BRIDGING ABBOT'S CREEK.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1113, 28 April 1911, Page 4

BRIDGING ABBOT'S CREEK.

A DEPUTATION. The need of a bridge across Abbot's Creek, a stream running at the foot of the Rimiitakas on the northern side, was the theme of a deputation which waited yesterday upon the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. E. M'Kenzio). Tho deputation, which was introduced by Mr. W. C. Buchanan, M.P., included Sir. A. D. M'Lcod (chairman of the Featherston County Council), F. Townsend (representing owners of motor-cars), Banks (secretory Wellington Automobile Club), and J. E. Fitzgerald (New Zealand Motor Cycle Club). The position was that the Government had agreed to subsidise on a pound for > pound Tiasis the, cost of bridging Abbot's' Creek. The Featherston County Council had put forward proposals, but the Goveminent had disapproved of tho site, Mr. Townsend said the stream was not safe at any time of the year. There wire in Wellington between 150 and 200 motorists, and from 1400 to 1500 owners of motor cycles. This creek was the only obstruction betweon, Wellington and Nanicr and Wellington and New Plymouth. They had offered' JEIOO, and would probably find another .£SO if re- ■ quired, for the bridge. i The Minister said the Government had offered £ for £ up to ,£3OO towards the cost of the bridge, but the county council wanted to erect it on a site which ■the Government engineer considered to be unsafe. The Government would not pay money only to have it wasted. Mr. M'Leod 'stated that three-quarters of the area of the Featherstou Countyconsisted of .fl.uttying r ,districts. Twothirds of the rivers in these districts won* not bridged. The speaker himself lived 40 miles from a railway station, and in travelling, at least once a week on county business, had to cross two nribridged rivers at least five times as bis? as Abbot's Creek. Ho was only one of many in Foatherston County. The whole of the bridges on the Rimutaka wero in a state of decay, and would have to be renewed within a few years. It would be very hard on its outlying districts if Featherston County had to meet the cost of renewing those bridges. On four miles of road from Abbot's Creek, the county collected only £23 per annum in rates. The county had drawn up proposals to erect a bridge at a ccst of .£4OO. Unfortunately the Government had disapproved of tho site.

[ Tho Minister insisted that the bridge . must lie erected on the spot chosen by : Hie engineer of his Department, where it would have n rock foundation on either ; side. Mr. M'Leod said ho agreed with the t Government engineer that it would cost [ .£7OO to put up a bridge on the site which the Minister insisted upon. ! The Minister remarked that the bridge must carry a volume of 500 cubic feet of i water. The bridge proposed bv the s county would carry only 160 cubic feet. Jfr. M'Leod contended that the bridge would be of more service to Masterton,' . Cartorfon. and Gveytown than lo Fμ- . therston County. The other bodies must bo brought in, if the Minister declined ■ b allow thp .WOO bridge to be'erected. : . After some further discussion the representatives of the motorists said they would raise (heir contribution to £\ho in order fo get the bridge. Mr. M'Leod stated that his council had tied him down by a unanimous resolution not to offer a bigger contribution than i 1.50. Mr. Buchanan said the Featherston County Council had cone as far as it was justified in goim*. There was no doubt that other locnl bodies were interested and should contribute. To secure them contributions would be a cumbersome business, however, and it seemed a pitv ' "to set up this steam hummer to crack a nut of .£l!i(l or ,€200," Perhaps the Minister might provide a way out of tho difficulty. The Minister was firm, however. Ho reiterated that the Government would subsidise, pound for pound, (he cost of a bridge on an approved site.