The Paremata Bridge

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 97, 18 January 1935, Page 11

The Paremata Bridge

Sir,—Some little time ago I took the trouble to bring before those interested a scheme to obviate the necessity of a bridge across the deep outlet to the Bahautanui iulet, but so far I have not had a reply. The schem / '- I proposed was to continue the main highway round as far as Golden Gate, giving property owners a road frontage that is not in their titles at present, thence across the shallow mud flats in a gentle curve that would mean a deviation of no more than half a mile or so. The i>rovision of culverts is all that is . needed, and not a bridge, for if a bridge is provided then the low tide waste is retained, while a very beautiful fresh water lake or reservoir could be formed beyond Golden Gate without further cost. I have vainly tried to show that before the 1855 earthquake the Bahautanui iulet was a fresh water lagoon; in support I have photographs of the outlet in 1843, ■some 11 years beford the earthquake. I would not again encroach on your valuable space were it not for a letter by “Interested Ratepayer,” who states that the Ilutt County Council is proceeding with the bridge. Why this hushhush? Borirua harbour seems ill-fate<l; >at the outset engineers ruthlessly destroyed its beauty of a'curving foreshore with a railway line from point to point. Then a bridge that was sheer folly, for ■the line could have been continued across ■the mud-banks and thence into the Horokiwi Valley to Baekakariki, a level and easy grade.- But no. Up a sheer hill they must climb through ghastly cuttings and fillings to the edge of a precipice; then down through six costly and quite unnecessary tunnels to Baekakariki. Then the road! To avoid it they cast off to the right, and climb onc.e again to the top of the Baekakariki Hill, when a perfectly simple, easy and inexpensive road lay before them round the coast, a road I know intimately. I have no hesitation in saying that the highway should go that way now. A third time they baulked at the Paremata bridge site, and formed a road into Pliminerton that takes you seven miles out of the way. Excuse me laying down the law, but I am a plain, blunt individual who has had to help himself all his life as a pioneer and make roads —and mistakes. Why not ask town planners to co-operate in this scheme, as was done in the Lower Hutt development?—l am, etc., MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT. Paraparaumu, January 16.