EKETAHUNA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3257, 16 July 1889, Page 2

EKETAHUNA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)^" At a meeting held on Tuesday oven'mgin tho Schoolroom a note of sympathy was passed to Mr Bryant in the great loss he had experienced by the Makakahi Bridge contract. T'ie mooting also passed a hearty vote of approval to Messrs Thompson, McLeod and Harden for the bravo manner in which thoy resoued from the debris the unfortunate inan George O'Brien, According to enquiries I have made from thoso working at tho bridgo, they were a afraid of the frame-work not beingflk strong enough to hold the.weight tho bridge "till it was bolted up, in fact, the men say that they heard it crack on Saturday. If that is so, how is it that some measures were not' taken to strengthen tho structure beforo more weight was put on it! • All the men had a narrow escape from being launched into eternity as they were all on the bridge at the time of the collapse, including the contractor.

Mi' Bryant says the whole affair went* without giving the slightest warning If it had stood for two hours longer they would all nave been working in tho middle of the bridge, and if the '' collapse had occurred then it would have been almost impossible for any one of them to have escaped with their life. I may state that • tho bridge from bank to bank was a littlo over 100 ft in length, the height above the river was 90ft, and the river is also rather deep just there. Fortunately, O'Brien was carried by the falling timber towards the bank, his legs only being in the water. If ho had fallen into deep water he cqijW , not have been saved, as it was[ tesouo party had to cross the rlv,r lower down, climb the bank and get along to tho site of the bridge and thou let themselves down by a rope to the river. The two that went down, McLeod and Harden, had great difficulty in getting the man cleAr of the timber, when tbey had done so the question how to gbt him up seemed to puzzle everyone. When Mr , Thompson arrived on the this gentleman quiokly solved tho difficulty by sliding down a rope on tho Eketshuna side, and crossed the river on tho debris to the men, (who hud by this time got O'Brien free from the timber) helped them to carry him to a safe place after tying up his wounds to stop the poor fellow from bleeding to death, then forded tbe river a little higher up to a steep, gully. It was decided to cross the gully, and get him up to Ekotahuna that way. Slashers and axes in willing hands soon cleared tho way. Mr Thompson then took tho man on his _ back, crossed tho river, and carried tho man right up the v gully to the bank, where hofc was placed on .a , stretcher and taken to tho Club {lotei, where he was very kindly attonded to by Constable fiocho, I have seen some strange things done in my time, but the way in which Mr Thompson crossed the river, and ascended that steep gully with a helpless man </l his back almost passes belief. A laifljF amount of sympathy seems to he feV? for the unfortunate man, George O'Brien. I would suggest to our amateurs that it take a substantial form. Sympathy without'relief is somethjng like mustard without beef, • Saluulay'Jnl/l'3. At'ameelingol Eketahmw Eoad' Board to enquire into thq misliap to Makakaki bridge it was stated that the contractor hn'd (Irawn LiMO on the contract, that the Eoad Board held sureties to the amount of LIOO. The contractor

stated lie was unablo to complete tho contract, tlmt ho would hand over all tho plant on the ground to Board on condition that tho Board wpuld reieasp the sureties from their '"'.' bond. Considerable discussion ensued on the subject, some of tho members being iu favor of compelling the contractor to ■ complete tho contract entered into by him. No settlement of the difficulty was arrivod at. The

Board adjourned to Wednesday next.

In the meantime what is to bo do» about tho plant lying in the river, * it to bo allowed to wash away 5 I understand it is the property "of tho Board; if that is true how is it that tho Board do not take some stopa.to ee'eure tlio timber, and a|so seciiro themselve'B agaihstWth'er "loss, '"'■'• Magistrate's Court Ekotahuna,— Messrs Anderson and Von Eedcn, J, P.'s on the bench. Maitland for breach of tho CouivrflhAct, the wheel tires being' less than the defined guage, No appearanco of defendant, Constable Roche provod trWotTen'ce,' Fined 10s and costs. 'A drunk wa'o fined 10s, Anothor"drt)nk didnof appear, and was fined the amount of his bail 20s. 'The weather is 'still rather damp and cold. On Thursday night the , clerk of the weather thought ho wouloV- ** givo us a change, so turned on a snow storm,