THE HAURAKI BRIDGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5037, 8 October 1926, Page 2

THE HAURAKI BRIDGE.

CEREMONIAL PILE DRIVEN. PUBLIC .WORKS MINISTER’S VISIT. A pile in the Hauraki Bridge was driven by the Hon. K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Works, on Wednesday afternoon in th® presence of 200 people, including a score or so of Plains residents. The Ministerial party included Messrs, C. J. McKenzie, Engineer-in-Chief, Public Works Department ; L, B. Campbell, district engineer, and N. E. Hutchings, private secretary. Messrs A. M. Samuel and T. W. Rhowes, M’s.P., and representatives of most of the local bodies; of the district were also present. THE BRIDGE. The pile driven was the eighteenth, as work on the permanent structure commenced on September 9. A temporary wooden staging has been erected for about 360 ft to carry the derrick and machinery, and three piers of the permanent concrete piles have been placed in position. They are driven in nests of three, and at the present time a firm foundation is secured at an average depth df 70ft. Later, it is anticipated, the piles will have to be driven over 100 ft. Instead of the usual pile driving monkey a steam hammer of somewhat similar appearance is used,. It rests on the top of the buffer pile and delivers rapid blows which, experience has shown, will drive a pile in eleven minutes, THE ADDRESSES. The Minister of Public Work'sl was formally introduced by the member for Thames, Mr T. W. Rhodes. Mr E. L. Walton, chairman of the Hauraki Plains County Council, the authority controlling the bridge, was the principal speaker, and his address was as follows :—

“It gives me very much pleasure to participate with yoh all in this happy event. A wedding is always looked upon as a happy event. Some time before it takes place there is usually a betrothal. To-day we are gathered together to witness the fertile Hauraki Plains and the historic Hauraki Peninsula plight their troth. At the request of the Hauraki Plains County council, which will be the controlling local authority, the ceremony will be performed by the Hon. the Minister of Public Works, who will drive a pile to its firm foundation in the bed of the Waihou River, where the two* parts of the Hauraki district already unite. This ceremonial pile i« one of the first which will carry the superstructure of the Hauraki Bridge —the bridge which, when completed, will symbolise our union. _ I am sure we are all looking forward eagerly to that union—a union from which we anticipate mutual and immense benefits. I know some of you have waited nearly a lifetime to see this happy event, and I can rejoice With you to-day in the official commencement of what is, without doubt, dne of the most important works in the district of Hauraki. I believe the word ‘Hauraki’ may be translated as ‘The North Wind.’ If so, then it is a particularly fitting name, both for this bridge o'f union and this district, for it is the warm north winds which bring the moisture that rondel's this district so fertile and .'suitable for dairy farming. “While the Hon. Minister is with ufe, I would like to express .what I feel is jour unanimous wish, and that is that he will expedite the construction of the bridge and so hasten the day to which we are all looking forward — the day when we will gather together again to see him perform the marriage ceremony symbolised by the opening of the Hauraki Bridge to traffic. “I will not detain you any longer ; but after Messrs McCormick and Rrodes have spoken I will ask the Hon. K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Wdrks, to perform the ceremony.” In the capacity of Mayor of Thames Mr T. W. Rhodes spoke of the occasion as being one of great motaen't to the town and to the country. The project had been under way for a great many year®, and at one time 12 to 15 years ago it had been helped to s.ee the work commenced immediately, but difficulties had arisen and it was not until recently that the difficulties had been surmounted. It was pleasing to hav© the Minister present to drive a pile in the bridge, and it was hoped that within a ye.ar or fourteen months he would be back again to declare the link officially open. Mr J. McCormick, on behalf of the Thames County Council, briefly welcomed the Minister. The Minislter of* Public Works thanked the speakers and the people for their welcome. He was thankful for the Invitation to visit the district, as it gavq him the excuse to come sooner than had been anticipated. The bridge appeared to be an important link, and anything which would link communities closer together would be of benefit. He did not know whether he could be as, optimistic as the previous speakers as to the date of the completion of the work. The length of the bridge would be 1524 ft, and there would be 25 spans. Eighteen of these spans would carry a 12ft roadway and five, each 60ft long, would carry a ,19ft roadway. There would be two opening spans, each 70ft Ung, with a 12 ft roadway. The materials to be used included 186 14in concrete piles totalling 6270 lineal feet, 186 12in timber leader piles, totalling 6510 lineal feet, 46 sft diameter concrete cylinders totalling 623 ft, 168 timber piles for the fairway totalling 7560 ft, 62 tons of steel for reinforcing, 330 tons of steel girders for the roadway, 21 tons of bolts and other ironwork, 1450 cubic yards of concrete, 360 tons of Portland cement, 21,00'0 superficial feet of hardwood timber or handrails, etc., and 45,000 to 50,000 feet of timber for staging and false-work. All this, I mat^,.j a j would require a considerable time to be assembled, but he would s r a y oh behalf of the Public Works Department that there would not be hny unnecessary delay. He wished to thank the local bodies for the amount of money, they were finding. Great credit Was due td the Hon. J. G. Coates, the previous Minister of Publiic Works,

who had introduced the main Mghwaygj seheine. The Highways Hoard. 1 was subsidising the bridge. The Mini|fi,ter, then turned on the steam and started the pife-drivlng hanun'eir.