COUNTY BRIDGES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4813, 20 February 1925, Page 2

COUNTY BRIDGES.

THE COMING POLL, POSITION REVIEWED. Ratepayers of the Hauraki Plains County will, on Wednesday, March 11, 1925, be given an opportunity—possibly the only opportunity—of voting on the county bridges question. The issue to be decided on that day is whether the Council is to be authorised to pledge a rate over the whole of the county as security for a loar. of £3lOO for the purpose of paying off the balance of £l7OO owing on '.he Orchard (Ngatea) Bridge loan and the balance of its liability (£1400) to the Ohinemuri County Council in respect of the Waihou (Puke) Bridge loan.

The liability for these loans is at present borne by special rating areas, and it was to overcome the double rating of these areas when the Kirikiri and Pipiroa bridge loans are raised that -the Council asked Parliament for authority to spread the loans over the whole county by resolution of the council. TJiis authority was not given, Parliament decreeing that it could only be done if authorised by a poll of ratepayers. z

The effect of the sanctioning of the proposal will be that the opposition in the council to Pipiroa and Kirikiri bridges will be removed or decreased, and these loans will 1 be authorised by special order under the powers given under section 119 of the Public Works Act or the wider powers given under recent amendments to various Acts for main highway purposes. Thus by voting for the loan ratepayers will be facilitating the speedy erection of the Pipiroa and Kirikiri bridges, with consequent liability for rates, and making it easy for the council to pledge the security .of the whole county for any further bridges, such as the proposed bridge over the Piako River on the Kaihere-Kerepeehi road If the loan is turned down the position is not so clear, and some explanation by the councillors would be welcomed. It is possible that the council may proceed with its policy and double rate the Orchard and Puke bridge rating areas for all the proposed bridges, and very probably this course will be adopted in the case of the Kirikiri bridge, as has already been done in connection with the Maukoro bridge. Both of these are outlets for the county, and thus secure support. In the ease of the Pipiroa bridge there is likely to ba opposition, as this is an internal bridge. Many factors enter into the proposition, however, and ii is possible that the majority may rupport the Pipiroa proposal r.nd so double rate the existing bridge rated areas. |