OROUA'S NEEDS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 638, 15 October 1909, Page 3

OROUA'S NEEDS.

DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS. J ASHHURST GORGE BRIDGE. , j A deputation from tho Oroua -County Conn- ' ; cil, inhodiiccd by Sir.'Outline, M.P., and con- .- sisting of the coun'y clinirman (Mr. Wheeler) and: Mr, Pcarcb (councillor), waited on the ■Minister for l'nblic' Works ' (tho Hon. E. M'licnzic) yestorday with regard to tbo Gorge. ■ Bridge at.Ashhurst. ..... :.■.,...; .:,;•': ;i'j llr. Wheeler said that the Hrinl: payment v: under the Government subsidy was now dub, : ':?'<. and he would like to know'whether tho Gov- ..*■; ernmcnt intended ,to subsidise .the' council',on ' -.'• tho cost of tho supervision, in connection with< ; >;- tho building of' the• bridge. Mr. Hursthouee,, - ; '■■/: late chief, engineer, of "the Roads Department,.','','■:■ had stated that the subsidy, would include the; /.;: supervision. . . ■'..'•.- , ■ . . ..v!

The Minister said. Jlr. Durstlioupo had writ* '-' ten to the council,' stating, that he was' not '.' sure thai the Government would subsidise the"'!. cost of supervision before. the bridgo, \t,m , ,i : started, and thero' was now.no power allowing.. :: ; (he Government to. givo such..subsidies, . al- ; though at- tlio timo' tho'work,was commenced-, ,v : thore was.: ;In any- ca6o, a Minister could not; ; j promise an amount'over. JC250.;. anything , over '\'"J. that sum could only-be authorised by Cabinet ui ; Tho council dcsirofl n, subsidy on about XBofi. : ' ;]vi Mr. Wheeler'said the supervision had saved >ti the-Government-ns. well'as the council n- large. .'■■':■': sunr of money,'and ho had no knowledge, of y;: having • soon . the letter Mr. Uursthouso had ; ■ forwarded."' '.: 'i '~'•'■.'/. ■ ,' :/'../..■■ ■',;,

The .Minister, said he could not holn fur-'» ■.'.'! ther in tho matter. ■ ■ He' would sendiMr. - ! ' Uptime', a copy, of, the. letter which Mr.'. Wheeler stated;he had not seen. v> ■ : NV, ■ " ..: ■'■ '■'■'.'■•Menilis:-Bp|(lßei>' , .--''':.'.;'' ; '.''i' , ' , .i.';.';!*'■ Mr. Guthrie also introduced 'a .deputation''Sβ from tho Oroua County Council, , comprising Messrs. ' Whpeler, Poarce,- and. Shepphord, to '•■ ':f the Minister, for! Public Works. The deputy ': tion asked for a ; JC-for X'subsidy towards.the '.J cost; of erecting Menzies > Bridge over '•Uμ;: -.';;.'; Oroua'Rivet , .' , •' "" . - : " .:'•■' '.-."■i'Vri

Mr. Wheolot. said .'the'council hod decided to ' j rebuild this bridge, which had been destroyed OS by flood in. 1597.-.For tho purpose of economy-", ri they had -boen 'diverting traffic to a bridge sonio.'.,,' | miles distant, but with\ tho'.closer, settlement^''-] of the district it was.necessary..for-the public:-;J■..] convenience that, a' now structure 'should bo h-i gone -on-'.with at, : once.- The settlers hatl.'sub-."-.i'.'. scribed J6250 towards tho cost of tho' pro-", posed work, arid the" Feilding Borough Council ;>> had also 'decided to' make 'a contribution. The ',i oxjstini; ford. : be,can)c dangerous aftor a little r:, ■ raiu, which greatly: interfered .with tho send.-:-\; ing of stock, to:Bo isaJes. ■ Tho Feilding' stook■'. >. : : sales were among'..the largest in ■■ the Dominion.;-■ -•< j The estimated' cost ! of a'new bridge, with'pro- '■■-■'■•■■i tcotiyo works,: wn? X3IMO, and: the•"■'conhcH'r \-'i application -.was for a : J! for. £ subsidy' on"i-;-il this- amount,\';' t'v. ;■.:;,..;• ;,■•■•.. ,' vY-'i^* 5 !;-'./'!] Mr. I'oarco said' a snm of -JUHO had' been- ;.' ; i.i placed on; last year's Estimates towards the I 'V'-' cost, of aVnew bridge/and tho Primo Minister '•■■<?■ at tho time of .his. visit to lumholfon-V.had ': P spoken favourably with'regard to tho Govern--' ■ went assisting., Tho -settlers .on both sides'^i : : of the river lnul promisod to provide tho land : '"■' necessary for tho' approaches to tho :.'.bridge ' ' ,; ; frco of The Oroua County Council"-;'. had nevor received assistance from-the Govern- 1 ; montvfor a:purely, 'coiinty. work.; .The" daily -!■' mail had to he'taken ;ach)ss the river at thia -K ford, and,, in times bf; ilbodi it. hadY.to.bo.'/:'. sent over higher, meant 'consider-'•:'■-ablo delay. : ■ . .'■'■:"'■ '■''■ ' ■.-.■'■■■'.■■' '■■ ■■•■: .■,'.'•.■ VM: ! Mr. Guthrio said tho,.county was .rated'to'"':-' : the extent of: VjeGO.OOO for road/and , brided: ■■ works.-- .- '•:.•.•■• : : ■ ■'••;! ■-■■- ;-;- : ~• ■' v.. 6 " /ji

The;' Minister said he'thought that this was a_ case in- which ' tho' Government might provido some assistance. He"wouhl have the mat, ter reported, on by his,-Departmental, officials,' and would afterwards refer tho application. to Cabinet, and • seo whether' prorisiou could - be , made or not. V . ■~'"> ■, .. . ::•..■