INANGAHUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 20 September 1880, Page 2

INANGAHUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Engineer's Report : Since the last meeting of the Council there has been some damage done to the roads and tracks throughout the County by a vatler heavy flood, and which has necessitated the employment of more than tbe ordinary amount of labour. In Reefton, the damoges aro slight and confined to the rirer bank. A small portion of the training wall on the south bank against Oxley's paddock having settled down tho deepening of the channel at the base of the wall ; also on the north bank below the suspension bridge a a small portion of the stonework that formed the face of the groin baa sunk into a channel formed by the action of the flood. On the Black's Point road, there has been several slips cleared away, also on the road to Crushington there has been labor employed to remove timber and land slips. Above the township of Crushiußton on the farm belonging to Mr Lynch tho river Ims made some havoc, and unless those who are principally interested in the locality make some provision to stay further encroachment, the principal body of water will flow through what has formerly been a bye.Nwash, as it is at .present there is about half the water in the Inangabua flowing that way. On the Grey, road, there has been some slight damages done through the oreilbw of creeks— the chief damage being on the Devery"s Terrace and Old Man Plains, but the crossing of the Little Grey at Batira's is greatly improved owing to a beach forming on the left bank at tho approach to the road. There ia a small bridge next to the Stoney Creek crossing that is becoming dangerous, and requires to be immediately renewed, as tlio timbers are rotten, and one stringer is broken altogether. I would, therefore, ask the Council to have a new bridge constructed, the span is 10ft and the cost trifling. The main road from the Saddle to Square Town is rather out of repair, the ruts have not been attended to lately. The oause of this I am informed is owing to tile contractor being in Eeefton en« dcavoring to make arrangements with the Council, but it also proves that this portion of the Grey road will not stand without maintenance. From the Little Grey 'at"!B;itira's and the Grey Junction, the ruf« have had a sprinkling of gravel placed during the last three weeks, and I must report that this is the only wosk that has been done since the last "progress payment, three months ago. I have served the notice tbat I was instructed to do upon (bis contractor. 1 paid a visit to the place* on Mr Johnston's farm close to the Grey Junction, where it was stated tbat some damage had been done to the land through tbe forming of the Otululu road. I found that no damage had occurred. My yisit moreover was made since the fbdd on the 21st ultimo. On the track to^ Antonio's there was several large trees that required to be re* moved, which has been dono at a cost of 20.-3., but there is a few days more la' or required on the terrace against M'Mur» ray's farm. The river having washer] away the ground where the the track descended the terrace, necessitating tho forming of a new piece of track further back from the river. At the Biackwafer, (he contract for forming a horse (rick from the end of the draj road to what is known as the biij log crossing over the Elack Sand Creek a distance of 121 chains is completed, and on the 2nd and 3rd September, in company wiih Mr Heard of Gareiboo, I wem over the bush (rack that b.'is been cut between Carriboo and I3ii» Ivivrr for the purpose of reporting upon it. Tbe length of the track cut is about five miles, and the country traversed is a leading spur which divides two branches of the Big River, and coes in the direction of Murray's No. 2, which is the name of a creek about two miles long, which was discovered s.ime years ago by tbe Murray Brothers, ami worked by them for alluvial »old. Tho distance fivmi Carriboo to tbe foot of Murray Creek No. 2, is abcut Fewn miles, therefore, the track requires to be extended to that point before it will be of any use, as that is the point tbe river ceases to be eorgy, arirj has been proved to carry highly payable cold. Mr Beard informs ire that be averaged 355. per dny for any 'ays that he worked, but the diffi.'ti'ly in carrying provisions through the go:-o,e pspecia'lv du"ing wet seisons were so great that lie had to abandon the place, and wait until such times ns a track was formed clear of the river altogether. When at Carriboo (here were seveml parties of miners waiting to see if the track was to be formed, as they h'd been led to understand tha* the Council w.Te miking a trnclr, nnrl they were •much disappointed when I informed them tbat I bad no power to extend the clearing of the bush any further. That iu fact the resolution of the Cpuo«

