Hokitika Guardian Evening Star

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian Evening Star

Bjuikieh, iincl still mono bridges are the most urgent need of South Westland, the. land of promise governing the future prosperity of this part of the; (’oast. At the present moment no local work could bo more helpful than j the bridging of the Mikonui rivor, tho j first and most serious barrier to southern traffic when tin* weather is unfavourable. Tho river has a large watershed, and is most sensitive to the 1 rainfall. Its waters rise quickly, and are soon impassable for traffic. Because of this the river has claimed all too many valuable lives—of ten of those who thought they know the vagaies of the crossing best of all. For a long time now there has been the nr- . gent demand for the bridging of the river, and when in 11*11 came the promise supjKirted bv a parliamentary allocation for the extension of the railway south of Ross, it was felt that this work involving tho bridging of the Mikonui river was going to accomplish wha.'t was required. Tho hopes were short-lived. The changing political situation brought in a now Minister, and tho first work of tho newly appointed Minister of Public Works was to veto tho undertaking. Why, has never been cleared up—but the fact remains that the parliamentary appropriation was never spent, and the money legitimately due to Westland passed to some other part of the Donunion. Repeated efforts to have the railway vote reinstated failed signally. Tho Minister pleaded “no funds,” but this was net a genuine reason because the same Minister went on building railways in other parts of thp Dominion sanctioned by Parliament long after the Ross extension. This favouritism for certain localities at the expense of the district, seems to indicate political patronage of the worst kind, and seeing that tho action of the then Reform Government has never been explained it can only., be accepted that Westland was unduly

penalised for its loyalty and liberalism

Time went on, the situation in regard to the war, put back tho Hopes for railway construction still further. Then traffic bridges were talked of, but the people were still bent on their full demands and wanted what was promised —a railway bridge. So the traffic bridge for the time was relegated to th e back ground. But the south has been forging ahead all tho time, and its development makes plain more and more as time goes on, that bridges and more bridges are required for its adoj ‘qirate expansion. The agitation for the Mikonui bridge is revived, and private enterprise helps the situation hv ' offering to erect a tramway sawmill bridge which may either he converted into a road traffic bridge for the mere cost of doing so. This splendid offer is a clear gift to the country of i £■] ,500, the estimated cost of the tramway bridge which had been designed. The proposal is suggested to the Minister who for the on<v. expresses i a favourable attitude towards the work on this basis. But fault is found with the design of the tramway bridge, and the .Minister will only assist where a first class traffic bridge is involvcd»»To meet this the sawmill com pany is agreeable to pay in its £1,500 in cash and allow the Government to erect what sort of a bridge they desire. The Minister takes time to consider the position, and has estimate:; prepared in detail of a structure designed to suit his expensive, tastes. Ho arrives at the conclusion that the work will cost .£‘B,ooo, and thereupon promptly vetoes it, and so from his point of view the Mikonui is to remain bridgeless. By tho way, it is in to rest ng to recall that in tho three weeks or so the cost of the structure has jumped £2,000. It would appear that the estimate has been needed to fit the views of the 1 )opartmont in its general attitude towards the work. Apparently the district will look in vnin to the Depart-

ment a« at present controlled to

redeem its past dealings with the bridging of the Mlkonui, and if the folk j still consider the bridge as the urgent question it undoubtedly is, they must provides the money themselves- —the though the crossing -is the main art.-v----ial highway through the largest Crv.vn estate in the Dominion. The sawmilling company will, of course, go on with the enterprise irrespective of action hv Government, or local authorities. A bridge is to he built to carry a locomotive and heavy timher trailers so that such a: structure would meet sill possible vehicle traffic. It- would lie necessary to deck the. tramway bridge to render it equal to vehicle, stock and pedestrian traffic.; a large sum v be necessary for this. Perhaps it is not too late to secure, this quarter of a loaf seeing that the half loaf of a traffic bridge or a full loaf of a railway bridge, are alike denied the community. The opportunity seems to be one which in the interests of the prosperity of the district as a whole, should not be mi red.