CLOSING OF WAITOHU BRIDGE.

Otaki Mail, 13 December 1922, Page 2

CLOSING OF WAITOHU BRIDGE.

® - COUNCILLORS MAKE PROTEST. REPAIRS DELAYED THROUGH SHIPPING TROUBLE. , A lively discussion followed the , reading of a letter at the Horowhenua , County Council’s meeting 'on Satur- , day from the Wellington Automobile Association, which stated that cotn- : plaints had been received that the | Waitoliu bridge had been closed for | two months. ".Motorists had to *ord 'the stream, which was extremely dif- ! ficul: alter heavy rains," the letter j proceeded. “One member complained 1 that on two occasions lately he had to remain in the middle of the stream for two bouts until the services of a horse from a farmer was secured. The farmer apparently did quite a good business in hauling ears out of the ’stream." The Association said it | would be glad to know when the bridge would again be available for traffic. Or. Darkness said it was simply ridiculous that this bridge should be closed, as it was causing no end of. inconvenience to the public. n ( > pad been told by the chairman of a county council that the bridge need not have been closed. Or. Monk (chairman): Who is that? Or. Darkness repeated that the bridge should never have been closed simply because a car came along and knocked the side of the bridge off. Thai was tm reason why the Council should penalise the whole of the traffic through Hie'*county. He believed the bridge would • any light traffic, up In Hew; mi ton.- wheels. \ man could have been kept there to see that light traffic only went over, lie considered the Engineer should be censured for destroying public property in the first instance by ordering (he culling of bridge timbers, lie was not speaking in a vindictive spirit.

. but they could not get away from the fact that because one man had run . into the side of (lie bridge the structure had been closed. He hoped the Council would never do that again. A man who knew what he was speaking about said (ho bridge could be “lomnied up" to carry any reasonable (raffle. Travellers would have to cross, of course, at (heir own risk. As to the ford, i! was dangerous, and if nothing was done In the bridge.' ■ something should be done to improve j the ford. I The Kngineet .-aid the ford was as good a- it could possibly he. He. came through the day before without trouble. He maintained he was justified in closing the bridge, as his first j diitv was to safeguard the public. If any vehicle had gone through the bridge the county would have been responsible. He referred to the inter- | ference with hani’adev These had . been raised, and nearly caused a bad accident it, a motor eyelid. “1 take j I full responsibility for Ihe closing of j the bridge." said the Engineer, j ‘‘which i did to safeguard the pub-1 lie." Cr. Ilarknes- -‘aid he had been told j by the chairman of a county council bridge I The Chairman Who is that? I take eveption to these stateuiMiw It u no; bis business. C.r. Harkuess: 1 am only too pleased 111 listen to h. man's opinion. The eh a inn an; 1 am quite prepared to say the stringer* in the bridge were cracked and dangerous. Cr. Ryder: Why wasn’t tha* found out before? There is no reason hecause a man knocked off a handrail [that the bridge should he closed. | Trie Chairman: The condition of the c.r. Ryd'-r: How long? He considered (f the bridge was “tonirned up" it would he quite safe, He saw bur boufilers in 'he ford, and this ought to be kept in order by the roadman. "I’ve be°n ge'ffng ’Up' over this bridge," said Cr. Ryder, ‘but if Hie ford kept in order it wil 1 no* be

