PAVING WOODS AT THE ANTWERP EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9712, 7 January 1895, Page 3

PAVING WOODS AT THE ANTWERP EXHIBITION.

" TO THE EDITOE. Slß,— the Indian section of the English department there was shown, in large planks and in " paving blocks, splendid samples of a wood called " pyinkado," which has a crushing strain per square inch of 5208 tons. It was used for sleepers on the Burmah State Railway in 1877. most of them being still sound, thus showing great durability. This timber can be bought in Rangoon at £4 a ton for small planks suitable for conversion into paving blocks, its crushing strain being greater than kari (eucalyptus) 5140 tons, oak 3411 tons, or teak 2838 tons. The new Tower Bridge, London, is paved with blocks of the eucalyptus tree from Australia, blocks being about the size of bricks. The wood is a dark mahogany colour, heavy and durable, but expensive, in the manner done en the Bridge. However, many of the streets in Loudon are now being paved with wood in a simpler way than on the Bridge, instead of stone pave« ment, as far fewer accidents occur on the wood than on the stone. Hundreds of miles of street paving in wood will soon be wanted in Europe, and it would be interesting t« know what New Zealanders are doing in tin matter. — am, etc., Amices.