LOWER HUTT BRIDGE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4312, 22 March 1901, Page 3

LOWER HUTT BRIDGE.

THE QUESTION OF SITE

A BELATED AGITATION

Two matters in connection with the new traffic bride"’ which is to be erect, ed over the Hutt river at Lower Hutt are engaging special attention. One is the question of site, and the other is the claim which has been made by the Lower Hutt Borough Council on other local bodies for contributions towards tho cost of the new bridge and its approaches. In regard to the contribution question, .it. may be pointed out that the cost of The work is estimated at £14,500. Tho claims for contribution sent to other local bodies have had to be sent out in strict legal form. Some of the local bodies on whom claims have been made seem to have omitted to take into consideration the fact that tho Government will contribute £-5000 of the £14,. 500, in accordance with a vote of Parliament passed last session. Air E. P. Bunny, Mayor of Lower Hutt, when, seen by a “ Times ” reporter yesterday, made a statement on tho site question. Ho pointed out that with tho new site there would be a straight road from the railway station to the main, road on the eastern side of the river. Some buildings on the route would have to be removed, and the old road would he closed.

“ The choice for this new; site for the bridge,” said Mr Bunny, “ has been, largely .determined, by tho nature of tho river embankments. It was found that it would be impossible to put the new bridge at the old site, as the waterway is too narrow there. The stop-bank lias the effect of contracting the waterway at that spot. A great advantage of tho new site is that it will give a direct lino of road in place of the pre. sent circuitous route. The eastern end of tho new bridge will be at a point obviously suitable both for the traffic of the main road and that of the Waiwstn district.

“ The new site for the bridge was selected twelve months ago. ■ It was, in the first place, selected by Mr J. E. Pulton, who has designed tho bridge. His selection was endorsed by Mr L. Mcason, engineer to tho Hutt River Board. Both the Borough Council and the River Board were unanimous in approving of tho site selected:. “ However, as is always the case in like circumstances, certain persons who consider that they will be disadvantageouely affected by the change of site, have lain low. , Now that the River Board’s plans for the improvement of the river have been approved of by the Government Engineer, a petition against the Change of site has been circulated. The local bodies have been ignored by the objectors, who appeal to the arbitrament of the Premier. The thing is most unfortunate, so- far as the interests of the Hutt are concerned, because it has led to the postponement of the acceptance of tenders for the river improvement works. “ If the agitation had been got up at an earlier stage, any evidence that the objectors would "have liked to have brought forward would have been fully considered by tho local bodies. Now that two engineers of standing such as Mr Fulton and Air Meason, neither pf whom has any personal interest in the •place, have both agreed that the selected site is the only one practicable, in view of the contemplated river improvements, and seeing that the line of emba nkmonts has : been, laid out upon the supposition that the line was set. tied,-and remembering that everything has been done publicly, it is surely somewhat Tate, in the,"day: fori.an agitation to'bo started'for the retention of the old site.”.

The bridge which is to bo erected will have concrete piers, transoms of steel, lower chords and diagonal braces of wrought iron-, floor joists and top chords of ironbark, and decking of Australian hardwood, laid ton ironbark- plahking. The bridge has been designed strong enough to carry a packed load of people or a fifteen-ton traction engine with safety. It will also be able to carry an electric or other tramway.