D.—No. 19,

RAILWAY CONTRACTS,

98

No public or private road that crosses or intersects the Raihvay or Avorks thereof, shall be obstructed by excavation or otherwise, until the Contractors shall have provided such temporary roads as may be necessary for the traffic. The cuttings are to have a base at formation level of 10 feet in rock, 11 feet in loose rock, and 13 feet elsewhere, and are to be made in accordance with plan and section attached; but should the Engineer require any of the cuttings or banks to be made with different slopes from those shown on DraAving No. 9, the difference of cost shall be added to or deducted from the contract sum. Such alteration to be ordered in writing. A drain is to be cut along the bottom of slopes of cuttings, except in rock ; this drain to average 5 cubic feet per lineal yard. Catchwater drains are to be' dug abov re the top of one slope of cuttings, at a distance of from a quarter of a chain to a chain from the top of slopes ; these ditches are to average 5 cubic feet per lineal yard, and are to be true and regular to the inclinations directed; no stumps or roots to be left in them. The embankments must be carried forward uniformly of the proper shape, Avith such an addition to the heights and widths as a 'due allowance for the shrinking of the material requires, so to avoid as far as practicable the necessity for making subsequent additions cither to the heights or widths of the embankments, to bring them to the correct levels and dimensions. Whenever the foundation of an embankment is on sloping ground, the Contractor, if required, must at his OAvn expense cut steps and benches under the base of the embankment. The top of embankment at formation level is to be 10 feet wide; the slopes to be trimmed off to an inclination of one and a half horizontal to one vertical, and to be maintained full and true until the completion of the contract. The Contractor shall, unless otherwise directed by the Engineer, take care not in any Avay to interfere with or divert the existing drainage areas, and shall leave such stops or stanks in the side cuttings, and take such other precautions, as the Engineer shall think necessary for that purpose. Behind and around culverts and abutments of bridges, the embankments shall be wheeled in and carefully rammed. DITCHES AND DRAINS. 8. When the line crosses swamps of a peaty nature, catchwater drains are to be cut on the upper side of the line obliquely across the valleys, so as to tap the surface water. These ditches shall not exceed, on an average, one and one-third cubic yard per lineal yard, and are to be made at the commencement of the work, and cleaned out from time to time as may be ordered. STREAM DIVERSIONS. 9. All stream diversions are to be grubbed out as described for cuttings, and excavated Avith regular slopes and inclinations, as will be set out. EOAD ALTERATIONS. 10. At the places shown on the plan and section, and wherever necessary, the present roads are to be diverted. All such diversions and road approaches to the level crossings are to be completed in a convenient, substantial, and proper manner, with the necessary drains, water tables, and side slopes. Such approaches and road diversions are to be formed with an inclination not steeper than 1 in 30 for public roads, and 1 in 20 for private roads, except where the present inclination exceeds these rates, in which case the inclination of the new road shall not exceed that of the present road, unless, in the opinion of the Engineer, a steeper is unavoidable. Public roads and approaches to first-class crossings are to be metalled Avith coarse river gravel or approved hard stone, laid on and spread as directed, so as to average twenty-two cubic yards per lineal chain of road. Private roads are to be metalled with coarse river gravel or broken stone of approved quality, laid on and spread as directed, so as to average nine cubic yards per lineal chain. The whole of the metal is to be broken to pass through a two and a half inch ring.

Roads not to be obstructed.

Cuttings.

Drain,

Embankments.

Punning.

Road alterations.

Metalling.