FLOOD DAMAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 May 1938, Page 9

FLOOD DAMAGE

RECONSTRUCTION OF COUNTY BRIDGES. POSITION OF MASTERTON COUNCIL. “The Minister of Public Works considers that the council should be able to rebuild the Kaiwhata stream bridge at its own cost,” was a statement contained in a letter, dealing with flood damage repairs, received at yesterday’s meeting of the Masterton County Council from the District Engineer. Public Works Department. The bridge was destroyed by the February flood. The decision of the Minister regarding the Homewood Road bridge was that the structure had practically outlived its usefulness at the end of 40 years service and that if the council so wished it could make application on next year’s estimates for a grant towards the cost of renewing the bridge in permanent materials.

The County Engineers, Messrs Seaton, Sladden and Pavitt, reported that the estimated cost of constructing the Kaiwhata stream bridge was £1,775 and in the case of the Homewood Road bridge the estimated cost was £2,246.

The chairman, Mr W. I. Armstrong, said he could not understand the Public Works Department taking up the attitude it did when the bridge wacarried away by flood waters. He thought that the council should go further and ask the Department why it had adopted that attitude. Councillor H. H. Mawley suggested that the Department might be tightening up its grants in view of its commitments as the result of the recent flood damage in Hawke’s Bay. . Mr Armstrong and the Clerk, Mr J. C. D. Mackley, were instructed to discuss the matter further with the Department.

The Engineers also stated that, in view of recent flooding, the proposals for the construction of the Wainui-O-Mapu Road bridges had been investigated further. The new estimate for No 1. bridge was £1,604, while the original estimate of £997 for No 2 bridge was unaltered. It was decided to apply for an additional subsidy in view of the increased cost of No. 1 bridge.