THE WAIPOUA BRIDGES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9690, 14 January 1910, Page 5

THE WAIPOUA BRIDGES.

"ROTTEN .TO THE CORE."

TESTS BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

'Lhat the Northern approach improvement needs rapidly urging forward has been demonstrated in rather a forcible manner by some important tests made the other day by the Chief Engineer of Rpads for Wellington district (Mr Nathan), and Mr J. C. Scott, District Road Inspector, at Masterton. These two gentlemen made exhaustive investigations into the condition of the timber in the two Waipoua bridges. Giving the results of these to a Wairarapa Age reporter yesterday, Mr Scott stated that the structures were both practically "rotten to the core," and in a worse condition than a casual inspection would disclose. "We tested the timber first by cutting into the outside of the beams and decking," said Mr Scott. "This did not disclose very much to be wrong, but the augur proved the conclusive test, and it surprised Mr Nathan very considerably when each bore showed the centre of the timber right through both bridges to be nothing but powder." Judging by a repoit such as this the bridges are none too safe for every day traffic, much less able to sustain for any great time longer the heavy burdens they occasionally have to iarry. Now that the weather is favourable it is considered by authoritative local business people that the work of improving the approach should be commenced right away.

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