diff --git a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/AbstractWordUtils.java b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/AbstractWordUtils.java
index 9a667ff91..c50b119bd 100644
--- a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/AbstractWordUtils.java
+++ b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/AbstractWordUtils.java
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import java.io.FileInputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.lang.reflect.Constructor;
-import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.HWPFDocument;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.HWPFDocumentCore;
@@ -32,8 +31,6 @@ import org.apache.poi.hwpf.model.ListTables;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.BorderCode;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Paragraph;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Range;
-import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Section;
-import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.SectionProperties;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.TableIterator;
 import org.apache.poi.poifs.filesystem.POIFSFileSystem;
 import org.apache.poi.util.IOUtils;
@@ -239,20 +236,6 @@ public class AbstractWordUtils
         return String.valueOf( number );
     }
 
-    public static SectionProperties getSectionProperties( Section section )
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            Field field = Section.class.getDeclaredField( "_props" );
-            field.setAccessible( true );
-            return (SectionProperties) field.get( section );
-        }
-        catch ( Exception exc )
-        {
-            throw new Error( exc );
-        }
-    }
-
     static boolean isEmpty( String str )
     {
         return str == null || str.length() == 0;
diff --git a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/WordToFoConverter.java b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/WordToFoConverter.java
index 7d118dbca..939f749dc 100644
--- a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/WordToFoConverter.java
+++ b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/WordToFoConverter.java
@@ -27,17 +27,15 @@ import javax.xml.transform.TransformerFactory;
 import javax.xml.transform.dom.DOMSource;
 import javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamResult;
 
-import org.apache.poi.hwpf.converter.FontReplacer.Triplet;
-
 import org.apache.poi.hpsf.SummaryInformation;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.HWPFDocument;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.HWPFDocumentCore;
+import org.apache.poi.hwpf.converter.FontReplacer.Triplet;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.CharacterRun;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Paragraph;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Picture;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Range;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Section;
-import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.SectionProperties;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Table;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.TableCell;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.TableRow;
@@ -146,18 +144,21 @@ public class WordToFoConverter extends AbstractWordConverter
         this.foDocumentFacade = new FoDocumentFacade( document );
     }
 
-    protected String createPageMaster( SectionProperties sep, String type,
-            int section )
+    protected String createPageMaster( Section section, String type,
+            int sectionIndex )
     {
-        float height = sep.getYaPage() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
-        float width = sep.getXaPage() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
-        float leftMargin = sep.getDxaLeft() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
-        float rightMargin = sep.getDxaRight() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
-        float topMargin = sep.getDyaTop() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
-        float bottomMargin = sep.getDyaBottom() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float height = section.getPageHeight() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float width = section.getPageWidth() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float leftMargin = section.getMarginLeft()
+                / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float rightMargin = section.getMarginRight()
+                / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float topMargin = section.getMarginTop() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float bottomMargin = section.getMarginBottom()
+                / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
 
         // add these to the header
-        String pageMasterName = type + "-page" + section;
+        String pageMasterName = type + "-page" + sectionIndex;
 
         Element pageMaster = foDocumentFacade
                 .addSimplePageMaster( pageMasterName );
@@ -178,15 +179,15 @@ public class WordToFoConverter extends AbstractWordConverter
         // WordToFoUtils.setBorder(regionBody, sep.getBrcLeft(), "left");
         // WordToFoUtils.setBorder(regionBody, sep.getBrcRight(), "right");
 
-        if ( sep.getCcolM1() > 0 )
+        if ( section.getNumColumns() > 1 )
         {
-            regionBody.setAttribute( "column-count", ""
-                    + ( sep.getCcolM1() + 1 ) );
-            if ( sep.getFEvenlySpaced() )
+            regionBody.setAttribute( "column-count",
+                    "" + ( section.getNumColumns() ) );
+            if ( section.isColumnsEvenlySpaced() )
             {
-                regionBody.setAttribute( "column-gap",
-                        ( sep.getDxaColumns() / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH )
-                                + "in" );
+                float distance = section.getDistanceBetweenColumns()
+                        / WordToFoUtils.TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+                regionBody.setAttribute( "column-gap", distance + "in" );
             }
             else
             {
@@ -376,9 +377,7 @@ public class WordToFoConverter extends AbstractWordConverter
     protected void processSection( HWPFDocumentCore wordDocument,
             Section section, int sectionCounter )
     {
-        String regularPage = createPageMaster(
-                WordToFoUtils.getSectionProperties( section ), "page",
-                sectionCounter );
+        String regularPage = createPageMaster( section, "page", sectionCounter );
 
