COUNTY BRIDGE REPAIRS.

Shannon News, 13 February 1923, Page 3

COUNTY BRIDGE REPAIRS.

GOOD WORK AT OH AD. Cr. G. A. Monk, GffSirnian, made re* ference to the repairs to the main county' bridges at Saturday’s Council meeting, ancl said there Jiad been a good deal of criticism oi the Council at, the delay in. receiving the timber. A lot oi delay had occurred so far as the Waitohu bridge was concerned through the shipping hold-up, which was no fault of the Council. Things were better now, and very smart work liau neen done in the transport ol the Otaki bridge timber, 'Which was oracred aner die, December meeting of ...e auu in a month from c..: oam uiC Inaieriai was here. i.o.ei'iuig. to the repairs to the Ciiau miuge, u.ie Chairman -said it *. ~~ jo--t wi m j.eas' since me bridge \w. .j. ...... u ■ wuo Time repairs were eifecied. rue worn nud been pushed through as quick as possible.Statements had been made that it was an unheard-of thing to close a bridge during repairs, hut results in this case were quite justified. The Council would soon he going on with similar work on the Otaki bridge, and if anyone could tell / the Council how the work could be done without closing the bridge they would be glad of the information. So l'ar as the position of dairymen was concerned, and the transport of milk to the factory, it was the intention to meet them arid discuss the best means of getting over the difficulty during the progress of the work. The Council would do its best to- assist dairymen in eveiy way. possible. “We will not close the bridge’ at" ■ a ■ moment’s notice,” said the chairman. “The public will get plenty ol’ notice, and, as stated, the people in that part of the district will be called together and the matter of mi)k transport, etc., will be fully discussed with representatives of the Council.” CT. Harkness: The ford could be used at Otaki for urgent traffic. The Chairman: Yes, the Engineer" will see to that. We could not use the ford at the Ohau owing to traffic having to go through private land. Cr. Ryder considered the ford at Otaki could be used.

Hie Chairman: I would like the public to understand we will not shut down the Otaki bridge at a moment’s notice. It was different at Ohau where the traffic had twelve hours’ use of the bridge each day. “The Ohau job,” the Chairman added, “has been a splendid piece of work on the part of. the ; fengineer and the mefi, and every'expedition has been used in pushing through a maximum of work in the period.” Cr. Harkness said he was glad to see the way the work on the Ohau bridge was being carried out. An excellent job was being made, and the Engineer and men had done theii‘ best. Also, the work was being done with a minimum of inconvenience to the public. “The work Ts "a credit to the Engineer and. the men,” said Cr; McLeavey, who added that the job had been excellently handled.