BRIDGES AND FERRIES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4963, 19 April 1926, Page 1

BRIDGES AND FERRIES.

HAUIIAKI PLAINS COUNTY. MANY PROPOSED STRUCTURESQuite a budget of letters concerning bridges- and ferries: came before tbe Ha.uraki Plains County Council at its meeting on Tuesday. The Thames Chamber of Commerce evinced its interests- in a crossing at Pipiroa by congratulating the council on the promptitude with which construction work on the , Pipiroa. ferry had been put in hand. The early working of the ferry would, in the. opinion of the chamber, be looked forward to with pleasurable anticipation by both the business people of Thames a,nd the residents of the Plains. The chamber’s cheque for £2OO was enclosed. The Thames Chamber of Commerce also wrote with reference to the issue of the warrant for the construction of the Pipiroa bridge, advising that Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P., had been informed by the Public Works Department that advice was awaited from the council that it had complied with the provision, in the department’s letter to the council bn November 3 As the construction' of this bridge was a matter of urgency the chamber would be gratified to lea,rn whether the council ha,d been enabled to take the necessary proceedings: to expedite the work. Cr. Madgwick to Cr. Pairfitt: What do you want first, the bridge or i-he ferry ? Cr. Parfitt, said that he would prefer the bridge, and to e.nd would move that the council take steps to effect the ’egislation of the approach road on the Kopuarahi side, as desired. ' ’ PROPOSED FERRY. The Netherton Ratepayers’ Association wrote asking that. the. council urge the Lands Department to provide the ferry at Ngarua,; over the Piako River, as, promised by that department. > The riding member ha.d been asked to support, this. Cr. McLoughlin moved that the clerk again write to the Minister of Lands and ask when his promise to provide a ferry would be fulfilled. Cr. Hayward said ha understood that the Lands Department would contribute £l2oo' towards the cost of a bridge. A similar subsidy might be obtained,'from the Public Works, Den partment. Cr. McLoughlin pointed out that the Chief Drainage Engineer had said that a £2 for £1 subsidy would not be granted Even if each department, contributed £l2OO the settlens. would have to find half the cost of the bridge, and they could not afford. ltThe departjnent required the crossing, but the settlers, only desired an outlet. If the bridge' was not to be constructed the road to Ngate'a. should be metalled. ■

The motion was 1 carried ,and it was decided that the fa.cts of the case be laid before the tiwo, members of Parliament for the district. NGARUA BRIDGE. The Chief Drainage Engineer wrote in reply to the council’s, representations in regard to- the, repairing of the Ngarua bridge, and advised that a recommendation. had been forwarded to the Public Works Department. There were no funds available, and special authority must be given. 1 WHARAPOA FERRY. The Thames County'Council advised, on March 10 that the question of closing the Wharepoa ferry had been deferred for a month. The clerk said .that he had been in communication with the Ohinemuri County Council, and had been advised that its chairman a,nd engineer had been authorised to confer 1 with the Plains county engineer concerning th ; e purchase of the Wharepoa ferry for use at Netherton if necessary. A conference, with the Thames County had not been held. Cr. Miadgwick said that the Tha,mes chould be made: to move. %Cr. Mayn said l that'there had not been a,ny move by Hauraki Plains ratepayers to keep the Wharepoa ferry open. In view of this he did not favour spending money on buying a punt.. 1 On the motion of Cr. Madgwick the clerk was instructed ,to endeavour to obtain a definite reply from the Thames County Council. IMPROVED BRIDGE. Eleven settlers of School, Munro’s, and Fisher’s roads, Netherton, petitioned asking that side rails be erected on the bridge near the, Netherton School corner. Cr. Hare sa.id that the bridge was not worth improving. He isuggesed approaching the Public Works Department for a £2. for, •£! subsidy for a concrete culvert. - The matter was left in the. hands of the riding member and engineer, and the engineer was authorised to prepare an estimate of the. cost of a concrete culvert,.