Pastures Past: When bridges were too narrow for farm machinery
As timber milling operations grew, there was a need to transport logs to the main railway lines.
Some bridges were often designed to carry limited loads, sometimes only accommodating a single row of livestock or a solitary horse, reflecting the transportation demands and resource constraints of the time, as seen in a 1932 article from the NZ Herald below.
Access to farm land
Bridges across stream
Construction in the north
[By Telegraph—own correspondent]
New Zealand Herald, July 29, 1932
Dargaville, Thursday
Two suspension bridges have been erected over the Mangakahia Stream by contractors for the Public Works Department.
The last to be completed is at Nukutawhiti, on Mr. T. N. Blake's property, about 35 miles from Dargaville.
It will give access to a block of good farming land.
The bridge is swung between hardwood towers, 40ft. in height, carried on suspension cables 5in. circumference, with a breaking strain of 87 tons on each.
In times of flood, stock can readily be moved across the river, which has been known to rise 35ft. in four hours.
The bridges have been designed to carry one horse or one cow, or sheep in single file.
Narrow bridges
A lorry stuck.
Had to be jacked out.
Northern Advocate, February 9, 1934
The Wharekohe settlers have met with no success in trying to persuade either the Public Works or the County Council to widen the bridges to a suitable width for farm implements.
Recently, the Springhead cream carrier, Mr P. Kenwood, used a larger lorry than usual, and it stuck in a bridge.
After an hour's work with jacks the lorry was pushed through, with no more damage than a broken main leaf of one of the springs.
This lorry is not now brought round this way, as time is money when cream is being transported, and springs are not cheap.
The other bridge is an inch or two wider, and the lorry got through, but left some paint on the side rails.
Bridges inadequate for farm machinery
Northern Advocate February 8, 1949
Many bridges in the Whangarei County do not readily permit the passage of farm machinery such as rakes, tedders, hay presses and manure distributors.
This was reported at a meeting of the Ruakaka branch of the Federated Farmers last night.
Members of the branch felt that the existing situation must, in time, react to the detriment of modern farm practices.
Farmers in the Takahiwai area had found it necessary to remove handrails from bridges before harvesting machinery could be taken into the settlement.
Totara, matai, and rimu
Maoris sell timber near Taumaranui
Rotorua Morning Post, December 7, 1951
Tokaanu, Thurs.
About 5000 acres of totara, matai and rimu at Kakahi, near Taumarunui, have been sold by its Tuwharetoa owners to Mr. P. D. Smith, a sawmiller, of Taumarunui.
To take the timber to the Main Trunk railway, bridges will have to be built across the Whakapapa and Upper Wanganui Rivers.
These bridges will at the same time provide access to thousands of acres of good Maori lands, which will be fully developed and ultimately settled by Maori farm units, as will the adjacent Puketapu and Hohotaka lands within the Tuwharetoa tribal zone.
The milling will also provide much employment.
The price to be paid for this timber will be a handsome return to the Maori owners, who intend to spend the money on houses and farm units.
Much of the timber is high quality, suitable for making plywoods.
- Source: Papers Past
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- NZ Herald
Lotto Powerball $20m winner - where lucky ticket was sold
A brief history of Lotteries throughout the ages. Video / NZ Herald Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Already a subscriber? Sign in here Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen. A single ticket in the South Island has won Saturday's eye watering $20 million Powerball draw. The numbers were 19, 21, 11, 35, 6 and 33. The bonus ball was 27 and the Powerball was 3. The lucky punter from Christchurch will walk away with a life-changing $20,250,000. That includes a quarter share of First Division, where three other tickets without the Powerball number are worth $250,000. The winning ticket was sold on MyLotto.
