DAMAGED SPAN FALLS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 752, 27 August 1929, Page 16

DAMAGED SPAN FALLS

EXPLOSIVE USED AT TUAKAU BRIDGE REPAIRS IN FORTNIGHT (From Our Ctcn 'Correspondent) PUKEKOHE, Today. Without any warning the damaged span on the Tuakau Bridge collapsed into the river late yesterday afternoon. A road foreman. Mr. J. Cusack, of Ohewhero, had lit fuses attached to explosives, with the intention of blowing up the span, and had barely regained the undamaged portion of the bridge when the span fell into the water 40ft below. The timber floated downstream a distance of 50yds when the explosion shattered the remaining portion of the span. • • • ■ Workmen removed all the sound timber forming the decking, side rails and stringers yesterday in preparation for the shot. The road foreman was held by a rope as he bored two holes some three feet in from the piles. The collapse was perfect according to Mr. K. M. Wright, Raglan County engineer, who directed works. The breaks were clean and there now remains a gap of 110 ft m length. Mr. Wright expressed the opinion that he would have the bridge opened for traffic in about a fortnight. In the meantime a launch is hauling a barge on the ferry service. From several points of view the service is unsatisfactory. There is no timetable and two hours elapse on a return trip. Motor-lorries laden with cream are paying the same fare as empty ones, namely. 10s single. Car owners are charged 7s 6d and passengers Is a head. Manures and goods are being carried at 6s a ton. The farmers across the river are far from satisfied. They contend that the Main Highways Board should provide a ferry service at reasonable rates. A number hare cancelled orders for manure. No difficulty was experienced with regard to the transport of cream to the Tuakau butter factory, save some delay. Six motor-lorries were engaged in transporting the cream collected over the week-end. Owing to the barge having only a plain deck, there are no facilities for transporting cattle as yet. A few quiet horses have made the trip across. There are a number of herds of dairy cattle, beef and young stock waiting on both river banks. The damaged bridge still continues to attract a number of visitors. A large number were present to witness the shot yesterday.