Dangerous State Of Some Bay Bridges

Northern Advocate, 17 March 1941, Page 3

Dangerous State Of Some Bay Bridges

[Special to “Northern Advocate’’]

KAWAKAWA, This Day,

When a letter drawing the council’s attention to the fact ' that bridges which a school bus had to pass over were unfit for traffic was received from the Director of Education at the monthly meeting of the Bay County Council a lengthy discussion arose as to the council’s policy in connection with old bridges. The letter complained of bridges which the Oromahoe school bus • had to traverse.

The acting chairman of the council, Councillor S. W. Smith, stated that the bridges referred to had a lot of pway, and when crossed by the school bus appeared to be very dangerous. “The driver has been advised to make the children walk across the bridges before driving the empty bus over them,” he stated.

Engineer’s Opinion

The county engineer (Mr Clifford) stated that he had been pressing the district engineer of the Public Works Department in order to get approval for the rebuilding of bi’idges. “The Fuketotara bridge will be an expensive item to repair,” he said, "and I think it will have to be rebuilt.

“The Kerikeri bridge can be mad' safe for any loading, but the Waipapa bridge, which is still unsafe, will be fixed when stringers arrive from Australia.

“As soon as the stringers arrive we will be able to do something to the bridges referred to by the Director of Education,” Mr Clifford added.

Councillor Smith stated that during the month he had to give permission to a cream carrier to exceed the limit on some of the bridges in order to get the farmer’s cream out.

Councillor’s Objection

Councillor C. F. Reid strongly objected to the acting-chairman’s action.

“Permission should not have been given in this case,” he said, “for if this man could go across why couldn’t anyone else?

“What would have happened if he had had an accident?” Councillor Smith: He crossed at his own risk*. Councillor H. M. Cookson: I think Councillor Smith acted within his jurisdiction. *

Councillor Reed: A special meeting of the council should have been called.

Carriers to Blame

It was pointed out by Councilor H. T. Bates that the carriers were to blame in that they carried more than four tons over the bridges. “It is my considered Opinion that they go in the middle of the night to evade the regulations,” he said. “Close on 20 years ago the Puketotara bridge was in such a bad state that we couldn’t drive nails into it. “It is being held up by the running planks alone,” he continued. Councillor Cookson: And goodwill!

Councillor Reed: They’ve been patching up some of these bridges for over 20 years. Councillor Smith: The Public Works Department engineers are of the opinion that the Puketotara bridge will carry four tons. Restriction Suggested Stating that the bridges were carrying far in excess of four tons at the present time. Councillor G. H. McKenzie suggested that the bridges be limited to four tons gross weight.

It was then decided on the motion of Councillor Cookson that a decision reached at a previous meeting restricting the load to two tons be rescinded. Councillor McKenzie moved that a maximum of four tons be fixed, and this was carried. It was also decided that a'speed limit of five miles per hour be placed on bridges which were considered to be unsafe. Both Councillors Reed and Cookson asked that their votes be recorded against the second motion.

Councillor Reed then moved that the council inspect the Puketotara bridge and Councillor Cookson seconded the motion, which, when put to the meeting was lost. Councillor Reed: The Puketotara bridge has been up for 50 years and if the council saw it I am sure that they would change their minds. Members spoke of how they were prepared to take the engineer’s advice that four tons was a reasonable load for the bridges and thought that the motion was unnecessary.