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- NZ Herald
Pastures Past: Wasp control in 1949 - Department of Agriculture offers free DDT
It was highly effective at killing insects like mosquitoes, flies, lice, and wasps, due to its long-lasting residual effects, meaning one application could provide weeks or months of control. DDT stopped being used because it was discovered that it accumulated in the food chain and had devastating effects on wildlife, especially birds. It was found that it didn't break down easily, contaminating soil and water for years. Wasps: Rush For Free DDT Powder Northern Advocate, March 25, 1949 AUCKLAND, Fri. (P.A.)—An offer of free DDT powder to people who located wasps' nests has resulted in the Department of Agriculture being flooded with requests. Mr C. R. Thomas, of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, has been doing research work on controlling the wasp. Recently he destroyed six large nests near the Middlemore golf course and four at Clevedon. He said the wasps were first located at Hamilton in 1945. By last summer they had reached south to Taumarunui and north to the fringe of Auckland. This year they had been reported at Palmerston North and Wanganui, and within 30 miles of Gisborne. They were a nuisance more than an economic menace. Recently, a heifer was stung to death, and two others were affected by stings. No new wasps have invaded the Gisborne District Gisborne Herald, February 11, 1950 There have been no fresh signs of the threatened invasion of wasps into the district from the north, but this is the season when they should be noticed if present in the country behind Gisborne and on the East Coast, and the Department of Agriculture desires information concerning wasps found in any locality. Fears that wasps would become established in Hawke's Bay, expressed after the discovery of several queens last year, appear to have been realised. A week ago, two nests were discovered at Waipawa and an Otane apiarist has killed a number of wasps in one of his hives. The destruction of the two nests at Waipawa—one in an old tree stump and the other in an old shop in the town's main street—means that thousands of wasps have been prevented from becoming a menace. The only signs of infiltration of the wasps to the areas north of Waipawa have been the discovery of two isolated queens, one at the Tomoana freezing works and the other in a railway wagon at Napier. Wasps Making Nests Te Awamutu Courier, March 1, 1950 The suggestion that wasps are likely to be non-existent this season is discounted by a local district farmer. He stated on Monday that on his farm and the adjacent roadway 25 nests have been destroyed. The wasps so far have not invaded houses as they are busily engaged making their nests. The wasps gather around water troughs and they laden themselves with earth and fly to their nests, often dropping the earth near by. The farmer said that it was an interesting sight, for the flight of the wasps could be followed. The Courier's informant further said that he had destroyed the nests with cyanide gas, which he had injected into the nests in the evening. He suggested that the Department of Agriculture could with advantage issue that gas to responsible persons who were to exercise the greatest care in its use as it was poisonous. Early attacks on the nests should be made so as to prevent a repetition of last year's plague of wasps. Wasps Make Way to South Island Rotorua Morning Post, April 30, 1952 NELSON, Tuesday. The discovery of three nests in the Mapua-Ruby Bay area of the Nelson district provides definite evidence that the wasps of the species vespula germanica have spread to the South Island. Individual wasps were first seen in the Nelson district last year and in the neighbouring Marlborough Province. This year the three nests near Mapua are the first reported in the South Island. They are all of the underground type and have been treated with D.D.T. by horticultural division officers. - Source: Papers Past
NZ Herald
02-08-2025
- NZ Herald
Pastures Past: When bridges were too narrow for farm machinery
The expansion of the timber industry further influenced bridge construction. As timber milling operations grew, there was a need to transport logs to the main railway lines. Some bridges were often designed to carry limited loads, sometimes only accommodating a single row of livestock or a solitary horse, reflecting the transportation demands and resource constraints of the time, as seen in a 1932 article from the NZ Herald below. Access to farm land Bridges across stream Construction in the north [By Telegraph—own correspondent] New Zealand Herald, July 29, 1932 Dargaville, Thursday Two suspension bridges have been erected over the Mangakahia Stream by contractors for the Public Works Department. The last to be completed is at Nukutawhiti, on Mr. T. N. Blake's property, about 35 miles from Dargaville. It will give access to a block of good farming land. The bridge is swung between hardwood towers, 40ft. in height, carried on suspension cables 5in. circumference, with a breaking strain of 87 tons on each. In times of flood, stock can readily be moved across the river, which has been known to rise 35ft. in four hours. The bridges have been designed to carry one horse or one cow, or sheep in single file. Narrow bridges A lorry stuck. Had to be jacked out. Northern Advocate, February 9, 1934 The Wharekohe settlers have met with no success in trying to persuade either the Public Works or the County Council to widen the bridges to a suitable width for farm implements. Recently, the Springhead cream carrier, Mr P. Kenwood, used a larger lorry than usual, and it stuck in a bridge. After an hour's work with jacks the lorry was pushed through, with no more damage than a broken main leaf of one of the springs. This lorry is not now brought round this way, as time is money when cream is being transported, and springs are not cheap. The other bridge is an inch or two wider, and the lorry got through, but left some paint on the side rails. Bridges inadequate for farm machinery Northern Advocate February 8, 1949 Many bridges in the Whangarei County do not readily permit the passage of farm machinery such as rakes, tedders, hay presses and manure distributors. This was reported at a meeting of the Ruakaka branch of the Federated Farmers last night. Members of the branch felt that the existing situation must, in time, react to the detriment of modern farm practices. Farmers in the Takahiwai area had found it necessary to remove handrails from bridges before harvesting machinery could be taken into the settlement. Totara, matai, and rimu Maoris sell timber near Taumaranui Rotorua Morning Post, December 7, 1951 Tokaanu, Thurs. About 5000 acres of totara, matai and rimu at Kakahi, near Taumarunui, have been sold by its Tuwharetoa owners to Mr. P. D. Smith, a sawmiller, of Taumarunui. To take the timber to the Main Trunk railway, bridges will have to be built across the Whakapapa and Upper Wanganui Rivers. These bridges will at the same time provide access to thousands of acres of good Maori lands, which will be fully developed and ultimately settled by Maori farm units, as will the adjacent Puketapu and Hohotaka lands within the Tuwharetoa tribal zone. The milling will also provide much employment. The price to be paid for this timber will be a handsome return to the Maori owners, who intend to spend the money on houses and farm units. Much of the timber is high quality, suitable for making plywoods. - Source: Papers Past
