BRIDGE DISMANTLED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 17, 4 February 1937, Page 4

BRIDGE DISMANTLED

Old Timber Structure at Tbe Waitangi v PILES RIDDLED WITH B0RER After 30 years' service, the old wooden traific bridge at Waitangi on the N apiCr-Hastings main highway is in the hands of the wreckers. Rapidly Ihe old structure> much of it still as soufid as when the bridge was built, is being pulled apait, and traffic passes beside it on the new ferro-cdncrett bridge completed last year. In the great floo.d of 1897 the bridge over this portion of the road- was washed away by the raging waters tharenderdd mafiy settlers in the distric hdmeless. A temporary Wooden bridge, designed to give service for 12 mdfiths only, was ei'ected in its plaee, and recxained unaltered for almost 10 yeafs until an. overladen tfactof, followed b another heavy lorry, almost went through it. Two of the spans buckled tnwards and downwards, and it was decided to build a new bridge. That was 30 years ago, and the structure;, built mainly of kauri, stood al subsequent floods and traffic. Th© piles Were of Australian iron-bark, and those which have now been broken off and pulled out show that they have been literally riddled with bdreri An expefl on the subjeet of hardwoods stated yesterday that had the piles been 10 fiiilee farther up the river they would not have been attacked to such an extent, but that a type of borer common to wOOHs in salt Water had eom pletely ruined them. A kick at tl> bas© Of a pile brought off masses oi -splintered and rotten wood. The decking of the bridge, in matai, and the supetstructuie of the bes^hear+ kauri, although slightly, weatherbeaten, are how still nS good as when pir down, and will be sold by anction. The dismantling of the bridge has now. been in progress for three * weeks, and one complete span and much of two others have aiready been removed and etacked nearby preparatory to sale. It is expected that the work will be completed within another month.