Manchester Road Board.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 76, 26 September 1896, Page 2

Manchester Road Board.

A special meeting of the Manchester Road Board was held in their offices yesterday afternoon, chiefly for the purpose of further considering the question of th« re erection of the bridge over the Manawatu river at the lower gorge ferry. Present — Messrs P. Y. Lethbridgs (chairman), G. Wheeler, W. G. Pearce, J. Purkiss and D. Thomas. The chairman having; explained the object of the meeting, Mr Wheeler thought it would be advisable to abandon the idea of reerecting the bridge on piles. He | thought they should ask the Government to contribute £5000 towards the cost of a cylinder bridge ; that this body might contribnte £3000 and that the balance of £4000 should be .apportioned by commission between other local bodies interested, making a total cost, as estimated, of £12,000. In the event of their going on with the pile bridge; they would have to raise a loaa of £3000. It would be impossible to carry a poll for the purpose, so that their only means of getting; the bridge re-built was to get some other local body to contribute. It was necessary to do something immediately, for if the matter was dropped the Government would probably then give £2000 towards the cost of making the Pahiafcoa road good, and if this was done they (the Government) would bo unwilling to contribute towards the Gorge bridge. He was in favor of withdrawing the ofler made to the Government re the pile bridge and asking for a subsidy : on a cylinder bridge. The chairman said the Board could be compelled by the Government to erect the bridge. The ratepayers were opposed u> the Board finding the money and not one of the adjacent local bodies would contribute towards the cost, excepting, perhaps, Wooiville. If the other local bodies would contribute the revenue from the tolls and ferry reserve would pay the in- | tereat on the money borrowed. Referring to the revenue derived by this i Board from the tolls, he said they had only received about £470 during the ' past five years after deducting the 1 cost of maintaining the Palmerston 1 road. He thought it would be a mistake to ere;ct a pile bridge. They '. should have a cylinder bridge and ask for a commission to apportion the cost i rafter ascertaining what the Govern- ' ment would contribute. Mr Pearce suggested leaving the bridge until other local bodies would awake to the fact that they were interested. Mr Thomas thought it might be best to leave the bridge until they were forced by the Government to build it, when they could aak for a commission. The majority of ratepayers objected to the bridge if other local bodies did not assist. It would be unfair for this Board to bear all the cost [ The members were unanimous that it would be a mistake to put in a pile bridge, and during discussion it was ' estimated the annual cost (including interest) if a cylinder bridge was ' orected, would be between £600 and £700. It was , Proposed by Mr Lethbridge, and seconded by Mr Purkiss, That the chairman write the Minister of Lands, 1 saying that with further inquiries the Board considers a pile bridge at the lower gorge ferry would not be suitable, and, in consequence, would like to withdraw their last offer for the building of a pile bridge and renew the former offer — i.e., to take steps to raise £6000 if the Government would find the remaining £6000 for a cylinder bridge as recommended by the Engineers. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Thomas, seconded by Mr Purkiss, That all dray labor be tendered for, tenderers to state price per day for man and good one and two-horse teams for the different wards. All teams to carry not less than one yard of metal. — Carried. The Board then adjourned. J