NEW BRIDGE WILL BE BOON TO FISHERMEN

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 54, 13 July 1965, Page 10

NEW BRIDGE WILL BE BOON TO FISHERMEN

TURANGI. (OC) Repairs on the Ma jor Jones footbridge cro(ssing the Tongariro a mile south of Turangi are now nearing oompletion. This bridge has always provided access to the east bank of the Tongariro for fishermen and its completion will end the frustration fishermen have felt since the bridge was closed by the Internal Affairs Department some time ago when it was found to be unsafe. The bridge, a suspensiontype, spans a gap of about 250ft. An identical one was built at. the Red Hut Pool, a little further south, but it was swept away in the heavy floods of 1958. Now, the Major Jones' bridge is the only access J

to a great part of the Tongariro. Both bridges were built originally by the Army. However, the team now making the Major Jones' bridge usable again is employed by the Ministry of Works. The team is headed by Mr M. Kingston ("Murray"), assisted by Messrs R. Turinga, C. Johnson, P. Patea and J. Quirke. These men are specialists in bridge building and repair and have just completed a bridge near Kurutau. Within a few days, they will 'have completed repairs on this bridge, important to anglers, and it will be ready once more to provide a quick and safe method of crossing the river.