BACKBLOCK BRIDGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2157, 13 August 1907, Page 1

BACKBLOCK BRIDGES.

Allen was voted to the chair. The chairman sand that owing to the had weather recently the cliff road had become almost impassable. There was a movement on foot to put a small stock bridge across the Jtangitira, and it was thought t)he time was ripo for bridging the PtiJiax also, enabling the communication to he independent of the cliff road. Tie was sorry there wore no representatives of further-back settlers who objected to the bridges chiefly, he thought, because of the necessary tax . Mr. Lewis said lie had got an estimate of £12,000 for the two bridges. Mi'. I’etio said tlie general opinion was that the new el'iff road would he as unsatisfactory as it'lio old one.

Mr. Lysniar said lie thought the Rangitira bridge irond not be so expensive as tlio Pulia one, which would need to bo longer. The, Clerk of tlio County Council Iliad worked it out that if tlio bridges cost £13,000 the r,ato on tlio whole riding would be one-twelfth of a penny. It was not fair to rate the whole riding, as not tlio whole of the riding bonefited. It could fairly, bo taken that half of tlio riding should be taxed, making a tax of one-sixth of a penny. Mr. Jackson thought that as the cliff road would soon he .passable bl

Micro was no hurry until next winter. Mr. Lewis said they wished Mr. Lysnar to represent to the Counity Con noil the p rotest of the Te Karaka people against money being spent on blio new cliff road. The cost of maintenance of the road was sufficient to pay the interest on the cost of the bridges. For fifteen years they had been endeavoring to make the cliff road. Mr. Lysnar drew attention to the fact that the most of the money voted for the cliff road (£1200) had been spent, and it might he prudent to wait until they could see lrow it was going to turn out. Tho Chairman said that despite the lniount spent it was a fact that there was still a great lot of work to he done.

Mr. Lysnar said that papa was showing at the bottom of the cliff, which seemed to show that the slips •.voaid not recur. The Government shoiul he approached for some contribution towards the cost of the cliff road. Mr. Jackson asked that the new cliff road be given a trial. Mr Carlile mentioned tlra.t since the flood of last year 30 feet of papa rock had been carried away. Mr. Lysnar said that if the papa was going, representations should be made to the Government and the County Council for contributions to proper protective works at the bottom of the cliff. If there was much ; more erosion the railway tunnel would he in danger. Mr Carlile said the Railway Engineer was driving in railway iron at the bottom of the cliff. Mr. Jackson said the rate for the proposed bridges was very big, as the slieepfar.mers would got no benefit at all from the work. The bridges would increase the journey for Motu people

MEETING OF TE ICAUAKA SETTLERS.

by six miles. The Chairman said it had to be remembered that the railway communication was not absolutely reliable. Last year Te ICaraka had its railway communication cut off by a slip on the line. Country residents must have certain communication. It was decided, on the motion of Mr I’etitie seconded by the Chairman, that the County Council be asked for estimates for the two bridges, alternatively, in steel and wood. Mr Jackson moved that the County Council be requested to support the meeting in asking the Government that protective works be carried out at be foot of the cliff. —Carried. — Copies of the resolution are to be sent to the County Council, the Idon. James Carroll, and tbo Minister for Public Works. On the suggestion of the Chairman, it was decided that those in the room should form themselves into a permanent committee to look after the bridges, and it was decided to hold another meeting next Saturday.

A meeting was held at the Rangatira Hotel, Te Karaka, on Saturday afternoon for the purpose of considering the question of bridging the Rangitira and Pulia rivers. Mr.