COMMERCIAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3260, 19 July 1889, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

London, July 17. The quantity of wheat and flour afloat for 'the United Kingdom is 1,700,000 quarters, and for the Continent 100,000 quarters. The American visible supply of wheat is 12,750,000 bushels. The English .wheat marketis firmer, the Continental steady, while the American has changed a little for tho worse.

New Zealand mutton is neglectu at 5-|d. Galvanised Iron, Orb brand, £1( 15s.

The Makakahi Bridge Disastei

(To ths Editor.)' Knripuni, 18th July, 1889. Sm,—On my return to Masterton to night I noticed in the Daily of the 10th inst. remarks ro the scaffolding for the bridge over the Makakahi river at Eketahuna, which are incorrect. Previous to commencing the erection of the bridge tho contractor applied to mo for a suggestion for a scaffold to cross tho river without tho necessity of building up from th<* river bed. As that would be expensive, and liable to be carried away iu the event of a flood oceuring, I suggested a scaffold and gave Mr Bryant a sketch with verbal instructions for erection. The scaffolding erected was different in. detail and mode qf erection from the one suggested, I frequently pointed out its defects, and when Hast inspected the works I mentioned in detail those defects,and suggested a remedy for them. I also advised the contractor to put material for one truss only on the staging, to erect it, and relieve the scaffolding of its weight previous to putting the other on.' I always understood thai the scaffolding was to bo supplemented by.a wire rope. This was the contractor's own suggestion, and 1 thoiight it agoqtl quo. When scaffolding'oftiie kind referred to is once safely across thp rivor (t qan be made.at very little additional expense, to carry any desired weight, My own ophjion is that if tho contractor had put tl(e framing antl ereotion of the trusses in the hands of an experienced bridge builder, the work would have been, completed long ago. Weight of of one truss, 489 cubic feet of timber at SOlbs per foot, 21.5501b5; ironwork, 29081b5; Total weight in 1b5—24,458; or eleven tons and two hundred and eighteen pounds. I am 4c; John Kins.