MAKARIKA BRIDGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19025, 27 May 1936, Page 4

MAKARIKA BRIDGE

RESTORATION PLANS COST ESTIMATED AT £750 The restoration of the Makarika bridge, which was wrecked recently, blocking the main highway a few miles on the Gisborne .side of Ruatoria. will cost approximately £750.

This estimate is given in a letter from the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. It. Semple, to Mr. A. Gordon Hultquist, M.P. for the Bay of Plenty, who approached the Minister with regard to its replacement, after receiving a newspaper clipping on the matter.

“I am informed,” the Minister wrote in reply to Mr. Ilultquist’s inquiry, ■‘that- immediately the damage was reported, tbe Main Highways Board authorised the erection of two 40ft. spans of rolled steel joists together with the necessary extra pile pier, the estimated cost being in the vicinity of £750.

“Until the new spans are erected, a temporary ford is being provided, although it is recognised that this will be useless in wet weather. Nevertheless, the replacement of the large span under such circumstances is a matter which must occupy some time, but every endeavour is being made to expedite the repairing of the bridge for general traffic.

• ‘ln the meantime, the provision of a concrete structure does not appear t,o be justified, although no doubt when the time comes for the bridge as a whole to be replaced, permanent materials will be used. There is reason to believe that the collapse of the large span was due to a collision and not to any weakness of the structure itself.”