CIVIL ENGINEERS

Evening Post, Issue 82, 6 April 1936, Page 10

CIVIL ENGINEERS

WELLINGTON SOCIETY

A LECTURE ON BRIDGES

The seventh annual meeting' of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers was held recently in the Electricity Department's lecture-room, Cuba Street. The chairman lor the past year, Mr. W. L. Newnham, presided over a good attendance of members.

The officers elected for the current year were:—Chairman, Mr. G. G. Callender; honorary secretary and treasurer, Mr. W. E. Puddy (re-elected); honorary. auditor, Mr. G. B. Bradshaw (re-elected); committee, Messrs. G. P. Anderson, H. W. Falkner, F. M.' Hanson, K. El Luke, and H. P. Toogood.

The:annual report, which was adopted,. indicated that the1 branch had experienced another very successful year, with good attendances at meetings and a high standard of papers and discussions. Two of the papers had been accepted by the council of the society for incorporation in the proceedings, and Mr. J. P. Brodie had been awarded the James Fulton Silver Medal for his paper on Low Cost Suburban Roads. The annual conference of the New Zealand Society had been held in Wellington this year and had been combined with the James Watt Bicentenary Commemoration. Members of the branch' had taken an active part in the organisation of the various functions connected with the conference and the commemoration. A very successful conversazione was held by the New Zealand Society and an equally-success-ful dinner was held in connection with the James Watt bicentenary- Visits to works were arranged by the branch committee and proved of great interest to visiting members. At the conclusion of the formal business of the branch meeting the retiring chairman. Mr. W. L. Newnham, gave an address in which he discussed the present trends in road bridge design and the problems arising therefrom. He traced the development of bridge design and construction through its varying phases from the early days of colonisation to the present day, and emphasised the necessity for treating the modern bridge as an essential part of the highway system and not just as a.means of crossing a stream or othe: obstruction.' Modern traffic demands that the bridge must be made as safe ns- any other part of the highway, and with bridges, just as with highways, th» safety and convenience of traffic must be the primary consideration. He pointed out that improvements in design and construction methods and modem research work had resulted in the use of higher stresses, particularly in reinforced concrete, and this enabled bridges in this material to.be constructod more cheaply than they used to be. He predicted further developments in this direction. . , . In concluding, Mr. Newnham pointed out the need for a great deal of ieacarch work into the problems raised and stressed the responsibility of the engineer in doing his part to safeguard, as far as possible, the lives and limbs of those:who use the highways. A motion was carried that the address be incorporated in the |«weedings of the society.