LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 67, 5 July 1873, Page 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, —As I understand that it is contemplated to lay down fresh fascines upon the approach on the South side to the Waipaoa Punt, I would venture to offer a few suggestions before such is definitely determined upon. The ultimate effect of this, it seems to me, will merely be to perpetuate its present impracticable and dangerous condition, though it may for a time, if no floods supervene, render the crossing presently available ; but I would ask, if this is to be the main crossing place of the river, is it worth while to,put off the evil day by a series of. makeshifts like this which will assuredly become more expensive on each recurrence, instead of boldly launching out into a permanent and not very expensive work, amply sufficient, meantime, for all the requirements of the district; and of such a nature as could ultimately be made to form a portion of the bridge which of course will finally be required. What I propose is this: Any solid approach, unless of such a height as to be above the reach of all ordinary floods, would only induce the formation of a morass of silt above and around it, and very probably would be finally swept away by the pressure of the water upon the heaps of drift wood and other debris which would gradually accumulate, and so be in no degree better than the fascines, and if made of superior height would necessitate a steep and inconvenient descent on to the punt. What is required then is an approach on a platform whose supports shall be sufficiently far apart as to allow free passage to floating logs, &c., and fastened so firmly to the piles that a flood up to the platform would not wrench it off. As the chief current of the river sets into the Turanganui side the risk of logs damaging or lodging against the platform would be seemingly small; whilst on the deep side such a platform would not be required, except to the extent of either a lunged platform capable of being lifted upwards and. backwards on to the bank, or when down, resting on short piles connected by a bearer under the water—or, better still, by a sloping platform of pared stone or concrete. As to cost; suppose a platform—approach, say 9 feet wide, of sawn timber (with two wooden balk longitudinal flanges within the wheel gauges, to prevent accidents in backing vehicles off the platform) resting on bearers of, say 12 feet space, placed upon, but not fastened to, cross-ties between each row of piles, 3 in number, at the same distance apart; the bearers with the attached platform being wired to and through the tops of the piles along the side facing the current only, so that in a flood the. lower side of the platform may give upwards to the pressure of the water, and diminished the strain on the piles, the whole lower side piles being stayed upwards by checked in balks. At the end of this a hinged platform would touch the punt and compensate for the rise and fall of the river.

From other similar works already executed, as the ferry at the Waimata, I believe that it would not exceed, if judicious £and economical super-

vision were exercised, £250 at most, and would gradually recoup itself by the increased rental for an efficient crossing, instead of for what now is rather a place which general traffic seeks to avoid. All this, however, is wholly contingent upon this being the best and ultimate crossing of the river. My own opinion is that it is not, and that the Matawhero crossing,—where the banks are high and the span shorter; and last and greatest consideration of all the requirements of the district, when the Patutahi and Te Arai districts shall be under settlement, which they, in common with the whole flat land, inevitably will be, being extravagantly too rich for mere sheep-pasturage or the first stage from barbarism—is the proper site. A bridge here, it is my belief, would pay well, and be of the greatest general utility to the public, whilst it is very open to doubt whether it would at the present crossing; but it is high time that the issue should be narrowed to a definite selection; and if at Matawhero, it should be determined upon to erect a substantial structure, without a penny of expense to the district generally, except that of plan and specifications. Any enterprising contractor would profitably undertake such at his own risk and cost, on the guarantee of the tolls (previously determined on a just and discriminating scale with due regard to the increase of traffic and cultivation) for a term of years which he could readily do, I believe, for some £2,000. Apologising for having trespassed so largely upon your good nature and space. —I am, &c., Cui Bono. P.S.—lf a bridge were deemed too expensive, a self-acting punt working with a traveller on a wire rope stretched from bank to bank, would be equally effective through necessitating two landing platforms on cither side similar to that formerly in use on the Molyneux.