TEREMAKAU BRIDGE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29557, 5 July 1961, Page 16

TEREMAKAU BRIDGE

Separation For Road (ParHamentary Reporter] WELLINGTON. July 4. A problem of West Coast traffic arising from the coming completion of the Haast Pass road was referred to by Mr P Blanchfield (Opposition, Westland) in the House of Representatives this afternoon Mr Blanchfield asked the Minister of Works (Mr Goosman) whether. In view of the fact that the Haast Pass road would be completed in 1964. he would be prepared to erect a road bridge over the Teremakau river “to obviate what will be the greatest traffic bottleneck in New Zealand.” In a note to his question. Mr Blanchfield said: “The present bridge is a combined rail and road one situated some eight miles from Greymouth. It ia closed several times a day to road traffic to allow trains to go through. ‘The system of an attendant cycling across the bridge to open and close three gates before and after the trains go through was at one time called by the late Robert Semple a ‘comic opera ’ After being held uo for some 20 minutes himself, he promised to get a road bridge erected Unfortunately he did not live long enough to fulfil his promise”

The Speaker (Mr Algie> said that he did not propose to accept the note In this form, as it did not conform to the requirements Mr Blanchfield undertook to shorten and amend the note, and to resubmit the question.!