cil was to 'blaze a track, and not to clear one, but to blaze a lino of track through such a country is next to impossibility, (lie bush being very dense, a track must | be cleared, if only to carry the tent and tools while performing the work. If this track was cleared through lo the river, and tlie proposed - 4 track formed ! from Denny's Creek to the head of Murs. ray Creek No. 2 by way of Half-Caste and Slab Hut Creeks, it would open up •a very large district where gold has been obtained, but owing to tho difficulties in getting provisions into it, has become abandoned, and Mr Beard informs me that lately there-has been men waiting to see if there was any chance of getting into this district, tut seeing no opportunity offering they left the place for the rash in the Sydney country. WESTPOET BOAT), At the Boatman's Creek crossing of iho Westpcrfc road, there was some damage dono by the late flood, and also portion of tho bank at tho approach to the foot- bridge was washed away, necessitating immediate repairs, which has been done to both foot>bridge and road at a cost of £6. But below Charley Lines', the road is becoming impassable, and the ford at Larry's Creek is in a very bad condition. At the crossing of the Left-hand Branch, there is something much needed to be done— the bank on Williams' side being almost perpendicular, and the road crossing Fern Flat is now abandoued, the waggoners and others prefering the flat, to the road, owing to [its wretched condi* tion. The bridge over the Left-hand Branch on the short track to Boatman's, is undergoing repairs, and a new anchor has been placed on the eastern end of bridge. At Boatman's, the labor has been taken from the track between the township and the mines; but it is absolutely necessary that a contract be let to repair the timber work upon which a [large portion' of the track is built, because in many places it is entirely unsafe for traffic With this object in view I have prepared specific tions for 'the necessary repairs, which I recommend the Council to perform im* mediately, to prevent accident or injury. The Boatman's dray road is not in good order, I have, therefore, served the necessary notice upon the contractor. JIUEEAY CHEEK. The contract for repairs to the track up Murray Creek, and also for forming a piece of new track opposite the battery belonging to*the Golden Treasure Com.pany has been completed, and the work of reducing the heavy grade between the slips at Black's Point and the bridge before reaching the Dauntles3 machine site is now bein^ performed, but I would strongly recommend the Council, if it is possible at all, to extend this work into the township a distance of three and a half chains, and so make a job of it, whereas the present contract makes bnt half of what is required, and also in order thfit an old bridge culvert might be utilised in the work. An ugly bend has to be nvide in the road and which would be avoided if the three and a half chains before raeu'ioned were formed. The cost of the extension would be trifling. Cgtjshington. Tenders elo?ed this day for repairs to the road above the township ; this work was tendered for previously, but owing to only one tender being received I was instructed to invite fresh ones. The horse track from Deadman's Hole towards IVi'Conochie's is not yet complete, as th3 portion that is constructed round the rocky bluff will not do at all for horse traffic, and other work is re* quired at the gravel bluff below M'Cono« chic's. Ur.PEE Buller District. The contract for forming a dray road between Oxnam's and the MaJira Eiver is progressing, about thirty men be : n<j employed upon the woik ; and the overseer informs me that very great inconvenience is experienced through the washing awny of the bridge and road at Whale'd Cre.'k, on the main Nelson road. Tito settlers cannot roach Jhe Lye'l with their produce ; also that slips are numerous upon the road, and that he is engaged in making a sort of track ihroiigh thorn so that pack-horses may travel with safety. In the matter of wide tiers on the Westport road, there has not been any compliance with the notices served by ;he Council. There is a voucher presented for pny ruent from MM'nerney, and is for labor performed about Eeefton and the Block's Point road from the Ist to BtU March this year. I «;is away from Ueefton at the time, being engaged on the Maruia and Cannibal Gorge track. The time of the men engaged in ru<>» ting a bush track from Cariboo towards the Big Biver was kept by Mr Beard, who I may inform tlu Council has civen a considerable amount of time and labor towards the furtherence of this track. Tlse contract for forming the road towards Solder's is not yet completed, and I found upon my last inspection that the contractor himself is cutting up the road greatly by hauling logs over it for the bridge.