LAWRENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1156, 24 January 1874, Page 15

LAWRENCE.

The formation of the bridge at the Beaumont has made good progress, and Mr M 'Donald, the contractor, seems resolved to make a good job of it. There are six stone piers across the river (about 20 feet above the water), and the bridge will be made of wood. Very great difficulty was experienced in making these erections, as dams, composed of two lines of bags of sand, with a middle coating of sods,"had to be formed in order to divert the water from its accustomed channel, and the winter weather was not favourable for such a project. The favourable weather which, we have experienced lately has assisted in getting a supply of the timber necessary, and it will not be a great while before we hear of the completion of this undertaking. Some of the spans between the piers seem pretty wide, and this suggests that an iron suspension bridge would have been a more lasting, and in the tnd, more economical investment for the public. The construction will, no doubt, be formed in as strong a manner as can be effected with timber, but drays containing five tons weight of goods, and drawn by eight or ten horses, will severely test any wooden construction on the top of the piers. The work of opening up one of the qpen cuttings in the railway line near Clark's Flat had been suspended for about three weeks, in consequence of the contractors finding a much larger portion of rock than was at first surmised. They have again resumed work, however, and some arrangements have no doubt been effected. There are a great many Chinese at work, and rapid progress seems to be the order of the day in this locality.

Our coaches are compelled to refuse passengers frequently on account of the want of accommodation, and no fewer than twelve were compelled to wait for the next day's coach. Cobb's ooach has raised the fare to £1, while the coach in connection with Yeend's has retained the old fare - viz , 15s to Dunedin.