Trampers Fix Cage Over Dangerous River

Chronicle (Levin), 12 July 1949, Page 7

Trampers Fix Cage Over Dangerous River

WELLINGTON, July 11. ■ Probably the most dangerous river in the Tararuas, the Waiohine, has been bridged by members of the Tararua Tramping Olub. In four weeltends they have spanned it with a cabie earrying a cage capable of taking two passengers. The span of 330 feet is claimed to be the biggest ot its type in New Zealand. ■ Notorious for the speed- with wliick it would rise in bad weather, tfyg, Waiohine has isolated nxany parties .fqr days on end in the past. Recently a tramper w.as drowned in the river when attempting to cross it. Now, howevei'j the bridge, which has . been built at Totara t'lats, includes negotiation of the river in the growing nujnber of all-weather routes being estabjished in the ranges. On the first weekend a survey determined the site of the bridge. The following weekend a working party o± about 30 carried in 12001b of "niaterial in addition to their own eqnipment. Holes vvere dug and eonerete anchors were put down for 23-foot-high staging ereeted on the north bank. As if it resented the work being done, the river suddenly rose, separat-

ing the parties working on the north and soutli banks. Both had to return to Wellington by different routes. Tliose on the southern side of the river, where all the food and equipment had been left, went out by Pakuratahi, while those on the northern side, elad only in bathing trunks and parkas, had to struggle out by way of Bannister. On the next working weekend the prefabrieated cage was taken in together with shackle? weighing over .jOlb each and blocks and tackles lent by the Army, also weighing about 301b. The rest oi' the needed timber for t'he staging was cut, the cable was pulled aeross the river, and the cage hung on the wire. The linal working party completecl ihe staging, linished the erection of 640 feet of pulling wire and made minor adjustnients to the cage, which may be inoved with the aid of windlasses on vither bank and on'the cage itseif. All the timber for the project had to be cut ou the southern side of the river and carried to the uorthern side as required. Prom the Bannister Hut it took 12 men live hours to hauLthe four liundredweight of wire required to the site of the bridge. This journey nornially occupied two hours and a half. 'ihe project cost £140, of which the Physical Welfare branch of the Department of Internal Afl'airs provided ,115.