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Gisborne residents were incredulous when they learnt in late August that the Te Arai main highway bridge at Manutuke was collapsing into the river. It was a solid concrete structure which looked as though it would last forever. But the lateral slumping of one of the banks, due no doubt to the abnormal rainfall this winter, gradually pushed one set of piles in towards the middle of the stream. Photo below was taken on the day the collapse started, with bridge rail crowded with sightseers. In large picture above, span has fallen into river, and traffic is being carried on Bailey bridge.
One of the main hazards was that collapse of the bridge severed water supply for Gisborne. As soon as engineers and men got Bailey bridge across, borough staff pushed ahead with temporary pipeline seeing in picture above. Thanks to their good work, Gisborne was only a day without adequate water supplies.

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Older Maoris, it is said, attributed collapse of bridge to anger of taniwha in human form who, legend has it, lives in the stream-bed under shadow of bridge thrown by noonday sun. They say piles were driven into foundations so hard the tops of the piles were splintered, and no mere slumping of a bank would move them. Nothing could, they say, except the anger of a disturbed taniwha.

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A view of the bridge on the Saturday afternoon as Bailey bridge was being pushed across sagging span. Note the water pipe in foreground.

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More than 50 workmen, directed by two Ministry of Works overseers, Messrs T. H. Walters and J. B. Treader, laboured mightily to bridge gap by night fall. Here men lift a heavy bridge section.

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Borough Council workmen had long and urgent job to restore vital water supply for Gisborne. They toiled all night on arduous task. Borough engineer. Mr Sanderson, is seen here in centre of picture as length of pipe is lowered into position.

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A joint is welded in the pipeline. (Both these pictures by Mr Lloyd Cornish).

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"Photo News" could find no pictures of Taniwhas in human form, but this is the celebrated Flying Taniwha which once scared the living daylights out of a Patea Maori.