SELWYN BRIDGE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18365, 24 April 1925, Page 5

SELWYN BRIDGE.

HIGHWAYS BOARD'S SUBSIDY.

DISTRICT COUNCIL'S APPROVAL

The offer of the Main Highways Board to grant a subsidy uf £3 f'-.ir £1 towards flie erection of a br:;:ge at the Selwyn ford in line With t';.' Main South road was approved at yesterday's meeting of the Highways Council. Group 14. Tn bringing the matter up for discussion the chairman (Mr i:\ Langbeiu'.'. said that there were two proposals respecting the bridge, one to const met. a bridge 13ft wide throughout its length, and the other to build a bridge lift wide with two passing-places. Mr F. Horrell (Rangiora County'' said that the offer wan a most liberal one, and those sitting round the table knew that they had never had a similar offer before. He considered that the bodies concerned would be foolish not to take advantage of the offer. The chairman (Mr ¥. Langbeiu) said it was estimated that a bridge 18ft wide throughout and 1050 ft long would cost £15,000, and a bridge 12ft wide with two passing-places would cost £12,300. Mr J. Cunningham (Ellesmere County) moved that the Council approves of the offer of £3 for £1 made; that the Council reaffirms its opinion that the main road from Rollestoii to the Eakaia should be declared a Government road, and that more than £1 for £1 should be offered for its reconstruction. The motion was seconded by Mr A. Thompson (Springs County).

Mr Horrell said that only £3750 was required to be raised by the local bodies concerned, and that such a sum, if divided among them, would not be vory large. Mr H. A. Knight (Malvern County) stated definitely that. Malvern would not be a party to tlio proposal of allocation. His body had 110 desire to raise a loan for the purpose. The chairman: Are you not in favour of the bridge? Mr Knight: No; it is a national concern. The chairman: But the Government will provide 75 per cent, of the cost of the bridge. ' Mr J. D. Bruco (South Island representative on the Highways Board) said that if there was a public demand for the bridge, and the counties concerned would not raise the necessary money for the purpose and pay their share, the bridge would revert to the Main Highways Board and become a Main Highways bridge. In that event, the Board, after building the bridge, would be able to call on the bodies concerned to pay on a £ for £ basis, and not on the basis of the present offer of £3 for £l. Mr A. Thompson said that he was authorised to attend the meeting and state that his body was prepared to take its share of the work. Mr G. T. Muleoek (Halswell County) said that lie considered that the meeting would be in order in sanctioning the proposal after hearing Mr Bruce's explanation. Mr R. W. Hawke (Waimairi County) said .it was admitted that the bridge was a. necessity, but that the bridgewas not necessary to the four counties concerned; therefore he proposed that the amount necessary (£3750) should be raised by various bodies (not omitting the Canterbury Automobile Association) within the whole of group 14. After further discussion the motion was carried-