ROADS AND BRIDGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24969, 11 August 1944, Page 6

ROADS AND BRIDGES

PROGRAMME FOR NORTH SATISFACTORY BEGINNING KAIKOHE, Thursday The district engineer o! the Works Department, Mr W. F. Hell, addressed a meeting of the Kaiknhe Chamber of Commerce on the reading and bridging programme tor Northland. " It is very evident." said Mr Hell, "that good bridge timber was plentiful in the early days and all bridges were built of this material." However they were now showing signs of ago. Mr Bell gave a brief description of tho types of bridges erected in the North up to the modern reinforced concrete bridge, which had a life of at least 100 Years and could be constructed nt a cheaper cost than a timber bridge. They had a lot to thank the Army for, ns it required definite routes in the event of an invasion, and in consequence the searchlight was thrown on all

bridges in the area. Military engineers and Works Department men wont Ilirough the North and strengthened the bridges. "Nowhere in New Zealand,' said Mr

Bell, "was there so careful an examina- ( tion' and bridge-strengthening programme. and 1 am convinced it saved us a lot of trouble up here during these war years." • With -four months gone of the first vear of the five-year programme, which called for 257 bridges at a cost of £500,000. contracts had been let for seven bridges, six more were ready to let. and plans for 106 were being prepared. At present there were more bridges being built in the North than in anv other area in New Zealand. Mr Bell said that extensive surveys were being made of the State highway and some main highways. They were aiming at constructing 60-miles-an-hour roads. There was great; scope in the North for settlement, but before U could attract people they must give them reasonably good roads.