THE AVENUE BRIDGE.S

Manawatu Herald, 15 June 1880, Page 2

THE AVENUE BRIDGE.S

♦ Upon the County Council reassembling on Monday evening, Mr Loudon tabled a motion in order to make an explanation. I The motion having been duly seconded, he proceeded to relate the history of the new Avenue Bridge, pointing out that the Foxton Local Board had never in any way sitncionad the work, and that the whole proceedings in connection with it bad been carried through by Mr Gray, la to chairman of the Board, without connultingr the othemembers. A contract had been let for £62, whereas the Council had voted only £56, and as a consequence Mr Gray was person»Uy responsible for the £12. This he had escaped by a course of action which he (Mr Loudon) could only charactise as trickery. During the afternoon sitting of the Council Mr Gray had called a Maori named Tiopora out of the room, and hud gone into the Local Board office and written a note, which he crave to the Maori. Thia the Mauri gave to Mr Rookitrow, who passed it over to himself (Mr Loudon). Upon opening it he found these words, " You are wanted immediately — come at' once." Not knowing where to go, he asked Mr Rookstrow who he got it from. He said, " A Maori." He then resumed his seat, but a few moments after Mr Bockstrow said to him he was wanted outßide particularly, and thinking some member of his family was ill, he hastened home, but could not find out who had sent the note. Upon retaining ho found that Mr Kookstrow had got the Council to vote the £02 for the bridge, and fluri.itf the adjournmout tho native h id acknowledged to him what had been done. He had no objection to tho money being passed now the work was done, but he thought it should have been passed by some respectable means, and not through

such trickery as Messrs Gray aad Rookstrow had practiced upon him, Mr Rnckstrow said that bo had heard outside Mr London had said he would do his best to force Mr Gray to pay for the bridge, and he thought when Mr Loudon wis out oi the Council it Would be a good charted to gdt the £&'} passed. He could not table the motion just then, and asserted Air Loudon was in the Council room when it was put. The bridge he considered ne ocsairy, and a olaim had been made for damages sustained through plunking having given way. Mr .Loudon briefly replied,and the matter then dropped; The above was crowded out of last issue,