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Hayes bridge, said to be 100 ft above the water, is understood by the
Ruslings, still resident in the valley, to have been built by the Tichner brothers, formerly sailors, around 1915–1916. The cables consisted of bunches of 52 strands of No. 8 wire, and endured the whole life of the bridge, a period of at least 66 years. When the bridge finally collapsed under the weight of a mob of sheep, the uprights on the house side gave way, allowing the anchors to fall away. Evan and Bob Hayes, who were moving the sheep, were fortunately not on the bridge when it collapsed, but most of the sheep were either killed from the fall, or drowned in the Retaruke.
128:. Its author could not previously comment publicly on its implications, but since its illegal distribution the Army has released the report. George Butcher has now spoken publicly and said Keith Berryman admitted to him that the transoms were in poor condition, that there was visible rot in some timbers, and that he was worried about the state of the bridge. Knowledge of an unsafe work environment and failure to prevent or isolate the risk is an offence in New Zealand, but the prosecution of the Berrymans failed when the judge ruled the bridge did not meet the definition of Mr Richards' place of work in the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
113:, who reported on the collapse for the army, concluded that the failure was caused by "50% reduction in the nominal strength of the member ... entirely due to decay of the untreated timber." Additional factors were "the decision to use two 300x75 beams bolted together for the transoms in place of a solid 300x150 member" and the lack of a "regular inspection and maintenance programme by the owners of the bridge". The army withheld Butcher's report from the 1997 inquest into Richards' death and kept its contents secret until it was published illegally on the internet by the Berrymans' lawyer,
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timber from a demolition site in
Wanganui. Lieutenant Armstrong's initial reaction was not to proceed with construction using deficient materials, but he was eventually persuaded when Keith Berryman signed a statement, witnessed by a neighbouring JP, taking responsibility for the materials and their
59:. On 22 March 1994 two transoms (the supporting beams suspended from wire ropes running from side to side beneath the bridge) snapped causing the bridge to collapse while beekeeper Kenneth Richards was crossing in a laden light truck. Richards was killed when the truck fell 30 metres into the river.
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The
Berryman Bridge was the second suspension bridge to be the primary access to Te Rata. The earlier bridge, which collapsed around the 1980s, was a fearsome structure on the same site. In the 'Otago Born and Bred' articles noted below, this first bridge is referred to as the Hayes Bridge. The
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saga around New
Zealand; it is difficult to treat against decay and untreated timber is suitable for use only where it can be adequately protected from moisture. Te Rata receives about 1800 mm (72 in) of rainfall per year, and the river gorge is continuously damp with frequent fog.
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and a group of Fijian army trainees, as an exercise. The design was based upon calculations by
Lieutenant John Armstrong, with labour and logistics for construction provided at New Zealand Army expense.
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2008, May – High Court quashes the parts of the 1997 finding by
Taumarunui coroner that exonerated the Army, but stops short of exonerating the Berrymans
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subsequent inspection and maintenance. Loading was recalculated accordingly. Untreated
Douglas fir timber has featured in the
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The bridge was built on public land in 1986 for Keith and
Margaret Berryman, a nearby landowner, by members of the
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to prosecute them for
Richards' death has led to bankruptcy and the loss of their farm.
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2009, 24 December – Berrymans accept
Government settlement offer of $ 150,000.
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2008, June – Berrymans seek damages from Defence Force at the Court of Appeal
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The Berrymans were to provide all materials, but instead of the specified
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117:. The Berrymans claim that their fight against attempts by the
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Paul Mulrooney, Anna Chalmers and Kelly Burns (2 May 2008).
216:"Farm Hazards and the Health and Safety in Employment Act"
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1915–1916 Original bridge "Hayes bridge" constructed.
124:The complete text of the Butcher report is held at
91:timber for the transoms and bearers, they obtained
337:"Defence appeal rejected in bridge collapse case"
109:G. W. Butcher, a retired Lieutenant Colonel and
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220:Victoria University of Wellington Law Review
163:decided Berryman's will have their claim of
305:"Berrymans seek damages from Defence Force"
395:TVNZ- Report released over bridge collapse
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119:Occupational Safety and Health department
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370:"Berrymans accept Govt compo offer"
201:"Couple still fighting for justice"
47:was a suspension bridge across the
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442:Suspension bridges in New Zealand
144:1986 – Second bridge constructed.
462:March 1994 events in New Zealand
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457:Bridge disasters in New Zealand
280:"A victory for the Berrymans?"
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467:1994 disasters in New Zealand
447:Bridges in Manawatū-Whanganui
278:Price, Stephen (6 May 2008).
150:1997 – Inquest into collapse.
256:"Berrymans win court battle"
132:Timeline of Te Rata bridges
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452:Bridges completed in 1986
233:10.26686/vuwlr.v28i2.6072
126:Wikisource:Butcher report
214:Stallard, Jaron (1998).
147:1994 – Bridge collapses.
368:NZPA (2 January 2010).
418:39.11300°S 175.09600°E
342:The New Zealand Herald
181:Bridges in New Zealand
159:2008, 25 September –
423:-39.11300; 175.09600
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310:The Dominion Post
284:Media Law Journal
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165:misfeasance
98:leaky homes
93:Douglas fir
57:New Zealand
436:Categories
409:175°5.76′E
226:(2): 441.
187:References
115:Rob Moodie
82:macrocarpa
406:39°6.78′S
376:2 January
86:tanalised
175:See also
105:Collapse
321:19 June
63:History
51:in the
167:heard.
378:2010
355:2008
347:NZPA
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