Kawarau Falls Bridge.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 185, 27 May 1873, Page 7

Kawarau Falls Bridge.

The following notice of motion was given by Mr Hallenstein in the Provincial Council shortly before the prorogation. Just previously a petition had been read, from residents in the Arrow district, praying that the construction of a bridge at Kawaran Falls might be discontinued : . " 1. That this Council is of opinion that from a—ll —Arrow point of view the building of a bridge over the Kawarau Falls will be detrimental to the Arrow. 2. That were this bridge to be erected, fully threefourths of the entire traffic to the Lakes district would cross the same, wheieby the road to Queenstown would be shortened, and two very steep mountains, one at the Morven Ferry, and the other at the Shotover Hill, would be avoided, causing a saving in freight of from fifteen to twenty shillings per ton, which, while it would be a benefit to the Queenstown District, would, in the opinion of the storekeepers of the Arrow, injure their interests. 3. That were a bridge over the Kawarau Falls erected a great deal of settlement would go on on Boyes's Flat, to the detriment of farmers near the Arrow, who, also from a—n—Arrow point of view, opposed, though unsuccessfully, the throwing open of land on Boyes's run. 4. That the proposed bridge would enable Messrs Robertson and Hallenstein to send their flour at a very low rate to the Dunstan district, to the injury of other millers, who might not be able to compete with them. 5. That a bridge over the Kawarau Falls would form a connecting link with Southland via the ' Devil's Staircase, and cause cactle and

sheep and passenger traffic to come in from that portion of the Province, to the detri- <'- ment of settlers near the Arrow. 6. That in the opinion of this Council, a bridge over the Kawarau Falls, being also situated at the outlet of Lake Wakatip, would enable timber boats from the head of the Lake to come close to the bridge, and thus facilitate the supplying of timber to miners on the Kawarau and at Cromwell, who would gain an advantage over the miners in the vicinity of Arrowtown—which would be wrong. 7. That, therefore, this Council seriously consider the often-expressed wish of the people of Arrowtown—namely, that no road, bridge, railway, or telegraph be made to Queenstown, and that the interests of the township of Arrow lie considered paramount and superior'to tihb'se of the rest of the Lakes district."