SOUTH WESTLAND BRIDGES.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1920, Page 4

SOUTH WESTLAND BRIDGES.

LITTLE WAITAHA AND LITTLE WANGANUI RIVERS.

Tlie following letter (dated Wellington, 2th January, 1920) has been received by Air T. E. Y. Seddon, AI.P.: “ This, letter, which will explain the position with regard to the erection of the Little Wanganui and Little Waitaha bridges in South Westland, is being written in compliance with the request made by you to tho Under-Secre-tary for Public Works yesterday afternoon.

“An item of £3OOO, on account of £6000; appeal's on the current Public Works Appropriations for the Little Wanganui bridge, and £3OOO on account of £SOOO for “bulging the Little Wait ah a.

“The mild steel rods for both bridges were ordered from Australia In April last and have been received. Piles for the Little Waitalia bridge have been procured from the Greymouth Harbour Board. A contract has been let to a" firm of sawmillers in South Westland for the supply of the New Zealand timbers required for the Little AVangnntii bridge, and the Resident Engineer ha.s been requested to make arrangements for the local timbers to he used in the Little AVaitnha structure.

- “ I was able, after much Double, to let a contract in-May last for the early delivery of the hardwood timber for these two bridges, and for the Rough Creek and Brown Creek bridges in the Inangahua County. “ A shipment of approximately 55,000 feet of the timber recently arrived at Greymouth, hut the majority of it does not comply with the specification, and consists of a miscellaneous assortment of timbers, which are regarded by tho Department as unsuitable for large bridges. This is very unfortunate, as the balance of the order is expected very shortly, and tenders would have been invited immediately for the erection of the bridges if the first shipment had been satisfactory. “You will realise from the above that the Department is doing its best to expedite the work, but that its efforts have been nullified to a large extent by the shipment of unsatisfactory timber.” timber.—l am, etc., W. FRASER, Minister of Public Works.