Low Level Bridges.

Manawatu Herald, 17 April 1897, Page 2

Low Level Bridges.

A month ago a councillor of the Horowhenua County brought up the question of ereoting low level bridges over the rivers, arguing that great expense would be saved in the erection, and also in forming the approaches to, the bridges. His idea was that the bridge would suffer little damage in a flood as the timber brought down the river Would float over the top of it. The bridges would in any case be of no use in a flood and that should be sufficient reason to prevent the scheme being given effect to. In any case we cannot see how the erection of any bridge except out of reach of a known flood mark, can ensure its being sufficiently safe from logs brought down the stream, unless it was built only sufficiently high over the bed of the river so as to cover the water at a depth too shallow for a log to float in. It must be evident to. anyone converoant with river floods that the height reached after rain is very; uncertain, so that a low lying bridge would be likely to receive as much, if not more, damage as a ' high level one,, and would certainly be* a very useless structure. . All rivers should be bridged and the general revenue of the colony should certainly be called uppp to find a portion of the cost, and it appears a pity that, so as to be able to say a river was bridged, public men should propose such inadequate measures.