Oroua (Aorangi) Bridge Inquiry

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 98, 16 February 1892, Page 3

Oroua (Aorangi) Bridge Inquiry

(Continued from last issue). Mr Little continuing his evidence laid that Mr C. Pharazyn paid rates tc the Manawatu Eoad Board to tin amount o£ £20 a year. He learned b j conversations he had had with settler* living on the adjoining sections to Mi Pharazyn's property in the Manawatu Road District, that they were all in favour of the erection of the proposed bridge. Examined by Mr Grant, witness said he was accustomed to river fords, some oi them more dangerous than over the site of the proposed- bridge, and some of them less bo. He had never made personal application to the Manawatu Road Board for the bridge, but he had seen by the newspapers that such an application had been made, and he was aware that Mr Jones, who previously owned the property he was then managing for Mr 0. Pharazyn, had been one of a deputation to the Board on the subject. The road m front of the land purchased from Mr Jones had been made by the Manchester Eoad Board. No benefit had ever accrued to this land with respect to the rate paid on it to the Manawatu Eoad Board. Mr Charles Bull then gave evidence : He said that he was a land holder in the Manawatu County, the Manawatu Eoad district. Had previously been a member, and for some time the chairman of the Manchester Boad .Board, during -which time there were several deputations both to that body and to the Manawatu Board in favour of the bridge and the road to Bunnythorpe being constructed. He considered that the bridge was a necessary work and should have been, built jears ago. The ford was rather a dangerous one and liable to shift after a floood. He himself had been compelled to "return to the bank when attempting to cross during a fresh on horse* back and on another occasion his buggy had been turned over and broken by the Violence of the stream. He knew a case also in which some ladies, while crossing the ford, had their conveyance turned over and washed down the river, but fortunately, being good swimmers they were enabled to saye themselves. About four or five years ago^n consequence of several conferences ■•ween representatives of the two boards, it was thought advieable that a porhoriof the Manawatu Boad district should be attached to the Manchester district in order that the rates therefrom would be available to the Manchester Eoad Board towards the cou- ■ struotion of the road leading up to the ford, and for the bridge. It was then believed, that providing the consent of three-fourths of the ratepayers in that portion of the Manawatu Eoad district, . wKich it was proposed to separate, could be obtained, the Manchester Board could legally accept its management; It was afterwards disco vered, however, ' that it would be neces?ary to obtain the consent of three-fourths of the ratepayers of the whole of Ih'e Manawatu Eoad district in order to carry out the proposal, and that it .would probably render the Manchester Board responsible for a proportionate part of the debt of the Manawatu Eoad Board. Three-fourths of the : ratepayers in that portion of the Manawatu district which it was proposed to separate did sigh in favour of being attached to the Manchester district, but it appeared too great an undertaking to obtain the signatures of three-fourthsof the whole. And, besides, the financial responsibility the pro-, ject would bring on the Manchester Board, especially as the Manawatu Board was at ' the time threatened with a lawsuit by my friend (looking towards Mr Grant) rendered it advisable to allow the matter to drop." Mr Grant : " 1 was not in the district then your Worship, I want those words taken down." Mr Bull gave evidence as to the population on the north-east side of the river which would be benefited by the bridge. Asked what amount of rates he paid to the several local bodies, he replied : £50 to the Manchester Board, £25 to the Manawatu Board, and £25 to the Manawatu County Council. He had been paying rates to the Manawatu Boad Board for eighteen years. 'He was one of the earliest settlers in the neighborhood, having arrived before Feilding was founded or any of the roads in the district constructed. He was well acquainted with the north-eastern portion of the Manawatu County. With the exception of two large land-holders it was occupied with small settlers. He considered that the Feilding Borough and the Manchester Board should pay a little more towards the cost of the bridge than the other bodies, but, at the same time, that no injustice would be done if the cost were apportioned as proposed. The witness here mentioned that his farm was about midway between the Feilding and the Taonui railway stations, but that it cost him 3d a bale less to send his wool to Wellington from Feilding, which was the longer distance, than from Taonui. Why this should be the case, he thought only the Commissioners could explain. Cross-examined by Mr McKenzie : Mr James Bull had 2000 acres in the northeastern portion of the Manawatu County and Mr Wray about 1600 acres. The witness here stated that it was intended '•* to present a petition of Manawatu County ratepayers in favour of erecting the bridge to the Council, but that so far it had only been presented to Mr Turner for signature, who was paying £20 a year in rates. . He mentioned also that Mr Lethbridge, who was in favor of the bridge, was paying £100 a year in rates. He considered that the work was of more importance to the county than the proposed bridge on the Campbelltown-Longburn road, both to stock-owners and the general public. He could not particularise the traffic which was carried on between the county Bettlerff and those on the north-eastern side of the river, which would be facilitated by the bridge. Cross-examined by Mr Grant : The witness said that his property was adjacent to the road which would be served by the bridge, but he did not consider it would be a benefit greater to him than to others. Some conversation here took place between the witness and Mr Grant, who referred to the minute book of the Manawatu Board, concerning the proposed separation of part of the district, but it had little bearing on the inquiry. In reply to the Commissioner, Mr Bull said that in his opinion the Manchester Board and the Feilding Borough should pay three-fifths of the cost of the proposed bridge, and the Manawatu County and Manawatu Board the other two-fifths; That is: the Borough three-tenths, the Manchester Board three-tenths, the Manawatu Council two-tenths, and the Manawatu Board two-tenths. 'Continuing the cross-examination, Mr Grant asked whether the witness knew of any p.ther river in New Zealand like the Qrfiua which haft so mauy bridges within the same length. Yes," replied the witness, " the Tutaenui has six bridges within a distance of twelve miles." «« The Tutaenui ?" said Mr Grant incredulously. 11 Yes," said the witness, " the Tutaenui in the Rangitikei County, The size of the Tutaenui having been acknowledged as being too small for the desired comparison, the witness replied to the question that he did not. But to Mr Sandilands later the witness said that the Fitzherbert and the two bridges at the Gorge, over the Manawatu, were within twelve miles of each other. To the Commissioner, the witness said that he did not think it would be necessary for the local bodies interested to collect a special rate to meet the interest on t h § i^ney to be borrowed for the bridge

; as there had been an increase in the valu ation of property. By Mr Prior ; It is possible the Feildinj . people would generally use the railway t< go to Palmerston, as there are three train: ' a. day passing Feilding each way. J Mr W. A. L. Bailey was next examinee ; by Mr Sandilands. He said he had beer j a' ratepayer in the district for sixteer years. He was residing on the road thai would be served by the bridge. He con r sidered that its construction was urgently i necessary on account of the danger to pas i sengers, especially to passengers at the 1 ford, and as a general convenience to the district. He had frequently been asked I to give strangers directions how to cross I the ford. A short time since a young f man had missed the ford, and the traces i attached to his vehicle were broken by the struggles of the horses to get out. In 1 : another case, which came under his observation, the shaft of a buggy had been l broken through the driver missing the ford, and only last week a young girl had • been nearly drowned while attempting to cross, The ford or bridge site was on the i line of a great deal of traffic, and during a : a fresh in the river it was frequently necessary to go round by Menzie's bridge. With regard to the traffic with the county from the north-eastern side of the river, he said that his firm obtained all their horse feed from Sandon. [To be Continued.)