WOOD FOR BRIDGE USE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1934, Page 11

WOOD FOR BRIDGE USE

RIMU NOT ACCEPTABLE ACCESS FOR KIRIHAU SETTLER. DECISION OF TARANAKI COUNCIL. Whether rimu should be accepted as suitable timber for stringers for the erection of a bridge over the Momona stream in the Kirihau district to provide access for a settler again formed the subject of discussion at the Taranaki County Council yesterday. Cr. Thomas, representative of the Okato riding, in which the bridge is to be built, had previously Strongly objected to the proposal that the New Plymouth Sash and Door Co., which is finding the timber, should be allowed to use rimu, and yesterday he adhered to that opinion, moving that the council would pay for one, of the three stringers if hardwood were used. The council agreed to this. The matter was. brought before the council by a letter from Mr. W. H. Skinner, chairman of the Sash and Door factory, who asked that the council finalise the question as to whether or not rimu would be accepted as the material to be used in the construction of the Momona stream bridge, giving access to Mr. S. Lord’s section on the Kirihau Road. They pointed out that the delay was causing inconvenience and doubt as to the position of the company in the matter, as well as hardship to Mr. Lord. Mr. P. Keller, district engineer, notified the council that the bridge timber on the ground was a splendid sample of the best resinous heart of rimu, which he considered superior to a great deal of the mixed Australian hardwood, which had been used in New Zealand in recent years, more particularly as. it was mountain rimu. Exactly similar timber was used for the construction of railway bridges on the Stratford, Toko and other sections of the Stratford-Main Trunkrailway. In a special refereneja at a conference held in Wellington about 1926 Mr, F. Jones, engineer-in- chief of the railways, stated that the heart rimu stringers on the Patea River bridge, after 20 years’ service, were as sound as the day they were put in. They were only replaced because the Railway department had adopted heavier engines than those they were originally designed for. He felt confident that the council would be taking no undue risks oyer the maintenance of the bridge if built of this timber. He pointed out that during recent years there had been a trend towards the utilisation of heart, of. rimu, more particularly for decking on bridges erected under the control of the Public Works Department. If required, the interested settlers, were prepared to find hardwood sills.

OPINION NOT ALTERED. It was ail important piatter for his rising, and as he did' not consider it so Urgent Cr. Thomas suggested that decir sion should be held over until next meeting, when his colleague would be presept. Despite Mr. Keller’s letter he had not. altered his opinion about rimu. The chairman, Cr. S. Vickers; said he would not have been surprised to have received a letter frqm the company withdrawing the offer. Personally, he was quite prepared to leave the matter to the Ppblto Works. Department, which would not subsidise a bridge unless it Would last 20 years at least. A rimu bridge over the Kiri stream had been up over 20 years. Cr. Thomas said that it had been repaired a dozen times, and so had the bridge over the Stony River. Every contractor knew as much about the lasting qualities of rimu as did Mr. Keller. •They' all knew that rimu posts would last only a few years—and the same appffed to bridge timber, which had other timber resting on it and was constantly getting wet and dry. They could not depend on it lasting than 12 or 14 years. Cr. Hall said that he knew of a rimu log over a stream- that had lasted 50 years. Cr. Thomas said he had had similar experience, but timber in a bridge was different,

Cr. Cartwright pointed out that the timber was all heart, but Cr. Thomas maintained that would make no difference in the case of bridge timber. Heart posts only lasted seven or eight years. The chairman pointed out that it was probablw either accept that offer or nothing. In the latter case the council would be called upon to open up another road. Cr. Thomas said the council would have a say in that. He made it clear that he was not up against the settler as it was his. job to see that everyone was given access. In this case the settler had gone with his eyes open quite recently on to the land. Cr. Thomas did not know definitely, but he felt sure that there was some arrangement whereby the company had to find him access. Cr. Thopias pointed out that the com-, pany- had other property adjacent and could easily have given the settler a small area on which to build on the town side of the stream, in which case a temporary bridge would have sufficed. That would have been the commopsense method.

The chairman: That suggested itself to me at the time, but it has not been done. Cr. Thqmas considered tfie company had previously, exercised its. influence successfully to have the royalty reduced and was now endeavouring to again use its influence. Had the settler been on the section for 30 years, felled the bush and battled hard, the speaker would have been the first to use every endeavour to give him access. The position, however, was different. Personally, he believed that the company had originally intended to build the bridge itself and give the settler an easement through its pro-

perty, as it could easily do, but it felt that it would be cheaper to have the bridge built as now proposed. It was a serious matter affecting the finances of tfie riding as there would be heavy future maintenance. He and his colleague had been returned by the ratepayers, against opposition, to safeguard the interests' qf the rising. He had never interfered with councillors in' administering the affairs of other ridings, as he felt that they were reputable men sent by the ratepayers to look after the affairs of the riding, and he expected the same consideration. So strongly did he feel on the question that he was prepared even to agree to the council finding one of the stringers if the company would build the bridge of hardwood. The rimu at the bridge site copld be sawn up for other purposes. C!r, Cartwright, said there was a danger that the company might withdraw the offer. Cr. Hall asked where lay the serious financial matter to the riding. Cr. Thomas said the future maintenance costs would be heavy. He wqs opposed to the policy of building bridges of inferior timber. Farmers would not use rimu posts, He asked whether Cr. Hall would agree to rimu being used in the bridge that was. to be built, ip the Waitara riding. Cr. Hall: If the Public V/orks Department stated that it would stand up to the traffic conditions for 25 years that would be good enough for me. Cr. Thomas: You have also a duty to posterity. Surely you would ' consider that. The chairman made it clear that he had no. intention of using the weight of the council against the wishes of the riding members. Cr. Thomas, however, had suggested an alternative, and the.chair? man asked if he was prepared to move in that direction. Cr. Thomas then moved that the council agree to the erection of the bridge, provided it was constructed with hardwood stringers, oneof which would be provided by the OQuncil in preference to having the bridge built in rimu. Cr. Wood seconded the motion, which was carried. The chairman pointed out that in that case it would not be necessary for the company tq provide, hardwood sills, as the stringers could rest on the concrete piers. ‘