Meeting of Eatr-payers at Rangiwahia.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 262, 11 May 1897, Page 2

Meeting of Eatr-payers at Rangiwahia.

I FROM OUP. OWN CORRESPONDENT, f A very large meeting of ratepayers was held in tho schoolroom last Satur day evening. Mr J. D. McGregor, who ; was voted to tho chair, briefly explained the object of tbo meeting. Councillor Pemberton spoke at some length, saying that ho had only tbat day attended by request a meeting of settlers in the Sandon Small Farm block at which meeting the following resolution wa*s passed : " That this meeting while urging the Local Bodies to give immediate temporary means of communication at Otara ford would point ont that if the bridge is not proceeded with, the Kiwitea County Council is distinctly breaking faith with the settlers, who are now paying special rates on loans raised for construction of roads under an agreement with the Council to erect the bridge," Cr Pemberton, continuing his speech, said that all the settler* in the S.S.F.H. block had lost confidence iv tbo Council through that body's neglect to proceed with the erection of the Otara bridge. Before any settlers were rated for roading purposes the Council distinctly promised the erection of this bridge, but hare delayed the erection, for some cause or another, and since the late floods, have fully decided to postpone the erection of this bridge to an indefinite period, and for a substitute they intended placing a punt on, or a wire cage across the river. Personally he had great objections to either, but was quits willing to abide by the voice of the people It had beon fonnd since the flood that no other bridge than a good suspension one could stand against the strong current of flood water, and this bridge was estimated to cost £'5,000, it has also been found inadvisable to erect a bridge at the present site at Otara, as since the flood the river has been making rapid encroachments on its banks, and to aecure the bridge if erected would mean the expenditure of about 4)1,600 on protective works, but in ordor to make the. bridge still more securely, and ahelvd the cost of protective works, he believed, and was told that a good bridge Bite wai obtainable a little higher up the riyer. Several settlers had made objections to the formation of Mangaomaka road out of loan money, uuless the bridge was built. He felt inclined to upold the objections as the formation of this road would give little benefit unless a bridge was erected. A punt; he concluded, would not suit farmers driving their stock to market, while a cage would secure the safety of human life but not animals. He would leave the matter for tbis meeting to deal with. Mr Clarke strongly objected to tbe formation of the road nnless the bridge is j gone en with. He disapproved of the proposed estimate for the suspension bridge of £5000, and thought the Council should erect the bridge under the first estimate of £4000, and the approaches and roads costing £1,600. They did not want the bridge nor the road, neither had a number of them voted for it. A voice : " You did." Mr Clarke : And wa did not. Mr O'Connor : We did not. Mr Clarke and others still oontendod they would raise strong objections to the formation of the road unless the bridge was erected. Mr B. E. Beckett, of Marton, at this juncture entered the meeting, and said that most if not all present understood the action of the Bangitikei County Council in regard to the erection of the Otara Bridge. He fully believed that not ouly bis Council but ail the local bodies concerned did not wish to shelve the erection of this bridge but merely to poitpone it until they were in a position to borrow the money. Since the floods heavy expenses had been incurred in all the counties and it would be unfair to stop traffic with the outside world by spending the annual amount allowed to be raited by the Councils on new bridges. It was evident that nono of the Councils would be in a position for some time to come to erect a new bridge and repair the damages done to the old bridge. It was because of tbis that he voted for the placing of a pnnt at Otara, as a temporary means of communication, and thought this should be accepted by the settlers, under a distinct promise from the Local Bodies to erect a bridge at the earliest possible date. Undoubtedly i a small fee would be charged for crossing horses and vehicle*!, but stock he > thought should pass over free. (A voice : " The punt would go to aea.") Mr Beckett : Perhaps so, At anyrate, it would be unwise to erect a bridge at the present Bite, because of the river's encroachment. He believed that Mr Mackay, the Bangitikei County engineer, with a number of settlers concerned had that day vivived both the present site aud the one up the river, and their report would bo received at the next meeting of this Council. Mr J. J, Bryce contended that this road formation and tbe erection of the bridge was an important matter, and wonld givo access to equally as great a number of persons as any other bridge in the district. Mr McGregor said he disliked the punts, they were not suitable for tbe crossing of stock, besides tbis he doubted whether a ferry could be kept on the river, but if a punt was plaoed on the river, it would be the means of the Council keeping the roads iv good repair, otherwise they would be wrecked the want of atteution. Mr Beckett then moved the following resolution which was seconded by Mr F. Pemberton, and carried. " That this meeting, while urginp upon the Eiwitea County Council to proceed with the erection of the Otara bridge as quickly as possible, would point out that the settlers are now paying special rates on loaus raised for the construction of roads under the definite agreement with the Council to erect the bridge." Proposed by Mr C. L. Pemberton and seconded by Mr W. Marshall, "That tbe Kiwitea County Council be requested to open temporary communication at Otara ford by means of a wire cage."— Carried. Proposed by Cr Pemberton, seconded by Mr B. E. Beckett, That the following persons be a deputation to wait on the Kiwitea County Council at its next meeting, re construction of the Mangomako road and the, Otara bridge :— Messrs J. D. McGregor, C, L. Pember-" ton and W. Marshall.—Carried. The usual vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.