THE BALCLUTHA BRIDGE.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 138, 2 March 1877, Page 5

THE BALCLUTHA BRIDGE.

. ♦ A deputation consisting of his Worsl.ip the Mayor and Councillors Cramond and Hogg waited upon the Hon. Mr M'Lean on Saturday last, 10 urge upon him the necessity of having the bridge repaired and otherwise attended to. Mr Mason explained the object of the deputation, and pointed out the necessity of the bridge being repaired and painted. Mr M'Lean asked i£ the bridge was not within a Municipality. Mr Mason replied that it waa. Mr M'Lean supposed that the Municipality would be inclined to keep the bridge in repair if they got all the tolls. Mr Mason did not know whether that would be the case* Some of the Councillors wanted to get the bridge under the control of the Municipal Council a few years ago, but the Government declined to hand it over to them, and had since drawn and appropriated the rents of the toll. Mr M'Lean said the bridge must go to some one, and if it was within the boundary of a Municipality, the latter would have to take it, and receive the tolls. Ec fancied the amount of the tolls would be quite sufficient to keep it in order-. Mr Mason pointed out that when a new bridge was wanted, the Municipality would never be able to build it. Messrs Oramond and Hogg also pointed out the injustice of the Government appropriating the whole of the revenues during the first eight years of the bridge when the revenue was large and when but little repairs were required to the bridge, and then forcing it upon the Municipality in a dilapidated condition to be maintained by the Council, when a large expenditure would be required for repairs, and when, by the extension of the railway to the township, the revenue at the toll would scarcely pay for collection* In the case of a new bridge being required, it would manifestly be impossible for the Municipality to undertake the cost. Mr M'Lean said it was to be hoped that this bridge "would : last for a long time to

come. He would be sorry if so much money should be spent upon a bvidgo which would only last for a few year's. He fancied, from the amount of tolls received, that they would have a good reserve fund by the time the bridge required renewing, although he thought that would ■be a long time. .The cost of a new bridge, when required, -would be heavy, and in could scarcely be expected the Municipality could undertake ib, but it Avould bo such a long time before it was required, and so many changes would likely talw place in that time, that he could not say what the Government would do in tho matter. Any promises he might thou [ make would be quite valueless. He woul d I point out, however, that the bridge was | not for the traffic of the Municipality alone, but was required for the general j traffic of the country, and he thought the adjoining counties should in justice havu j to contribute towards the expense oi' its maintenance if the revenue from the toll did not meet it, or towards the cost of a new bridge Avhen such comes to be necessary. In the meantime ho would find out whether there were any unexpended appropriations for the bridge which could bo expended upon it should the engineer report that it was in a dilapidated condition. . The Government wevo' unwilling to inter* fere in any way with such matters ; they wished local bodies to look after their own affairs without the interference of any one. Until a few days ago, he thought the bridge had been handed over to the County, and he had only just learned that both > sides of the river were included within the municipality. There was mon ey on hand that had been collected since the bridge was in the hands of the Government, and that would go towards making the necessary repairs. He was ready to hand over this money to the Toavii Council, and, if necessary, he would also formally hand over the bridge to them, but as he regarded it, the bridge was already legally their property, and under their sole control. After some further conversation, Mr Mason thanked Mr M'Lean for the courtesy with which he had received the deputation, and for the definite information he had afforded. > The deputation then withdrew.