THE RAILWAY BRIDGE.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 331, 5 June 1894, Page 2

THE RAILWAY BRIDGE.

If it be true that the Kail nay authorities intend only to patch up the wrecked Aorangi budge and to strengthen that part which the flood water spared, then we begto enter our earnest protest against such shortsighted economy. What is required is a new bridge altogether, on another site where the structure would be leb6 liable to be injured or destroyei by the river when iv flood. The opinion has been freely expressed by practical men who have a knowledge of these things, that the alleged " ropairs and strengthenings," which were going on fo;- months before the bridge collapsed put such an extra weight ou the piles, which had already become brittle- as glu-s from age, that iv a very short time it would veiy likely have collapsed from its own weight if the flood had not carried it away. What has happened to one half of the ♦•ridge may happen to the other, and it would be a matter for very littlo surprise if the next risiug of tho waters did not complete the work of last week. The authorities have long known tho instability of this bridge, otherwise they would not have tried to sell it to the local bodies for a road bridgo, nor would they have *>pent, or rather wasted, as much time and money in pntchiug it as would have gone far towards i utting up a bridge which tho travelling public could go over in safely, and without fear and trembling as they undoubted will iv the future over tho old one.

Thy following are tho traffic returns for the Napier-Tnninaki section for the four week ending April 2t>, 1891 (twenty-eight days) and for the corresponding four weeks (twenty-nine days) in 1893 :—

.£16.830 18 8117,;J6G 13 3 The extra day in the 1893 will explain the excess over the 1894 period.

1894 1893 Passengers 6787 13 7 7851 f> 2 Parcels 73") 15 8 913 7 0 Goods 8558 9 2 7810 10 5 Miscellaneous 729 0 3 791 10 8