A BRIDGE MYSTERY.

Northern Advocate, 9 August 1919, Page 1

A BRIDGE MYSTERY.

TIMBER DISAPPEARS,

WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE?

At the meeting of the Whangarei County Council yesterday an attempt was made to solve a bridge mystery. At a previous meeting a communication was received from the Public Works Department, asking for an explanation as to why the council had dismantled a bridge erected by the department. Neither the council nor the engineer could throw any light upon the subject } and it was therefore decided to ask Foreman Draper and Mr Pollock to attend and giv c an explanation of the position. Mr Draper said the bridge was a small one near the wrecked Awaroa bridge. The Maoris who had dismantled the Awaroa bridge" evidently dismantled Finlayson's bridge also. He had given no authority whatever for the bridge to be dismantled, but there was a good deal of timber from the wrecked which he had used on the bridges on the main road. Neither Crs Kernohah nor Jones had given Turn* instructions to dismantle either bridge". Mr Pollock, the other workman, was also unable to say who authorised the dishiantling of FihlJiyson's bridge: He had received ho instructions to dismantle Awaroa bridge, but he had used the timber from it for other bridges. The timber was delivered to him by a native along the road, and has been used. He had thought that the timber'of both bridges was county property. The instruction to use the timber came from the late engineer. Mr Fraser had not told him to touch the big bridge, but to use the timber. He understood that Mr Logan had dismantled the Awaroa bridge, and that he (Pollock) was to make use of such timber as he required. Cr. Jones said he understood Pollock was to use the timber from the big bridge, but no instructions were issued about Finlayson's. The big bridge had been destroyed, but the smaller one had only been lifted up. It only required replacing. No councillor had given authority to dismantle it, and he did not think Mr Fraser had done so either. Mr Pollock did not think the Maoris had any instructions to mantle Finlayson's bridge, Mr Draper pointed out that the whole thing was that the Maoris had exceeded their instructions arid stripped the small bridge as well as the big one. They had acted without authority. Cr Jones thoug-ht that explanatidn was correct. The best thing was to place the matter in the hands of the pplipQf Mr Draper declared that neither he nor Pollock had autKprised the natives to remove the bridge, The chairman: "Well, we are ndw in a position to tell the Public Works' Department that we were not responsible for the removal of the bridge." Cr WebT> questioned whether the council would not be liable even if" the men had exceeded their authority. • Mr Pollock explained that Mr Logan had kept the Maoris time and paid them for dismantling the small bridge. In that case Cr Webb thought that the council was liable, but Cr McLennan disagreed. The matter was then dropp'ed l without any decision.