ROADS AND BRIDGES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 525, 4 June 1909, Page 6

ROADS AND BRIDGES.

THE HON. A. W. HOGG IN MARLBOROUGH. . v. ■ LOCAL WANTS. . During his visit to Picton and Blenheim this week, the Hon. A. W. Hogg. (Minister for Roads and • Bridgos) mot a numbor of local deputations.' At Pidton the steam launch men, who do a-considerable' general carrying business for . the settlers in different .parts of the Sounds, waited upon him,; and urged that, in return for their licenßo fees, Which, they reckoned, oxcoeded £60 a year, the Government shoiilc build a wharf at Picton to accommodate their a shelter shed,', that could . be'used for reading and ree'reativo l purposes. The' Minister said be would ask" the Minister for Marine to give tho matter his favourable consideration. ■ -, r . . The Mayor, councillors, and other residents of Picton, drew the Minister's .attention to the desjrability of having, the standard survey of the borough completed, - and asked that an esplanade .should be formed in front of tho domain. They wero willlni to pay half the cost of the latter work. They further represented that a'number of small reserves in different parts of tho borough could not bo turned to profitable, account, berause .the council was unable to lease them tor building purposes. .'The Minister replied 'sympathetically, 'prbmismg.'to' go* into I .the 'matters brought bororo . him, and refer them to the. Ministers concorned. . . ' 1- - - -Improvements: : the ' Wellington-Picton ferry service, itbe ■ construction ,' of a new TVharf and ibe completion of the .South -ilsiii Trunk railway,, were all stronelv urged. , p ,- bJ Mr. v H<«g. pointed out that ail these works camo under v ;the jurisdiction of other Ministcr3, but he tho connecting 'of Picton With'. the rest: of the South Island by would be prosecuted vigorously. .-She. dephtatiori complained' that the railvray . was; being, constructed- at the rate of only one; milo a year. - ; ..The Minister said would bring tho mattor under sthe'notice of the Minister for Publio Workg, and hd that the reproaentations wouJdr rcceive full considoration. - 'Diincan, M.P;, contended that tho a new wharf was an exceedingly urgont mattor, •as vessels wero now subjected to,groat inconvonienco., -••. •. : , On tho .following mornings tho Minister went out_to Ilonwicktown, - and, accompanied |by ,Mr. Duncan: and Mr. C. H. 'Williams, i district road engineer, examined the main ! road .to Nelson, where it passes oyer the Upawa and Wairau Itivers, and where traffic lis frequently interrupted 'by floods/ Plain werd submitted, showing, how it'is proposed to deal with tho trouble. .. . ' v Subsequently, at, Blenheim, the -Minister met the Major, borouch. . councillors, and members of .other i local" codies, numborinc in all about 50. One-rarest- mado'to him was tor a l road . bridge over the Opawa River, hear ulenheim,' at a place, where there is now a combined, joad arid bridge, which' is about to-be.altered.-.r . . Mr. Hogg,; who had inspected the locality, said ho would a, plan ..of tho locality an! estimate the■ cost •of a bridge prepared. He,hoped they would be satisfied with a subsidy from: the,-Government, and would themselves contribute' a';fair quota, of the cost. He agreed.that a combitiea road and railway bridge was undesirable and' -involved 1 danger -to.trainc. ':: : c^f?ny,°^:^ffl?'?' )0 rs, o f -lbcal/bcidies spoke of, the.-desirability, ofjbridging :,tbe rivers- on tho mam -road, from Blenheimto Nelson. Ureat differences of . opinion .were apparent; as • rS 6 oost'requiM/::". 1110 Minister, said he would get a report from the Departmental engineers. Replying to requests in - regard to a number of roads, no explained .that,; in^face: of , the urgent demands for, works ih various parts of the igive no definite promise, but he hoped to see the,localities for himself, and he .would be pleased,to-help the settlers .where he considered that the works wero most urgent and necessary. : ' On tho motion of Mr. Duncan, tho Ministor was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for courteous and f satisfactory manner ,in which he had dealt' with the matters placed i beforq him. -In reply ,Mr. Hogg said nothing gave him greater pleasure . than to go amongst, the people-, and learn from th'omsolves what public works were . reallv required/ - ■ /■-: \ - - ■ Before leaving the district, ■ Mr. Hogg .visited Turakina, and -Baw the site of the jproposed new bridge over the Wairau, and inspected the protective works on tho same ■nver.-'v, Tyy-/. 1 - - -/,./ ■■■•/..