The Bulls Bridge.

Manawatu Herald, 17 June 1897, Page 2

The Bulls Bridge.

A deputation consisting of residents of Bulls and surrounding districts was on Tuesday afternoon introduced to the Minister for Lands by Mr J. Stevens, M.H.E. Colonel Gorton, who was spokesman, in asking the assistance of the Government to the extent of £2 for every £1 raised by the local bodies for the reerection of the bridge over the Bangitikei River at Bulls, pointed out that it had been originally erected 24 years ago by the Provincial Government, and that it was used to a great extent for conveyance of stock from Napier to the West Coast. It was proposed to re-erect the bridge at a point further down the river, and it had been estimated that, whereas the re-ereotion of the bridge od the old site (owing to the river having made another channel) would coßt £23,000, the erection of a bridge at the new site would co3t £15.000. Other members of the deputation supported Colonel Gorton's statements. The Hon. Mr McEenzie referred to the fact that this was not a solitary case. A very large sum of money more than the Government had available — would be required to repair the damage done by floods to roads and bridges. So far as he was personally concerned, he could not pledge himself to the expenditure of the large sum of money which was necessary without the consent of Parliament or without consultation with his colleagues.. He requested the deputation to send him full par tioulars as to how far the local bodies were prepared to go in providing funds for the erection of the bridge. He intimated that there would be no objection to a. Government engineer reporting on the site which (he local bodies might decide upon as the most suitable. After thanking the Minister, the deputation withdrew. — N.Z. Timet.