THE MOTUEKA VALLEY CART BRIDGE.

Colonist, Volume XXX, Issue 4779, 7 April 1887, Page 3

THE MOTUEKA VALLEY CART BRIDGE.

When the settlers of the Upper Motueka Valley determine to keep holiday they certainly carry out their determination with the same energy and application they ordinarily devote to the battle of life. No one can have visited the district referred to without having been deeply impressed with the fact that these, settlers have wrought under very great disadvantages, for, cut off from the neighbors of the- Waimaa by a barren range of hills diffi. cult to surmount, and being also penned in by watercourses, which in times of flood have been quite impassable, they have still succeeded in subduing the wilderness, whilst they have brought up their families and made comfortable homes, notwithstanding thatmany of the requirements of civilisation, generally looked upon as indispensable, have been wholly beyond their reach. It may be taken too aa aa indication of the hardihood

muchthey have Seen ■"segai'ii ! ied from medical aid in times of sickness; 4Tspe>b'ple'f so liible to ;be.cnt off from _oommmiication;:vvitn the world outside their - own-staall one; "the extreme; satisfaction with' whjoh they -witnessed, yesterday, the opening of the cart bridge which will hereafter give secure means by which all may journey to and from these pleasant valleys, is certainly not to be wondered at. From far and near the settlers assembled for this gala day celebration, and by vario&s means—some on horseback, others ia vehicles of all manner of descriptions, from the family baggy to the sulky r spring cart, and even dray—they came from a distance extending at all evepts as far as from the upper part of the Motupiko to the Sherry. A committee of local residents had been formed for the purpose of superintending tke festivities, and of this Committee Mr Fred Ellii was the mouthpiece, but where everyone present entered so fully into the spirit of the celebration, it would be scarcely fair to Bay that one shone more than another to aid in the carrying out of the arrangements, or in .making things pleasant. The day was simply a,perfect one, the warmth of the sun being somewhat tempered by an invigorating breeze, indeed it was a day to be easily tempted to take a holiday, whilst the clearness of the atmosphere seemed to affect all, for not a cloud of any kind was observable during the proceedings. Amongst the more prominent of v those present were Mr John Kerr, M.H.E., Mr J. Bird, Chairman of the Waimea County Council, and Mr Thomas, the contractor who erected tha bridge, and the members of tho Wakefield Brass Band, to whom is due no small share of the general success. The performances of the Band were very enjoyable, but we cannot pay the members a higher compliment or a more genuine one than they received at the hands of the settlers present, who'showed their appreciation by gathering round and listening to the musicians rather than lose the musical enjoyment whilst engaged in sports. At about two o'clock there was a large gathering at the eastern end of the badge, across wbiolvat intervals strings of flags had been stretched, whilst flaps were also flying at either end, and Mr Bird, the Chairman of the County Council, addressed those present, and said he had no hesitation in saving that Mr Eerr had been chiefly instrumental in the erection of the bridge, and he therefore asked' that gentleman to open it. The contractor's workmen having knocked away the barricade at the eastern end a procesaion was formed, in which Mr Kerr, Mr Bird, and Mr Thomas occupied prominent positions, and they were followed by the Band, playing appropriate mueio, and by the whole of the people present. On arriving at the westam end, Mr Kerr said that he had been requested by the Chair-; man (of the County Council to open that bridge. In complying with that request he was performing one of the most pleasant duties he had erer had to undertake. It was true that he had set his heart on getting a bridge there, because he had seen the necessity for it, and now he was able to^&ongratulate the people of Motueka Valley on having one of the best bridges in the Colony. It was a real good bridge, well built, and he believed it would be thoroughly well employed. Indeed, he Marat that already about 100 tons oi machinery, &c, was about to be carted up to the Ovren, and for this the bridge would ba found a great convenience, but h« hoped that soon there would be a good deal to cart up to the Ovren, and something to bring back. The bridge was not only of use to them, for being on the main road to the Coast it was a oolonial work. He congratulated the engineers on tha excellence of their designs, and the contractor and workmen who had finished their work beyond all praise. He was glad to see so many present, for it showed their appreciation of the work, and also said that they owed a debt of gratitude to the present Government, who had not only authorised this bridge, but had done more for the district than any previous one—ttiey had looked after outlying districts as no other Government had done. (Cheers.) He then declared the bridge op9n, and the remaining barricade was removed as he spoke, whilst the Band struck up t and^. the people cbeered. Three hearty cheers were given for Mr Kerr, three more for the Government, and further rounds were given for the contractor, for *ie engineer,,for the County Chairman, and " one more for the Councillors." Three more of the heartiest 'were given for the ladies and a still larger number for the children, who were well represented; Mr Thomas said he had been placed in some very difficult positions at times; he had had difficulties in hi 3 work through floods, and through,.. Jiving cantankerous people to deal with, bat he had never found himself in a more difficult position than at present, after hearing the flattering remarks of their member. It was true that he was considerably handicapped when he first started on the bridge, but he had got over those difficulties, and he had now to return his" very sincere thanks for the way in which his work had been referred to. gMr Bird said they had cheered him, and all he could say in return was. that he heartily congratulated them oa haying-such a splendid bridge. Though it was on the main road, yet it would be of immense convenience to the district, for it would give safe means of communication between them and their neighbors, whilst it would also enhance the value of their properties. For a long time he despaired of their getting the bridge, but they were fortunate in having in the present Ministry a Government that did not overlook the outlying districts. Mr Shephard moved in the matter, but had it not been for the;r present member, Mr Kerr, he did not think they would have had it. That gentleman generally hung on to a thing till he carried the day, and he did so in this casa. He said he did not know much about the contractor, but all that he did know was to hi 3 credit. At first he had his doubts about the contractor on account of the low price at which he took the work, but the contractor said he could do the work, and he had done it. He hoped tke bridge would be able to bear the immense strain that would be put on it at times when both rivers were in flood. Suoh a work as that bridge was, he said, different to a railway, for the latter always did some harm to someone, if only to the carters it threw out of employment, but that bridge wonld not do haira to a living soul, save that it would take away the work from the,person who used to pilot the people through the river in times of flood, bat no one would regret that such dangers were of the past. He believed that the bridge would stand a long time with the bltssing of God and a good coat of paint. (Applause). . •...., After further cheering the large,tent erected near the eastern approach to the bridge, and in which Mr T. A. Bromell had ready prepared a very excellent cold dinner was the general centra of attraction. . Full justice having been] done to the good things provided,l Mr J. Kerr said he should like to propose tha health of the strangers who had come to visit them, of the Wakefield Brass Band, for whose services they were mu«h indebted, and of the Press.-*- , The toast having bean duly honored, Mr Bannehr responded on »ehalf of tho Strangers and the Press. In the course of his remarks he related some ol the difficulties which were overcome before the construction of the bridge was commenced. He alluded to the efforts made by Mr Shephard to obtain authority for its erection, and who was defeated by reason of the demands made by more powerful districts, and he then stated that after the Government had, on the representations of Mr Kerr, placed a sum of £4,000 on the Estimates for this work, the member for the Waimea was told, when he pressed for the expenditure of the vote that it had been found that the money was not sufficient. He know that on this MriKerr was nonplussed for a time, but that he set to work, and at his (.Mr Kerr'e) desire, Mr Akersten visited the [ place, and prepared plans for a bridge, whicih |he offered to erect for less than the .money voted. . He said he saw those plans, and so far as he was able to judge, they were excellent ones. Armed with these plans and Mr Akeraten's estimate, Mr Kerr went to'Welling-i ton. and said that if the Government officers could not build a bridge for tha money voted, he was prepared to do "so, and he exhibited the plans. . Ultimately the officers of the department made EOme objections to the pkii3 shown them, but they then prepared plans of their own, and on tenders being called for the work, it was!let at a sum well within that voted; He thought Mr Kerr was entitled to the credit for what he had done, And he concluded by thanking them for the way in which .thetoast wasi received, and b£ expressing a/hope that tha bridga woaUPbe

