NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 435, 18 February 1909, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

CHI TELEGEAPE —PEEBB ASSOCIATIONS ... —: 6— WAIAU BRIDGE. A STRONG AND PERMANENT STRUCTURE. Chrlstchuroh, February 17. Mr. H. J. H. Blow, Under-Secretary for Public Works, has informed'' the' Cheviot County Council that the plans and specifications of the Waiau Bridge are now practically complete, and that it is proposed to invite for its erection shortly." ' It will bo a combined road and railway 1 bridge on' tho route of the South Island, Main Trunk railway. The, construction of vthe -bridge, has. 'been agitated for in order to facilitate communication between North Canterbury and Marlborough. "The plans .of the bridge show that the structure will be a strong'and.'permanentone, and while it will be of simple construction it will posses's aU:tho recent un- ; provoments of up-tcHiate bridges. It will bo built of hardwood with ironbark piles and steel loweir chords.. The ordinary width of the bridge will'be 13ft. 4iri., but owing to its extreme length (nearly half a mile) there will be two places 19ft. wide to allow vehicles to pass each other, and thirteen' plaices where, pedestrians will be able to step aside .-to allow vehicles to pass. There will be fortysir spans of 42ft. Bin.; six of 41ft. lOin., two of 41ft., and/two (the end spans) of - 14ft. The height from the bed of the river'will be ; loft., which is considered sufficient' for a river as wide as the Waiau. The decking will consist of 4in. planking'. The-bridge :is to be completed within eighteen months ■fi the acceptance of the tender. '

A WRECK AND AN AUCKLAND I SYNDICATE. , i Auckland, February -17. .'An...Auckland/,syndicate has acquired the. entire rights to the steamer Aeon, ..wrecked on Christmas Island, .and will dispatch". the Auxiliary scow Zingara ; fully equipped, with lifting gear and carrying divers, carpenters, and labourers. . The syndicate is hopeful of salvaging tho cargo of 1000 tons of geiieral merchandise and two million feet of timber, and of refloating the Aeon. The hull is reported to be not badly damaged and the cargo, well preserved. The expedition is in charge of Captain Robertson, and has been fitted out . under the direction of Captain. W. Ross. ■ COSTLEY HOME: AN INQUIRY. Auckland, February 17. The Hospital Board, after consulting its solicitors, decided that it is desirable to hold a.private inquiry in connection with allegations with regard to the management of. the Costley Homo before proceeding further.". The' public inquiry fixed for this morning . was consequently.'dropped. . ; v:', CADET CAMPS AND FREE SCHOOL BOOKS. Auckland, February 17. Despite'strong protests by headmasters and assistant teachers, the Board of Education,; having ascertained that a certain proportion ,of its officers were favourable, while. nearly four hundred cadets desired to go into camp, resolved to go on. with the camp; Tho chair-: man of 1 the board stated that after, consultation with the headmasters and booksellers, the board was : quite satisfied • that, the Government grant for free school books was not sufficient, and that he had referred the matter to the Minister. '' '■:A:i,-'Y-,r» OUR COASTAL ARTILLERY. Auckland, February 17. No. 3 Company of the. Auckland-Division of the Garrison Artillery, in the final olapsfiring, made remarkable shooting,-the figuremark of efficiency .being 1.47, which beats the record of No.'l Company, , previously announced in error as the winners of the Coast Artillery Cup. THE KAWAKAWA RAILWAY. - Auckland, February. 17..Tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie ha 9 instructed tho Public Works Department-to engage" one - hun-" dred additional men for. the Whangarei-Kawa-kawa railway, bringing the number employed to 150. The final route of the North Atick-' land railway -catfriot'-'be announced till after his return to Wellington, but the Minister is fully convinced that the line, should proceed as quicklyias possible.'. .■> '■\ THE NEW WANGANUI COI.LECE; • Wanganuf, February 17. .Messrs. Atkins and-Bacon have been aparchitects / to. tho. trustees of . the Wangariui College for the re-erection of the college on the new site, at .a cost of £30,000. The .foundation-stone' will- be laid by His Excellency the Governor at Easter.

NEWS IN BRIEF. Hamilton, February 17. At the ; Police . Court this morning, . Look, v;>ts further remanded till Friday, ou a charge' of stabbing his .wife. Mrs. : , Look's; conditionis still serious. . Christchurch, February-17. The Canterbury Acclimatisation Society de-; cided to-night to' offer Is." per; head for the heads of black shaga m'ordor to protect" the trout : in the wors underv.the, sociotyfsl jurisdiction.