THE RANGITIKEI BRIDGE.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 16, 9 August 1882, Page 3

THE RANGITIKEI BRIDGE.

A yuhlie meeting was held at the Town HalL Feilding, on Saturday, August Stb, to ciwailrr tka present condition of railway communication with the northern actflc-cnts. W. E. Chamberlain, Esq., Mayor, presided. Its <3kairmaa read the notice calling j the meeting, and -said the question was a ▼Hal mm to tka whole of the settlers in the Manawatu— directly and indirectly. ftarmittrrs ware tka only class of man who introduced foreign capital. The dosing af tke mills would be a public calamity, as it would drive a number of men -out of employment. The new bridge proposed would only stand in the event of thare beiaf no floods; 80ft spans warn no batter than 90ft. The best totara should only be used, as white pine would not drive into tka Papa rock. Witk wire rope ke could make tush a structure as would cany over goods and timber. We were certain ta have mere floods, and Government money would ba wasted ia building temporarily structuree. He was surprised Mr Blackett did act come up aod see what was wanted himself. Tka sawmillers deserved well of the Goreiaaieut, $m they contributed snere than any other class to tke revenue. Heeuoted tka railway returns to bear out kis statement Mr Wright said tke timber interest was of wonderful importance, and quoted tka Government returns for Feilding. Ha supported tha Mayor ia his statement tkat a wire bridge could ba made, similar to Hudson's wire tramway, the mode of erecting wkiek was very simple It was strong, and could carry about Are teas ky means af a cage. With this to carry on in tka meantime, tka Governmeat could easily build tka cylinder fcndge. He u-ouU advise tka Govern■seat eagiaeera tkat good adtiee he accepted from meekaeieal experts. Tke wett-baiag of FeUdiag depends aa tka epsetag of this means of tra_ e, beaafjH tka eury ettsteaee af tka work* iag ansa depended oa it. Tka 8 mills ia tkis district eat «.Oo<M»oft of timber par eaaam. aad thai was wertk AaWNOto ike pUea. Tka aamker ef mea aad tkeir familiaa depaadaet oa werk given by tka eawa-ls—UM. Tksf weald aU regret to sea timaa peeple tkrewa eat ef werk. Poterty aad miaery would result from tka miue stopping. Ke weald propose tka feMowwf rsseletioe:— "That tkis mantiet, tkrea^ tke Mayor, recommend J tfcs fleeeiammw to take immediate slops to epan tke traase eear tke Baagitikai Biser ky maaas af a> aaspeaaioa kridgv iasasad ef pssta, «a less likely to ke arasked away by fleeda. Mr Hatkasj suggested an aUeratiou ia <ka wealing af tka lesolariaa, wkiek araa Mr Lewera aaid aoy resolutioa from the msiAiagskould reeegaise tke fact that Ac Goverasaaat was already doiagssme •tkiag to reliere tkem, but tkat tke meet. tag eoastdexd a smspeasiea wire bridge tke tost temporary straetura, aad tke asember tor tke district ehould tkoroagkiy -aa^arslasin 1 wkat tke sattleis wanted. Mr Ckamberlaid stated ke believed tke sMmbsrfor Ike district weald give las Mr J*. Wk—ker made aome remarks, mat tkey wars inaudible at tke reporte-fe table; but wal uad« stood to fee etplaia . iag name laeta akout aagiaaariag. Mr Ccrpa sseoaded the reaolatioa wkiek waa tkea carried. Mr Cerpeprapesed, M Tkat tkeGorera* ■mat fee naked te deliver ttmker, flrewood. ami faadi «aar tke BaagHikai Barer wftkout any additioa to earreat rates." He fleid ke looked on tke Goeierameat as edimloa earrisrs, aad tkey could easily traasfer timkar, Ac^ erer ike river by aksas of drays. Mt Robert Brown seeoaded the motioa, wkiek was. eertied. Tkeaest resolutioa was proposed by MrF.lMhbsidfs, ami seeoaded by Mr W: Bakac, --Tkat tke Mayer be requested to forward eopka af Aa resolatioas to the Miaistsr of PuWie Works, aad tke jk memkirs fw Baagittkei, Fostoa, aad r Waagaaai/*— 43arriad. Tke usaal eoto of tkaaks to ULe Chair- ■ man waa pat aad carried. . Tke meeting was not largely attended, t-rtweartrtioMtket represeatotives from eaan ef tke sawmill Arms were present.