Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 1807. The Bridge Question.

Manawatu Herald, 4 February 1897, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 1807. The Bridge Question.

That the lower part of this M&p.awatu district is entitled. .0 a bridge across the river goes without saying, and, ny proper Organisation and agreement there is no doubt the object will be attained. When previously writing on this subject we have vory strongly expressed our views on the necessity of all parties interested in the bridge being of one mind, as past experience has shown how easily the Government has been able, to avoid promising any assistance by instancing' the want of agreement amongst ' ourselves. We were in hopes that- this,- Would have been seen so clearly, as to prevent localism of any shape being imported into the matter again- 1 ;" but the 1 fact that some of the- filoutoa settlers hav_ b<en induced to call a meeting' for to-morrow night to urge t_a construction of -a bridge at Shannon, shows that it has not been viewed in the light desirtd. A bridge over the Manawatu will have to be built at the joint costa of the Borough, Manawatu and Ilorowlienua Councils, and thus the ratepayers within that _rea have tb_ right to a voice in thorite. The few people in close proximiiy to the site they wijh the bridge built, bear but a email proportion to tho3e th^y wish to tax for the cost of its erec- j tion, therefore we. |Tel that the meeting tomorrow nigjifc is a step in the wrong direction. , In contradistinction to this localisip. the resolution of the Mayor at the last meeting of the Borough Council can be i quoted, as he haa car tain ly proposed the groundwork upon which future action can be taken. We have had as yet no proper opinjon as to the best site for a bridge over the river, I one has been mentioned at Wirokino, but nowhere else. We can conceive that for Foxton the bridge at Shan- | non migbfc be most useful, but tho advantages oi either nife are to our mind so evenly matched that it would be the beat course for the Burgesses to agree to the one which stands most chance of being erected. The bridge that is likely to be built ia the one that will be of the most convenience, at a cost, to the majority of the ratepayers, and thus the Mayor's proposal to get an expert opinion upon the site . is . one step ■ nearer the decision, should be little difficulty in getting this help from the Government if the local bodies unite, as requested in the i resolution, in asking for it. Let us I get this before we go further, when, it is possible, the opinion might be so strong in favour of one particular sfito as to make an agitation for any other an absurdity. There is very little use for the ratepayers to worry about the details of a question that; has at present not got to its initial I

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