468

To His Honor the Superintendent,
Invercargill.

EVIDENCE TAKEN BY COMMISSION ON BLUFF HARBOUR AND INVERCARGILL RAILWAY.

Examination of Mr. Edward Elliot.

Invercargill, Thursday, March 24, 1864.

I am a Civil Engineer, Architect, and Building Surveyor; I have examined the specifications for No. 1 contract, Bluff Harbour and Invercargill Railway.

In passing along the works I have made observations on the way in which the works are being carried out. I have noticed deviations from the specifications at No. 2 Cutting; a considerable portion of the stuff from the cutting has been put upon the bank instead of being carried to the north to form a double line of railway over the swamp. The fencing at the cutting is not correct, the intermediate posts are wanting. In No. 3 cutting I have not observed any deviations excepting that the side drains to catch the surface water have not been carried on in advance of the work, in fact, had not been made at all on or about the 18th February last; and on the 25th February I was down the line with Mr. McKay and Mr. Wilson, when the side drains had not been made then.

In No. 4 Cutting by West’s a large portion of the stuff from the cutting has been thrown on the bank to spoil, instead of being used to fill in the swamp towards the Bluff. In the swamp beyond No. 4 cutting (embankment No. 5) I saw, both on the 18th and 25th February, several parties of men wheeling wet peaty substance from the sides into the centre of the embankment. At the same place, in forming the side ditches, the peaty surface had been thrown upon the sides of the line and then covered up with grey sand that underlies it, giving the sides a nice solid appearance. After this was done the peaty wet stuff from the adjoining surface of the swamp was thrown in between the two drains, and likewise covered immediately with sand, without affording any opportunity for the stuff to dry.

The fencing of cutting No. 4 is likewise deficient in the intermediate posts, and the timber is not good or according to specification; a large proportion of it is red and white pine.

In embankment No. 3 I saw the men tipping in the roots of trees to form the embankment, (at the three-mile peg).

made in the fences, and in making embankments from side-cuttings; the fence put up is an improvement upon that described in the specification.

The making of embankments from side-cuttings was necessary to expedite the work, and though the material may not be so good as that from the cuttings for lines where great speed is required, we believe that the permanent character of the work is not thereby altered, for the embankments will be kept dry by the side-ditches and outfall-drains, which on a swamp of the character of that in question are essential to the construction, whether it be formed of peat, or material from cutting.

In concluding this report, we desire to thank Mr. Hcale for his courtesy in accompanying us upon our inspection, and affording us his valuable assistance: we desire also to state our opinion that the works on this contract are highly creditable to the designer, the engineers and contractor, and that they present an instance of great difficulties overcome for an outlay, viewed with that on English and Australian Railways, comparatively trifling.

We should have been glad if we could have concluded our report with the above expression of our general satisfaction, but we feel that we should not be discharging the duty which we have undertaken, if we neglected to state that we are of opinion that the necessity for the present enquiry would not have arisen if the Railway Engineer when he found, for reasons quite unconnected with his special duties and qualifications, reasons involving questions of public policy only, if necessary to depart materially from the specifications, had before so doing referred the matter to the Provincial Government, or if he had furnished it with a proper report on the subject.

Some excuse, however, may be found for this apparently independent action, in the evidence of Mr. Dundas where he says, that from the commencement it was well understood by the engineers that the works were, if practicable, to be completed by the 22nd of June next. It was not therefore considered necessary to submit the deviation from the contract made with that object, for any further approval of the Government.

We have the honor to be,

Sir,

Your Honor’s most obedient servants,

Signed ALFRED SHEATH.
I. N. WATT.