FOUR YEARS TO ERECT.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXVI, Issue 3366, 12 March 1915, Page 4

FOUR YEARS TO ERECT.

a lengthy Work

MANY, MANY DELAYS.

Nearly four years have passed since the ratepayers decided that it was desirable ■to borrow the money for the erection of the bridge on its present site. A poll was. taken on May 25th, ioji, on the proposal to borrow for this* purpose, and that the feeling in favour of the proposal was overwhelmingly great is shown by the figures recorded at the poll. At the Paeroa polling place 128 votes were cast in favour of the loan and only 16 against while at the Netherton polling place all the 35 ratepayers who vou-d supported the proposal lor a loan, the totals thus being 163 in favour of the loan and 16 against. It was some considerable time later before much progress was m.idf, but inthe meantime steps were taken to obtain the money. On January 30U1, 19(2, the engineer to the County Council (Mr C. Bray) submitted to the CouncJ an estimate ol the probable cost, the total being ,£3945 2s. The report stated that there was a Government subsidy of and that for road works could also be utilised. In March of the same year the engineer reported to the Council that the en£jineer-in-chief oi the Railway Deßai;tment suggested that the Council should purchase from the department the swing span of the railway bridge at Te Aroha as the department proposed doing away with the swing span there. The-Cbairman (Mr Corbett), Mr Laughlin, and Mr Strange were appointed a committee to inspect the span, and they accordingly proceeded to Te Aroha for this purpose, accompanied by the engineer (Mr C. Bray). On May 3rd the Council decided to purchase the span for to which had to be added the cost of transit and erection and a terro-concrete pier, the total estimated cost of the span in position being ,£BB3. It. 'was then stated that the department would not guarantee to give delivery* under twelve months, but although. the Council thought this was rather a long time to wait,.it was decided to make the bargain as other work in.conoectioii with the bridge could be proceeding. . Little did the members think that it would be nearly three years later before the bridge was formally opened for traffic. However, tenders for the bridge were at last invited, and these vvere opened at a meeting of tlje.Council on, September. sth, 1912,, the highest tender being £5650, and the lowest (that of Messrs Kennedy and.Taylor) The engineer stated that this would make.the total cost £4726, -made*'up as follows :-^-l Contract £3859, swing span £467,. cost of supervision ' incidental expenses The amount of money available was ,as follows : —Balance pt loan ißs 9d, ten per cent, additional on original arhornt of loan .£250, Government subsidy ; total, ,£3990 18s q<i. However", it was decided to accept Messrs Kennedy and Taylor's tender, and to apply to Government for an additional /500 towarcls.the cost. Netherton people began to think that they wodld scon be-**able to cross over their new bridge but the end was a long way'from being .in. sight.l : Complaints were made about delay in carrying out the work, but at the County Council meeting on November 29th, 1912, it was stated that the contractors would start making the concrete piles for the bridge "on Monday next." ; ' - Thene.vt trouble was that the contractors could not obtain the jarrah timber specified, and in December they asked permission to substitute Australian ironbark. After consulting the Public Works Department, the Council agreed to allow Australian hardwood to be used,, and on January nth, 1913, they decided to notify the contractors to " proceed with the work without delay." The delays were, however, a long way from being 1 at an- end. Timber of the, required size and quality could not be obtained all at once, and«it was not until August 7th, 1913, that the Council received word that the timber had arrived in Auckland. .* As sn.on as it came to hand a start' was made with the driving of the piles, and this was Carried on fairly expeditions!}'. The next trouble was that vessels passing through the j bridge caused damage to the piles,'and in December the Council decided to temporarily suspend work on the bridge. Thus matters remained for about three months—the bridge was not finished, the ratepayers were paying interest on the loan money,'and people crossing the river still had to use the ferry— and pay ferry fees* . . In February the -'Prime Minister was in Paeroa, and the Council waited upon him .with a request that Government have the wharf moved to a, site below the bridge so as-to avoid vessels passing under the bridge. By this tune local residents were getting impatient, and many complaints were made • regarding the delays. At the end ot March two engineers from the Public Works Department (Mr Gavin and Mr F. BiggWither) made an inspection of. the bridge, and duly reported to the department. A month later the Prime Minister was again interviewed regarding the trouble, and at the end'of May the Council received word that Government would grant an additional for protecting dolphfns for the bridge.' After more delay, more correspondence, and a visit to Wellington by the County. Chairman to interview the Minister for Phbhc Works in connection with the matter, matters were arranged satisfactorily, an'! work On the bridge was resumed in August last. At the beginning of August the engineer (Mr G. S. Gould) was able to report to the County Council that " work at the Puke Bridge is proceeding satisfactorily." From this on to the end there was hardly a hitch, although slight injury was c tused to one of the dolphin piles by a scow passing through the narrow fairway. However, the work'was at'last completed, and last month the contractors were able to hand the completed bridge over to the County Council. *