The Rees River Bridge

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3385, 4 May 1920, Page 4

The Rees River Bridge

A rqpjnesentatiiive of the 'Mail* last week vfeited the Jo-a'aiy wheie the new bridge is being built over the Rees Silver at the II ad of Lake. The brfdge .for about half the •• (lis!awe across has beea constructed and by J!s appearance. ft» a thoroughly satKactory job. If the same" good workmanship is put .into the" remaining haiLr of the storuot'iuei, and thiife is qu'ute assured under the ible supervdsion of Mr A burn, the biidge should stand, ©very te*t for manv years to come. The work,, up to the present), has, been retarded somewhat wmng to thedifficulty of getting mlnctent timber(red 'birch) of ihe aequtmed standard. Many or the piles nave had to be rejucted at'ier havung been cut down and prepared! However, thete fg a pcospect of belter progress in the future. There are two other brMges to build ofter the present one Is completed namely, one over the 12-nniije Creek, and one over the Earnslaw bum,, Both of these w,]U be much smaller than the Bees River biidge. but, they a;e absolutely in order to complete the new road. The ftrst-named wf,U be constructed first. Both . x e truss bridges. The approach to the bridge on the Glenorehy side m almost completed, although the most difficult portion of it has yet to be undertaken. The recent flood tin the Rees- washed away part 01 the lower port,nm& of the new road near the raven, and it wffi -become imperative to take the necessary precautions to prevent a rejur,ie me. It '.& anticipated that the biidge and new roadway wiJil be by next season sufficiently well advanced to enable traffic to go over same. The new route wiilj prove an immense advantage to the tourist traffic. The bridging of the river will open a clear way to vehicular traffic all the yearound and at will prove a shoiie;' route to the Rees Valley if rem Paradise. The new route paWes through 40 chains more of bush at the Joel oi the Earnslaw spur and thi'is will stiilj further enhance the value ol the road to Paradise from a scenic po r mt of view. There is a consensus of opinion that the new route will not prove of anvgreat advantage to settlers as the majoifity of them can reach their holdings' quicker by going through the rjiiver. However, it fe too early to say anything on this poita't at present. In view of the new road befing- much more to the advantage of the tourist traffic, the tauggerfciim might be made to the contiO'lling local authorhfy that it apply to the Tourist Department for an 'annua! vote for the maintenance of the road. Ir :s only fair and reasonable U;a' thfo 6'houid be granted.