         Element pageSequence = foDocumentFacade.addPageSequence( regularPage );
         Element flow = foDocumentFacade.addFlowToPageSequence( pageSequence,
diff --git a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/WordToHtmlConverter.java b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/WordToHtmlConverter.java
index 5daf0375b..3046c4604 100644
--- a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/WordToHtmlConverter.java
+++ b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/converter/WordToHtmlConverter.java
@@ -27,17 +27,15 @@ import javax.xml.transform.TransformerFactory;
 import javax.xml.transform.dom.DOMSource;
 import javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamResult;
 
-import org.apache.poi.hwpf.converter.FontReplacer.Triplet;
-
 import org.apache.poi.hpsf.SummaryInformation;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.HWPFDocument;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.HWPFDocumentCore;
+import org.apache.poi.hwpf.converter.FontReplacer.Triplet;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.CharacterRun;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Paragraph;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Picture;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Range;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Section;
-import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.SectionProperties;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.Table;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.TableCell;
 import org.apache.poi.hwpf.usermodel.TableRow;
@@ -82,23 +80,22 @@ public class WordToHtmlConverter extends AbstractWordConverter
 
     private static String getSectionStyle( Section section )
     {
-        SectionProperties sep = WordToHtmlUtils.getSectionProperties( section );
-
-        float leftMargin = sep.getDxaLeft() / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
-        float rightMargin = sep.getDxaRight() / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
-        float topMargin = sep.getDyaTop() / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
-        float bottomMargin = sep.getDyaBottom() / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float leftMargin = section.getMarginLeft() / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float rightMargin = section.getMarginRight() / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float topMargin = section.getMarginTop() / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+        float bottomMargin = section.getMarginBottom() / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
 
         String style = "margin: " + topMargin + "in " + rightMargin + "in "
                 + bottomMargin + "in " + leftMargin + "in; ";
 
-        if ( sep.getCcolM1() > 0 )
+        if ( section.getNumColumns() > 1 )
         {
-            style += "column-count: " + ( sep.getCcolM1() + 1 ) + "; ";
-            if ( sep.getFEvenlySpaced() )
+            style += "column-count: " + ( section.getNumColumns() ) + "; ";
+            if ( section.isColumnsEvenlySpaced() )
             {
-                style += "column-gap: "
-                        + ( sep.getDxaColumns() / TWIPS_PER_INCH ) + "in; ";
+                float distance = section.getDistanceBetweenColumns()
+                        / TWIPS_PER_INCH;
+                style += "column-gap: " + distance + "in; ";
             }
             else
             {
@@ -317,7 +314,7 @@ public class WordToHtmlConverter extends AbstractWordConverter
             final CharacterRun characterRun = paragraph.getCharacterRun( 0 );
             if ( characterRun != null )
             {
-                Triplet triplet = getCharacterRunTriplet(characterRun);
+                Triplet triplet = getCharacterRunTriplet( characterRun );
                 pFontSize = characterRun.getFontSize() / 2;
                 pFontName = triplet.fontName;
                 WordToHtmlUtils.addFontFamily( pFontName, style );
diff --git a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/usermodel/Section.java b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/usermodel/Section.java
index 101f84705..4c902ee5e 100644
--- a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/usermodel/Section.java
+++ b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hwpf/usermodel/Section.java
@@ -43,11 +43,63 @@ public final class Section extends Range
         return s;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return distance to be maintained between columns, in twips. Used when
+     *         {@link #isColumnsEvenlySpaced()} == true
+     */
+    public int getDistanceBetweenColumns()
+    {
+        return _props.getDxaColumns();
+    }
+
+    public int getMarginBottom()
+    {
+        return _props.getDyaBottom();
+    }
+
+    public int getMarginLeft()
+    {
+        return _props.getDxaLeft();
+    }
+
+    public int getMarginRight()
+    {
+        return _props.getDxaRight();
+    }
+
+    public int getMarginTop()
+    {
+        return _props.getDyaTop();
+    }
+
     public int getNumColumns()
     {
         return _props.getCcolM1() + 1;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return page height (in twips) in current section. Default value is 15840
+     *         twips
+     */
+    public int getPageHeight()
+    {
+        return _props.getYaPage();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return page width (in twips) in current section. Default value is 12240
+     *         twips
+     */
+    public int getPageWidth()
+    {
+        return _props.getXaPage();
+    }
+
+    public boolean isColumnsEvenlySpaced()
+    {
+        return _props.getFEvenlySpaced();
+    }
+
     @Override
     public String toString()
     {