THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 129

One hundred loopholes have been constructed, and
all but six of these built in, leaving twenty-two still
to be made. Each loophole averages 32 feet of
timber. They are made of 1¼ inch rimu or kauri,
strengthened with cross-battens, and well coated
with tar.

With respect to the ditch, a step, 3 feet broad, has
been for the present left between it and the parapet.
The treacherous nature of the pumice soil demanded
this, and events have proved the justice of the
precaution—the late heavy rains having made great
havoc even with the step. Had the whole ditch been
cut out at once at first, the slightest slip of the
soil below would have removed the support of the
parapet, portions of which might ere now have
toppled down into the ditch.* On one face of the
work, the step alluded to has been cut away, and the
sides of the ditch sodded. With this precaution
it stands well. I must point out, however, that
in such a soil as this, the sodding of the ditches will
be an absolute necessity for the permanency of the
work.

The banquettes of the fort have been made
throughout with "punga" or tree-fern stems, placed
side by side,—a very strong and durable revetment.
There were 1,200 of these used in the work. The
labour of cutting these out of the bush, and bringing
them by canoe a distance of two miles down a snaggy
creek, was considerable.

II. The Tower.—The delay in finding lime, and
the spoiling by wet of the first kiln burnt, has much
delayed the progress of the central tower. The
foundation, however, has been finished, nearly,
expending 6,000 bricks and 30 bushels of lime; but
there being now 18,000 bricks and 40 bushels of
lime on hand, there is nothing to prevent the wall
from being rapidly run up on return of the workmen.

The total number of bricks for the tower will
be 34,000, and the quantity of lime needed will
be 170 bushels. There remain yet wanting, there-
fore, 10,000 bricks and 100 bushels of lime, a work
of little time to obtain, now that all is organized
to produce both in large quantities.

For the interior fittings of the tower, a larger
quantity of sawn timber than at first decided will be
required. Owing to the comparative difficulty of
obtaining lime, an alteration (the only alteration)
has been made from the original plan of construction
presented to His Excellency the Governor in the
Report of the 21st September ultimo. I have
directed the internal divisions of the tower to be
made of wood, with the exception of the lock-up,
which will be a brick building.

III. The well in the centre of the tower has been
sunk, and, a stout curb having been put in, it has been
carefully steened with well-bricks, moulded specially
for this purpose. It requires nothing but the grout-
ing-in of the upper course of bricks to complete it.

For the bridges, the timber is here, but not yet
put together. The inner bridge alone will be needed
as a drawbridge, the outer one—that leading into
the ravelin—being of the simpler ordinary con-
struction.

Fence.—It was found necessary to enclose the
neck of land upon which the fort stands,—between
the Waipa River and a gully running into it. A
stout fence, nine chains long, has therefore been put
up there.

IV. Brick-making.—The clay-bed, of which I
reported the existence, has, upon being worked, fully

• To give an idea of the light nature of the subsoil, it may be
  mentioned, that about four years ago a small swamp near
  Newcastle, becoming surcharged with water, broke its way
  to the Waipa River, forming, in two days, a gully 20 feet deep,
  30 feet broad, and 200 yards in length.

answered expectation, being pure malm of superior
character, yielding a brick of a bright red colour,
clear metallic ring, and tough quality. This valuable
bed lies on the river-bank, between the fort and
the Waipa. Though apparently an isolated deposit,
it is of considerable extent and thickness, running
into the bank to eight or ten feet above the
ordinary river-level. It has been found necessary,
after working out the surface clay, to remove, as
the excavation proceeded, the "encallow," or super-
incumbent soil, which consists of patches of gravel
underlying pumice sand. This has been effected by
a short double tramway, with tip-waggons, the soil
being shot into the river.

It is suggested that this brick-field and its plant
might be economically retained to supply all the
bricks that may hereafter be required for other
Government works in the district.* The judicious
removal of the river-bank, as the clay is worked out,
will have the effect of more completely opening out
the river to view from the fort.

Upon completion of the tower, it might be par-
tially used as a gaol; and prison labour could then
be fitly employed upon the brick-field within the
Fort Reserve.

The number of bricks burnt, up to the present
time, has been 24,000, in two kilns of 11,000 and
13,000 respectively. A third small kiln will be
required to complete the tower.

A large iron-roofed brick-shed, 66 feet by 20, has
been erected. A complete plant for double moulding
has been constructed, including tables, barrows, and
moulds for well, arch, plinth, and ordinary bricks.

V. Lime.—The procuring of lime has presented
great difficulty. No lime has ever been made in
Waikato before. When required, it has been obtained
from Auckland and Waikato Heads (shell-lime),
or from Papakura (stone-lime).

It was mentioned to me, however, by Mr. T. B.
Hill, of Auckland, that he had observed limestone
cropping out on the summit of the Raglan ranges,
about two miles from the Waipa River, above
Whatawhata.

Upon examining that locality I found, upon the
Toke-hau-hau track to Raglan, stone of a very good
quality, which, upon analysis,† yielded ninety per
cent. pure carbonate of lime. Its exact position
is opposite Section 76 of the Karamu Block; but
there are indications which lead me to believe
that lime will hereafter be found at numerous points
in the ranges on the left bank of the Waipa. At
Karikari, lower down, I found an impure limestone
within 200 yards of the river, on one of the secondary
hills of the same ranges.‡

Lime-kilns have been constructed at the point
above indicated. There is plenty of timber at hand
ready for fuel, felled some years ago, when the
Government cleared the Toke-hau-hau route. The
lime is burnt on the spot, and is carried down to the
Waipa on the Constabulary pack-horses; from Tui-
karamea, on the Waipa, it is sent by steamer to
Newcastle.

We have been supplied, up to the present time,
with seventy bushels. It is very strong, five bushels
going to the 1,000 bricks; and, as compared with
shell-lime, at ten bushels to the 1,000 bricks, is
worth at least 4s. 6d. per bushel delivered here.

VI. Labour.—From the 14th August ultimo, until
the 23rd August, the labour for the work was given

• The hospital at Newcastle, an extensive and solidly con-
  structed two-storey wooden building, is destitute of a single
  chimney at present.
  † Captain Hutton, Mr. T. B. Hill.
  ‡ The existence of this limestone is an additional reason
  in favour of completing, as soon as possible, the communication
  between Raglan and the Waikato.