Commission re Kiwitea Bridge.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 132, 30 November 1894, Page 2

Commission re Kiwitea Bridge.

TConclusion of Report.] E. G. Wilson, to the Commissioner deposed : Was stationmaster at Feilding ; the tonnage was for the year ended March 81st last was, from the Feilding station— 5000 tons inward and 5000 tons outward, 990 tons of wool and 2550 tons of timber was in the outward tonnage; 20,000 sheep were sent from Feilding ; not more than one-fourth of this quantity would : come down Kimbolton road. To Mr Sandilands: The tradesmen up the country get goods from Feilding station. To Mr Dickin : did not know of any stock from the Pohangina County having been shipped from the Feilding station. Mr Wilson's evidence was given at the request of the Commissioner. A. H. Tompkins, in reply to Mr Reid, deposed : Was a storekeeper at Birmingham ; until the flood which washed the bridge away and spoilt the ford at Forlongs road got the bulk of his goods through Halcombe; since then got some from Halcombe, Feilding and Taonui (by way of Colyton) ; it did not cogjju'm more in cartage since the brid- 7*was washed away, nor had it put him to any inconvenience; had seen settlers driving cattle to the Kiwitea from Halcombe Sandon and Colyton '. Birmingham is practically the market place of the district; settlers disposed of their stock principally in the district ; though the bridge would be a convenience but they could do without it ; ratepayers in the district objected to being rated for the | bridge ; the bulk of the wool from Wai* tuva goes to Halcombe. C. Bray, junr., in reply to Mr Reid, deposed : Was engineer to the Kiwitea County Council ; at present the whole of the district from Rangiwahia first drains to Birmingham and then to Feilding ; from Peep-o'-day north settlers do their business at Rangiwahia south of Peep-o'-Day they do their business at Birmingham ; the whole of the settlers from Birmingham south do not alt come to Feilding by Kimbolton road ; he particularised the owners of sections who would come to Feilding : from Waituna and north settlers would come to Feilding by the Makino road ; when the bridge is erected at Vinegar Hill trade from the whole of the north of tte country, west of the Kiwitea would go to Hunterville ; from Peep-o'-Day to die railway at Hunterville would be about 28 miles and 30 to Feilding ; did not think as far as the Kiwitea County was concerned, Kiwitea bridge was a necessity. To Mr Sandilands: Should say that the Kiwitea County should not be rated for the bridge, To Mr Prior: Would suppose the bridge was desirable ; there were 550 to 600 ratepayers in the Kiwitea County ; the owners of land adjacent to the Oroua river in the Pohangina County would use the Kimbolton road to get to Feilding ; a large proportion of the Wanganui Harbor Block people come to Feilding by Menzies bridge ; east of the Kiwitea the settlers would be directly or indirectly benefited by the bridge ; as at present tne bridge would be of more benefit to the Kiwitea County than the Manchester district, but when roads are opened to tbe Rangitikei it would not. To Mr Dickin : When the road opened from the Coal Creek to the Pobangina it would take off some of the settlers who now use Kimbolton road ; some settlers in the Harbor Board Block would come into Feilding. H. Dickin deposed : Was chairman of the Pohangina ; most of the settlers in the Wanganui Harbor Block did their business in Ashurst ; the County raised a loan to open up the Main Ridge ro*^ which would give the northern settlJs an outlet, and a better road than the one they already have to Ashurst. To Mr Sandilands; The Main Ridge road will not for certain be constructed within twelve months ; the bridge across the Oroua from Apiti would be partly to let settlers out to Kimbolton road. To Mr Prior : He did not deny tbe fact that Apiti settlers will use the Kiwitea bridge. - To the Commissioner : Thought it an injustice that the whole of the district should pay when only a very small por* tion would use it. , This concluded the evidence. Mr Reid submitted that on the evidence of Mr Bray, junr., his body should not, if at all, pay more than one-four* teenth cost. Mx Dickin said that if the evidence showed that the proportion the Kiwitea County should pay was reduced the Po* haugina County's share should also bo reduced. Mr Sandilands pointed out the Pohan.* gina people admitted they shpuld. pay a. portion, but the amount was to be decided. It was a greater necessity to the Kiwitea settlers than those in the Man* Chester Block. Tho Pobangina County should pay more than they were asked. Mr Prior contended that it bad to be decided whether the bridge would be an advantage to the whole or any consider* able portion of the Kiwitea district. It seemed curious to him that the Kiwitea, should be left out when the Pohangina. admitted they should be rated to, a certain •xtont. This haying completed the epquuy the commission ceased to sit,