, and the ballast scooped out m the most extraordinary manner. The worst place of all is that . nearest tho bridge, at a curve known as Stewart's Corner, and here it is apparent that the river is forming for itself a new bed, and that the line a* at present constructed can never be looked upon as other than a temporary one. At this point the whole material was washed away for about sixty lengths of rails, and as each rail measures 24 feet, this gives a breach of 1440 feet m length. The depth to whioh the earth has been scoured away of course, varies, but m the centre it cannot be less than six feet from the original level of the rails. In this place the wood piling was first resorted to, and this is now being withdrawn by degrees, and sand tilted into the gap. To facitiiata operations, the whole of the damaged portion has been allowed to remain at a comparatively low level, and will afterwards have to be 'slowly raised to the proper height. It may be stated that for x long time past Mr Knight has been gradually raising the line from Chaney's to the bridge, doubtless with a view to getting it above the level of the storm water ; but nt the same time it is evident that between tho two places the lowest point is at present m thnt fatal spot, Irishman's Plat

A Seasonable Gift.— The other day, we are informed, the Rev. Geo. Barclay received from a few of his parishioners a seasonable present, m the shape of a considerable quantity of oats. We have no doubt that Mr Barclay will " take it out " of Ids chesnuts during the winter, and that the toils of his office will be all the more cheerfully bornefor the kindness of hit friends. The giffr, we understand, was made through Mr Qco. Woodhead, who kindly undertook all the trouble connected with its delivery at the manse.

Hotels at Kumaba. — There are already aboufc fifty hotels opened at Kumara (lays the Weit Coatt Times) and several others are m course of completion. The licensing officer is troubled about the queition of licensing any more houses. He holds th« opinion strongly, with many others, thai there are too many licensed houses m the township already ; yet, he feels that it would be an injustice to refuse one or (wo new applications, where the accommodation is shown to be good and the character of the applicant unquestionable, though the house may. have taken several months longer than others to complete. Notwithstanding the number of houses already licensed, sly grog-selling is far from abated, and though the police are on the watch for culprits m this line, they manage to know their customers, and serve or refuse to serve, as their judgment direots.

Poisonous Ihsbot. — A country correspondent writes to us respecting a poisonous insect he has come across. According to his account, it resembles a common spider, witli the addition of wings, and a proboscis something like that of a bee. It is covered with black huirs, and is about the size of a largo pea. He states that a child m his neighborhood observed the insect settle on a leaf, and caught it m his hand. A sharp sting was inflictedsfend the little fellow's hand and arm begsn to swell rapidly, causing him intense agony. Poultices were applied to the poisoned part, and eventually the symptoms disappeared. Our correspondent is anxious to know isthia insect resembles the katipo. If his description is a faithful on«, the only difference if that of the wings ho mentions ; for one species of the katipo is peculiar m possessing a trunk or proboscis similar to that of a bee. If he forwards the little beast to our office, we will analyse its peculiarities.

The Last Ciytx Sbrviob Beouiation. The Evening Pott writes as follows: — It is rumored that a new rule is about to be enforced m the Civil Service. Notwithstanding all the efforts whioh hare been made recently to compel the Civil Servants to remain within the G-overment buildings during official hours, certain members still find means of exit, and the publio is defrauded of it« due. In order to meet this difficulty, it is reported that a new regulation shortly will be issued to the effect that each Civil Servant on entering the Government buildiogs m the morning shall take off his boots, and deliver them into the custody of an officer, who will be placed at each door to enforce obedience to the order. At half- past four the boots will be restored to their owners, unless it should be necessary for them to remain for night work, m which case they will not be able to obtain the coverings of their understandings until permission to depart is accorded from the head of their department. This new rule will be strictly m harmony with those which have preceded it ; and we should imagine it will excite no feelings of discontent on the part of those officers whom it will affect. We are unable to state positively the date when the new regulation will come into force.

A Quxbb Cbeatctbb. — A correspondent of the Nelson Evening Mail states .that a strange looking animal has been seen at the head of the Wairoa Gorge by a psrtj of men who were cattle hunting. The head and horns were those of a deer, and the tail was long, like that of a cow. The creature, wM:h was much larger than a deer, was pure white, and had two fawns of the same color by its side. An attempt was made to shoot it, but failed. Masonic.— The New Zealand Herald states that the date for the installation of the Hon. P. Wbitaker as Provincial Grand Master of the North liland of New Zealand, under the Scotch Constitution of Freemasonry, has not yet been fixed, but ifc will not take place until after the close of the ensuing Parliamentary sesjion. . By that time the regalia and jewels for the Grand Lodge, for which an order will be sent home by the outgoing mail, will hare arrived. "*?The sister lodges will m tha meantime b» communicated with by the committee appointed for carryin • out the arrangements," and the inauguration and. installation will be carried out m the most impressive manner. It has been suggested that Bro. Lazaar, of the West Coast,, who officiated at the installation of the lateBro. Sir Donald McLean as P.G.M. of the. English Constitution, might be induced tow come to Auckland and officiate m the same; capacity. -