NEW TRAFFIC BRIDGE

Waipa Post, Volume 45, Issue 3253, 10 November 1932, Page 5

NEW TRAFFIC BRIDGE

NO FINALITY REACHED IN

HAMILTON. (By Telegraph. Press Association.) HAMILTON, Wednesday. A report on the progress of negotiations with the Government regarding the erection of a new traffic bridge over the Waikato River at Hamilton and the matter of repairing the existing structure, the condition of which has caused some alarm, was made at a meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council this evening by the Mayor, Dr F. D. Pinfold. The scheme for converting the railway bridge to take vehicluar traffic had been abandoned as impracticable, said Dr Pinfold. The advisability of building a pontoon bridge or a temporary wooden structure, had been investigated, but these proposals would cost approximately £SOOO each and accordingly must be ruled out, except in the event of a collapse of the present bridge. The matter of erecting a ramp on the present bridge and carrying but repair work to the decking under this had been considered but this proposal had been found to be impracticable. On several occasions recently, while in Wellington, he had pressed for some definite reply, but the only response was to the effect that the matter was before the Cabinet. The Government knew the facts and it was •incumbent upon it to deal with the position before trouble developed. " The position is unsatisfactory," added the Mayor. "The dangers of delay are very real and the council for its part 'is most anxious for finality." _j