REPAIRS TO BRIDGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 10

REPAIRS TO BRIDGES

SUBSIDY ON TIMBER

COROMANDEL ARRANGEMENTS

[by telegraph—own correspondent] COROMANDEL, Wednesday

Some time ago the Coromandel County Council considered the matter of cutting and pit-sawing kauri timber on private lands and carting it to the sites of several bridges which were in urgent need of repairs. The proposal was forwarded to the Main Highways Board, and a reply was received at the council meeting to-day that the board would agree to regard tlio work as maintenance with a subsidy of £3 for £l. The board was also prepared to pay a subsidy on timber so delivered up to 50 per cent of the value, provided it was insuued against fire. The subsidy would apply only to work on bridges authorised by the board, and on formal monetary authority being issued for the work.

Mr. It. Marshall said the position had somewhat changed. The council coukl. not take all the timber offering. The council decided to go ahead with repairs to certain bridges, and call for tenders for timber for others.

The state of the Opu Bridge on the main highway from Coromandel to Thames has been causing much anxiety to the council. A letter was received today from the assistant-engineer of the Public Works Department, expressing the opinion that the cheapest and best proposition was to replace the bridge with a concrete culvert. Detailed plans and specifications should bo prepared by the council.

The council considered that as the matter was urgent, a further request be made to the department to draw plans at once so that the work could be done.

When going into the estimates for replacement of bridges, the council decided that it cotdd not face the replacement of the Waikawau Bridge this year, in spite of its promisn to stand by the Thames County to go on with a new bridge if required. It was decided to ask for £966 for replacement of other bridges.