RE-BUILDING BRIDGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 February 1917, Page 2

RE-BUILDING BRIDGES.

A LOAN raCiEl Tin' state of sonic of the bridges in Hie ICgmont county is cau-inc; eounriilors considerable alarm, and licit with out t-nuso, judging liy a report presented to tiic Council at its nipotiiiff on Thursday, regarding the Piinehu bridge. on tire lOltham road, near Tf Kiri. I'.otli llii' bridal- foreman and the ridine foreman spoke in stron;_> terms of its condition, tlie former staling that it was in a far worse condition than suspected. During the dry weather the timber had ■riven way in several parts, and lie had at once to eU'ect temporary repairs, otherwise the first motor lorry would have caused the structure to 'collapse. The riding foreman said the bridge was absolutely rotten, and all heavy Irallie motor lorries hud to unload on the opposite side, and the goods had to lie curled by horses. The chairman ailirtned that the bridge was absolutely dangerous, ami might fall down at any moment. It was so rotten tihnt he did not know how the structure stood up, It might collapse if a man wheeled a barrow over it. The Council should declare tbe bridge unsafe and make a ford for traffic. They must, of course, make provision for a new bridge. It was no use delaying, and lie suggested that the Government should be asked for assistance on a £ for £ basis, as the bridge, which was I.V2U long, had been built b\ the liovernment yenj's ago, Tt was one of the newest of the old bridges, and [the timber must have been of a bad | class 1o have rotted away so soon, lie thought they should ask the member for Kgmont to assist in obtaining a grant, liven if Government help was not forthcoming they would have t.o re-build, and a loan would be necessary. Several other bridges required attention, and he thought that it woTild be advisable to raise a loan to rebuild all the old bridges. It would not be necessary to lift all the money at once, as possibly some might not be required for live or six years. Several of thcu bridges required rebuilding at once. Very few .*)! them would last longer than five or six years, though one. or two might last ten years. There were one or two bridges yet to build out of the old loan, •which would then be exhausted. lit thought that the ncec-»iary steps should be at once taken to raise the loan, which ratepayers would see was a necessity, and he moved that the Council engage Mr. 10. C. Robinson, engineer, to inspect all bridges and culverts in the county that have not been renewed and give an ostinyite for rebuilding same.

This was seconded by C'r. iUcMeill and carried. O. .MaeHevnolds did not tliink the Government would assist with the bridge. They would tliink tlie Council had had good value .in the present bridge. If it were swept away by Hood they might as-bt. Tlie chairman thought that as the bridge was over 150 ft long the Government might assist. Tf they got any assistance they would he thankful; if not, the bridge would still have to be rebuilt, C'r. IMcXeill moved that the Punchu bridge be closed and the foreman be instructed to make a ford.

Cr. Wright suggested that they should advertise that th e bridge is closed, nnd that the public can use it at their own risk.

C'r. McXeill suggested that advice should be obtained as to wJiethor t'lii-, would leave the Council safe iront liability. This will be done.