WANGANUI BRIDGE

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 223, 16 June 1932, Page 12

WANGANUI BRIDGE

Made for French River OLD HISTORY RECALLED Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, June 15. The reappearance of a cutting from an “Illustrated London News” of April 6 1873, concerning the opening of the Wanganui Town Bridge coincides with work being done on the south side of the riverbank to protect the roadway and bridge from earth falls which have threatened. The bridge was originally built tor erection across a French river, but for some reason was not used. The Wellington Provincial Government heard of the failure of the deal and the bridge was bought for the Wanganui River The foundation stone was laid in 18oJ with Masonic honours, and the bridge was opened by the Governor, Sir George Ferguson Bowen, on November 28, 1871. Until about twenty years ago the bridge was provided with a central swinging portion to allow ships to pass up and down the river. With the increase in tonnage of vessels, however, the swinging section was not required and conduits were laid, along the pathway. As soon as the bridge was ready for traffic and until March 30, 1883, a toll of a penny was charged every person crossing the bridge and the proceeds were equally divided by the Wanganui Harbour Board and the Borough Council.

The report of the opening of the bridge in the London paper is interesting and contains a fair description of the bridge:—

“The seaport town of Wanganui, iu the province of- Wellington, North Island, is pleasantly situated on the banks of the tidal and navigable river Wanganui, at a distance of about two miles from the sea,” it reads. “The land about Wanganui is of a light but rich description, bordering the river for miles in the interior.

“The bridge is built over the river where it is nearly as wide as the Thames at Southwark Bridge. The total length of the bridge, with approaches, is nearly 800 feet, and the roadway is 18 feet wide. The bridge is constructed of two long wrought iron girders on the lattice principle, which carry the timber joists and foiirinch wooden flooring constituting the platform of the bridge. The whole of the structure, including the platform of the drawbridge, which opens and leaves two passages for ships, each passage or opening 40 feet wide, is supported on six pairs of castiron cylinders, coupled together and forming five spans varying from 115 to 145 feet in length. “The engineer and designer of the bridge in England was Mr. George Robert Stevenson. The ironwork was manufactured by Messrs. Kennard at their works in Cruuliin, Wales, and the cost when delivered in the colony, about £15,000. The cost of erection by Mr. O’Neill, the colonial contractor, was another £15,000, making a total of £30,000. “Great rejoicings took place on the occasion of the opening by the Governor, Sir George Bowen, who was accompanied by Lady Bowen, on the day of November 28, 1871.”