TAKEN DOWN BADLY!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 11, 1 October 1943, Page 5

TAKEN DOWN BADLY!

RUATOKI RIVER BRIDGE

.COUNTY COUNCIL'S REACTION

The long period of dissatisfaction voiced by the Whakatane County Council with regard to the state of disrepair into which the Ruatoki River Bridge had fallen after being used for only -a comparatively short time, reached' a head at last Tuesday's! meeting when a letter from the P.W.D. engineer stated that the bridge had been constructed to carry no more than a gross weighit of 6to 7 tons. As the # average county bridge is constructed to carry 16 tons, the council was astounded at what was described as the official short-sightedness in planning 1 such a structure. The letter claimed further that before the bridge was handed over to the county it had been carefully inspected and there were no flaws, neither had the county raised any points in this connection. In his report to the council the Acting-Engineer,, Mr R. O. fomkins said that the engineer in conversation with him had stated that on account of the loading designed for be would not re-ommend the placing of gravel on the bridge. AS' iar as the strength of the concrete was concerned, he had added that p? c Jiiuinary compression tests with the shingle to be used were round about 3000lbs per square inch. in the actual construction some tests were remarkably good, being -as high as 50001 bs per square inch. Asked whether any of the tests were below 20001 bs per square inch, he said that some were so, that he thought such were limited to the decking of the end span and that such were possibly caused by a deterioration in the quality of some cement stored on the job while the contractor was called, away to another district for .some G-8 weeks. Asked if he would supply the council with details of these tests, lie 1 replied that, owing to staff difficulties it was quite impossible at the present time. 1 understand much of the above is confirmed in a letter just received. In view of the District Engineer's statement it would 'appear necessary for the council to restrict the laden "weight of the traffic bridge.

The chairman observed that i! looked as if the council were endangering the bridge by putting gravel on the decking. It was not correct to say that the council had been .satisfied with the bridge, when it iirst took' over. It had pointed, out the faults all along. The council on top of everything else was now suddenly told that the bridge was only designed to carry (J tons. This information should have bceii in their hands long ago- -.

Cr McGougaii: We nev|i" : thought the Government wqiJtkl. b$ guilty ol building a bridge-of tha l £ sort with .all the developed land behind it. Its ridiculous. The county would never have sanctioned it, I leel that we've been taken down badly. Ihe way it is breaking up indicates, that it has never been up. to standard. The district it .serves is going to -develop more and more and L thin* •the whole thing should be. exposeu! Tlie chairman: We have asked three times for I lie compression tests -and have not received them. We •can ask for a fourth. Cr Cawte: Could we. not take the whole matter to the Minister. We don't seem to be getting very far ■with the engineer. The council decided to wait another month in order to see if some was forthcoming.