CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1935, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE

PAREMATA BRIDGE

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lt would be very helpful to the ratepayers of.the Taupo'Riding if the new organisation opposing the bridge scheme ■were to publish a list of the office-bearers of the Taupo Riding vigilance committee. Then the ratepayers would be able to weigh up the merits of their opposition to the Paremata bridge more accurately.

Ratepayers must be credited with some, knowledge■:of -the, general policy of the' Government in the matter. of public works, especially concerning roads and bridges. To expect the Cabi, T net to give a free; gift of a bridge and a road would be establishing a precedent which every, other district would immediately claim.. The. Government realised the precedent it gave when it allowed the tolls scheme financing public works to be approved, and consequently has' striven very hard to retrieve the situation. So ratepayers cannot expect the' Cabinet to land itself in another dilemma just for the benefit of the vigilance committee by giving the-Taupo Riding an absolutely free gift of a bridge arid road worth £20,000 or more.V The loan is equal to a subsidy of £3 to £1, and this is the policy of the Government for - such works. In addition the Government is finding 75 per cent, of the annual maintenance of the bridge and road, and the expense of earthquake or any other calamity.

The explanation of the £700 charges , in the loan is found in, the fact that first, it was proposed to have a suspension bridge." The Government objected to this on the score of costs of maintenance. These, plans were abandoned to meet the wishes of the Government for plans of a bridge made of wood, and a poll was carried. Now the Government wants a two-way concrete bridge and is prepared to build, it for £6000 from the Taupo Riding, and no one can say the blame is on the Hutt County Council. I admit that it would be magnanimous on Mr. Coates's part to give the county a cheque for £700, and so close the argument. Neither 1 Mr. Hoggard nor Mr. R. L. Button is Ito blame; but the Government is for not making up its mind to give a sub--1 sidy earlier in the negotiations. The 1 ratepayers, I am sure, are very grateful to all those gentlemen who have given so much" of their valuable time lin assisting the Paremata Bridge Association to supplement the'good work of the Hutt County Council in its en--1 deavour to get the Paremata bridge 1 built, and will show their approval by voting at the poll in sufficient numbers to show the vigilance committee what the public think of them.—l am, etc., | BRITISH FAIR PLAY.