THE ROAD BRIDGE AND THE LONGBEACH ROAD BOARD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1489, 16 March 1885, Page 2

THE ROAD BRIDGE AND THE LONGBEACH ROAD BOARD.

The following are the resolutions re- I ferred to in our last issue as having been I adopted by the Longbeach Road Board at I its meeting on Friday last ; I “ That this Board having been made 1 aware by the report of the Committee of I the Ashburton County Council that it was proposed to throw an undue proportion of 1 the coat payable out of the Council’s fund j towards the erect on of a traffic bridge I over the Ashburton river upon only a I small portion of the County, viz,—the I Waaanui, Upper Ashburton, and Longbeach Road Board districts, the Longbeach Hoad Board hereby authorises the Chairman to make a formal protest to the ] Council of the injustice of the proposal, pointing out that the consequence of the Committee’s proposal being carried out means that the three Road Board districts would have to contribute twice, first as part of the County and then specially by the amount to be debited against them ; and also further resolves that the co-operation of the other two Boards interested be invited to take any action they may deem necessary to influence or stay the proceeding of the Council.”

,f That, if found expeient, a telegram! be forwarded to the Hon the Minister for Public Works, and also to the Colonial Secretary, stating that this Board being one of the three Road B >ard districts required to specially contribute towards the cost of the bridge, will object to the proposed arrangement, pointing out that the County contains seven Road Boards, large portions of which equally interested in the work will be required to defray but a small portion of the cost. Copies of the f regoing resolutions to be sent to the Wakanui and Upper Ashburton Road Boards, and also to the members of the Council representing the three districts referred to, asking them to strenuously oppose the proposals of the Council.”

The following is the full text of the report, in reference to the bridge, adopted by the County Council at its meeting on Monday, 9th February :—“ The Committee appointed to confer with a Committee of the Borough Council with reference to the erection of a traffic bridge over the Ashburton river, beg to report as follows: —The conference took place on January 20th, and after discussion with the Engineer as to the most suitable and economical style of bridge to be erected, and after the Borough Council representatives had stated their views as to proportion of cost over and above the vote of L 7,000, which the Borough would be willing to contribute, the following resolution was agreed to :—' That the County Council and Borough Council contribute towards the balance required to complete the coat of traffic bridge, in the proportion of L2 by the County to LI by the Borough, provided that the plan adopted shall include a foot-bridge railed off from the roadway, but in no case shall the Borough’s contribution be more than L 1,500. The Committee therefore recommends the Council to accept the terms of the resolution as<an equitable proposal, and to take immediate steps to proceed with the work as desired by the Borough Council. The Minister for Public Works has inspected the plans as laid before the conference, and intimated that he sees no reason against them. On the matter of finance the Council will require to take into consideration that over and above the vote of L 7,000 a sum of £ will have to be provided. Of the other bridges within the County constructed out of County funds, wholly or in part, the Rangitata bridge was built out of the County funds while the bridges over the IJorth Ashburton, at Digby’a and at the Single Tree, the bridge over Taylor’s branch of the Ashburton, and over the South Ashburton constructed haf out of County funds aod half out of Road Board funds. Supposing the Council considers that the necessary contribution to the proposed bridge should be met in a similar way as these last mentioned four bridges, the Committee suggest that one-half the amount required be charged to County funds and one-half to the Road Boards adjacent, viz., Wakanui, Longbeach, Upper Ashburton and the town district of Tinwald, But if the Road Boards interested are not in such a financial position at present as to be asked for a contribution, the estimated proportion due from each Board should be taken into consideration in any future 0 unty expenditure, and in that manner to be charged to them. The Committee believe that the amount required can be obtained as a loan, payable as the Council wishes up to 10 years by instalments, so that no appreciable burden or increase of rate need be necea sary in any one year. ”