so bud.” If'- thought the bridge could (.e repaired to -tarry light traffic. The Engineer =aid the "torn- - ’ would be knocked otr by a flood, and there had b*en a C-‘ •' ‘rouble with floods The l-od was- always being cleared but the freshes brought ’he boulders, down. Cr. Barber: We've got to accept, the i advjce of our expert’s. The Engineer is qui’e iusCfied in safeguarding the ' Council. Cr. Byder said ‘here wa« «ome a*pCalC'ig that he wanted to bring up too. The Chairman: You can dr- that later on Confine yourself to the quesCon before the Council cr. Harknees rose to speak but the Chairman aske-i Mm to resume Ms -<-a*. as tie had already spoken. Cr. Harknes? i rise to rt point-—-The Chairman: Take your chair. * please, ci Harkn-'-?= Proceeding, the ■ hairman said when he found the | ford in flood he wen* round the by-, road He bad examined the bridge ’ with the Engineer and found a stiin- j * g---r completely rotten with only shell lef- The bridge might have been “tcmined up.” r>u* heavy ‘raffle wouM, pot respect the Council’s Jnst ructions: besides it was at night j * that most of the heavy lorries Went through And if they allowed light 5 traffic to go over, how were ‘hey going *o discriminate? They must let P all go or" none. Heavy lorries nad I ” broken through bridges in other coon-1’ " ties, and there was a case in Manga- ’ *• tainoka a few months ago. The Coon- j P had acted in good faith and closed J a; ihe bridge. If 'he Automobile As so- j tiation wanted *o assist the Council hey could do so by- helping to get ] t: he shipping strike over, so that the > ,1 irnber for the bridge could be got s 6: com Australia. He asked the council- * 8. or? were there any stringer? in the • fa' iridge that would carry the traffic J ti •n the read to-day? He believed if | ‘ringers were “lommed up” the ferns vouid be driven right through by a 'z lorry*. He agreed with Cr. Barter, W

j and backed up the Engineer, who, he (believed, was quite right, i Cr. Darkness said he was not cpJ posing the Enginee. He thought if l there was anything to be brought, up j the Council table was the right, place to bring it up. If lorries crossed the bridge they did so at their own risk. Was the local Council responsible when the lorry went through ‘.he bridge at Mangatanoka? The Chairman: The bridge would simply be a death trap. Cr. Darkness: Not a death irap. ! I would he prepared to go over if it weie "fotnined up." He did not ‘believe the toms would be driven through the stringers, which were solid hear! of rintu and very little decayed. : The Chairman: Five inches decayed, i Cr. Ihtrkness: It would have carried I tratfte. What is the result? Seven miles of the by-road destroyed by the ■ traffic. The Chairman said it was unfortu- . nate that, the timber for the bridge was held up in Newcastle owing to ■ the shipping I rouble. The Engineer had ordered the timber in ample • time, but no one had anticipated the • strike. Cr. MeLcavey supported tDo Engineer. If traffic was allowed to pass ■ over the bridge, gales would have io 1 he erected, otherwise lorries would force their way over. Thai meant a

mail would have to he on the bridge day and night. It was unfortunate for traffic, but the Council*had to close the bridge. Cr. Rroadbelt. asked if they could get timber in ihe Dominion. The Engineer: At double the prire. Cr. Rroadbelt said it seemed to him the only alternative was to get timber in New Zealand and do the work. The Engineer stated that a. representative of the hardwood firm wa * in Levin that morning, and did not think the limber could get here now till January 15. C.r. Ryder considered the bridge could be "iommed up." , Cr. Md.eavey: Would von allow

heavy traffic over? Cr. Ryder: Yes. i Cr. MeLcavey: T would not t The Engineer said if there, wa* a I broken timber in a bridge and the Council allowed traffic, to cross, it was ! responsible for accidents. Notices on I bridges were torn down. * Cr. Ryder -aid a notice was effective | for a period that would give the Coun- , cil reasonable time to put a bridge j in order. Cr. Rroadbelt. asked if the. old strut 'gets could not be used to-make tein- • ponm repairs to take truffle. The Engineer: No. The < hairman said a lot of adverse comment hud been, passed, hut he maintained the Council had taken the lies! course of action. Cr. Harkness:' I would like to feel that we have. The Chairman: Yon will when vou j have had as long experience as r have. | Cr Harkness: Because a maniac fries tn break hi* neck we need not close a bridge. That is his funeral. The Chairman: There are a lot of neoj pie who should he saved from themselves. and we closed the bridge *o | save them. The chairman said the j only reply they could give the Aiito--1 r obiic A - ■ • nation was that Hie bridge would be re-opened a* soon a- pos. slide after the timber arrives R was decided to reply to this eff Pytf .