of great lervice to the diitrict, and to the whole country. 5

After dinner, a cricket match between eleven smokerg and eleven non-smokers, in which the former made 109 in their first innings, and wnich was commenced in the the morning, was resumed, but it was not finished when our reporter left. The whole arrangements were well carried out, and we have no doubt that the ball which* took place in the Motupiko schoolroom last night, was as successful as the day's proceedings. For the information of those who have not seen the work, we append the following Description of thk Bridge.

jel > On Nelson side a curved approach.9 chains cc in length leads to the bridge proper, which is t, B 800 feet in length and 14 feet wide' between A the parapets, giving lift 4in for the cart way; s( j It is 'what ia known as a truss bridge, and ,i. consists of 17 spans resting on 18 piers, six 1S of the spans being of 24 feet and ll of 60ft. jj The main piers are supported" on four piles t . in addition to cut water piles, and the end Ia piers on three piles as well a3 the cutwaters: , c These piles are of birch arid are heavily shod^ n whilst the caps and corbels are of kauri, the i 3 lower cords being of ironbark. : The trusses, n as also the joists, are of kauri, and the deckg ing is of black birch. At the western end. of y the_ bridge ia another curved approach," six .-. chains in length, and at either side an exten- \ t sive but substantial looking groins of facines a covered with boulders and shingle has been put in to protect the approaches and direct the water under the bridge, but notwithstanding there appears to be some danger of the river making for itself a new course some distance to the west of the bridge. To protect thisj the left hand bank of the Motupiko should be protected, and the channel cleared of obstructions, and for a comparatively *urn spent in this way, all danger would no doubt be'averted. From the bridge as it stands an exceedingly pleasant scene presents itself. Looking up the narrowing Motueka* Valley we see the Blue Glen mountains at its head, ■ whilst in tbe opposite direction a portion of the Mount Arthur range of mountains stands up boldly, and when these hills put ' on their winter nightcaps the scene will ' be even more beautiful than' at present. , Mr Thomas certainly deserves - credit, not j only for the way in which he has performed his work, but also for tho expedition he,has \ perfoimed his work, he having finished his con- ' tract some six weeks within the time allowed, ? .and this notwithstanding he was delajed * some nine weeks waiting for kauri. His contract price was £3500, but with the extra ? work connected with the approaches, <fee, the x total cost of the bridge will be, we understand, within £4000, although we believe that the I estimate of the Engineer in Chief was between £8000 and £9000. With the completion of this bridge but a ? short piece of road is necessary to prevent (! every wheeled traffic between Nelson or the " lotupiko Valley,, and the Tadmor, Sherry, ~ <fee, being interrupted by floods, and such road would have the additional advantage of y curtailing the distance by some two miles. ° r At present the distance from Bromell's to the , Tadmor is about seven miles, and the river las to be forded, but after crossing the new £ bridge a, short piece of "road down past the ' bluffs oa the west side would reduce the )! distance to five miles, and as the cest of this ■"* necessary work, winch would be of great advantage to these proceeding to or from the P Tadmor, the Tadmor-Hope Saddle, the t0 Sherry, Wahgapeka, and the new Karamea '~ track is estimated to cost no more than j:

£1500, we hope that means may be found for carrying out so desirable a work.