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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 861, 18 January 1879, Page 2

Tr.riv the New Zealand rivers are most itumauKcibU-. Tin- late rainfall lias s-. .ttfcL-tt-it tin- Wattaki liver th.it it has .[tiitc ;•. different appearance. In-read nf three main streams, there are tu»w «>tity two--one "ii each bank—the middle of the river bed being eompararively dry. This fantastic inano.-nvring ">f the \V«itakt makes it a little awkward for tin- bridge. There is m>t a structure of a jimtlar character in the Colonies better pur together; bur it must have something :-> rest upon. <>f course, the creates: strength was yiven to tho.se parts <>f the bvtd'it; tfw' ' l:t '' i " -nfi'er t' l - - greatest ritr.iin. The cylinders were well bedded where the river rail with the greatest f.iree. ami now they are better bedded than ever, because shingle has silted up. rntr.ed the stream int<» a new channel. ■.mi protected the cylinders by piling it-elf against them, no-.v that they do n>>C require protection. The cylinders that have just been subjected to a visitation of deeper water than was bargained for. have fared badly. Their foundations were washed away, :md the whole strsictiwe jeopardised. Tn order t>> prevent any permanent and serious injury occurring, large blocks of stone have been piled around the cylinders and piles, and the bridge has been Hindu perfectly secure through the timely ntd intelligent attention of the engineer w-h«> has chanre of st:Ji matters.