HAURAKI BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 15

HAURAKI BRIDGE.

UNFOUNDED RUMOURS. OFFICIAL PRONOUNCEMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) THAMES, Friday. Various rumours have been circulated lately that the construction of the Hauraki bridge, now being built by the Public Works Department across the Waihou River at Kopu, was not proceeding at a reasonable rate of speed, and not a little unrest has been caused locally by allegations of go-slow tactics. The latest rumour to come under the notice of the Mayor of Thames was, that the pile-driving plant was being removed for an indefinite period. In order to correctly ascertain the position the Mayor, Mr. W. Bongard, in company with Mr. H. Lowe, the comity chairman, yesterday visited Paeroa and interviewed Mr. Thornton, resident engineer for the Public Works Department. Mr. Thornton said that the pile-driving plant was not being removed, as stated, though the barge was being removed as it was no longer necessary for the work. Mr. Thornton explained that a good average rate of speed had been maintained, though the discontinuance of certain temporary pile-driving might cause some laymen to think otherwise. The necessity to carry out certain concrete work at the lowest of spring tides on the centre swinging span was also responsible for the absence of a great amount of visible progress at this part of the structure. In addition to other work the piers were being exhaustively tested. Some slight delay was occasioned by the non-arrival of a quantity of steel work owing to the coal strike in Englaud. The Department's workmen on the job included some of the best men in the Dominion and, concluded Mr. Thornton, "I see no reason why the bridge should not be completed by March 31, next."