NEWBRIDGE OVER HURUNUI RIVER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18804, 5 July 1929, Page 9

NEWBRIDGE OVER HURUNUI RIVER.

GOOD PROGRESS MADE WITH ERECTION OF PIERS. Work on the erection of the new ferro-concrete bridge over the Hurunui River on the main Christchurch-Kai-koura Road is proceeding satisfactorily, and two of the concrete piers on the north side are practically complete. The bridge, which is to replace the present wooden structure erected in 1872, will have a total length of 480 ft. consisting of eight 60ft spans, and is estimated to cost about £17,000. ot which 75 per cent is being contributed by the Main Highways Board and 25 per cent by the Waipara, Cheviot and Kaikoura Counties on a basis fixed by a commission set up for the purpose The width of the deck will be 12ft, with a passing place 19ft in width in the centre. The concrete abutment on the north side is now completed, and two of the piers have been concreted to within three feet of the top. For the next pier the foundations have been put down. In order to secure the right bearing power the foundations are being put down to a depth of 17ft below the river level, and sunk 4ft into the papa rock which lies under the shingle. In the excavations for the foundations for the piers a great deal of water is met with and a pump with a capacity of 170 gallons a minute is constantly in use. During a recent fresh in the river the excavations for one of the piers were filled in. and the work had to be done over again. The depth of shingle in the river varies from Bft to 15ft, and this was not deemed sufficient to take piles. It was decided to carry the bridge on piers, three of which are to be on concrete bases, and three to be constructed in the form of cylinders. The superstructure of the bridge will be support-, ed by 60ft steel plate girders. In one pier, the reinforced concrete cylinders have been cast for a height of 7ft, and the one on the upstream side has been lowered a depth of sft to the river bottom. The cylinder will be extended by another Bft 7in and then sunk into the river bed to the required depth. An air compressor for use in sinking the cylinders is already on the job. The work of erecting the bridge is being carried out by the Public Works Department. “ CONTRACTS FOR WORK WERE SENT OUTSIDE.” Mr G. T. Thurston, secretary to the Canterbury branch of the Amalgamated Engineers’ and Allied Trades’ Union, has been informed that contracts for all the big engineering work on the Hurunui Bridge have been given outside of New Zealand. He does not know to which country they have gone, but he states that no tenders were invited in New Zealand except for a few bolts and other small articles The big work can be done by firms in Christchurch and in other parts of New Zealand, and, in view particularly of complaints by employers at the Arbitration Court in Christchurch last week as to the languishing state of the industry in New Zealand, he is inquiring into the reasons for sending the work out of the Dominion, if it is correct that this has been done. Mr Thurston telegraphed to the Prime Minister on Wednesday: “ I understand that plans, etc., for constructing the steel work on the Hurunui Bridge have been sent outside New Zealand, without any reference to local firms. Is this correct? My association emphatically protests against such action while unemployed workers are seeking jobs and employers are seeking such works. Such action constitutes a breach of faith.” Sir Joseph Ward replied that inquir ies were being made, and that he would reply further later on. Mr H. Holland, M.P., Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, has stated that he, and the Labour Party as a whole, will take the matter up in the House.