Foxton Borough Council.

Manawatu Herald, 24 July 1897, Page 2

Foxton Borough Council.

m A Bpecial meeting of the above Wbs held last night at 7.30 at the Library Buildings. Present-— The Mayor (Mr J. R. Stansell), Ors. P. Hennesay, J. W. Walsh, T. Westwood and H. Ooley. The meeting was called to consider the report of the Government Engineer as to the most suitable site for a bridge over the Manawatu River. The clerk read the report, which is as follows :— Public Works Department, Wellington, July 6th, 1897. I have to report having inspected the Manawatu River in the neighbourhoods of Foxton and Shanuon, with the view of enabling an opinion as to the most suitable position for a bridge to be arrived at. Attached is a plan of this part of the district, on whioh appear the sites examined, and the approximate sections of the river at the several places referred to on the plan. Three sites were examined, viz. :— Site A— Wibokino Fbbby. This site is three miles south of Foxton on the main road up tbe coast, and is the crossing ohosen by Mr J. T. Stewart in 1888 for a bridge. There are important points in its favour. Ist. The banks of; the river here are not liable to alter, and have remained in their present state since tbe district was settled— a result which seems to be largely due to the course of the river for some miles above the site being ■ straight. 2nd. Although floods have been known to rise over the approaches to the site for more than six feet in depth, in places, there is so little current that the road surface

does not suffer seriously. Brd. The cite is right on the road from Levin to Foxton (the old main road up the West Coast), so that no land would have to be obtained for the approachss. On the other hand there is the question of obstruction to the navigation of the river, up "Which small Vessels could now find their way for more than 20 miles above this point, entailing, if such obstruction was to be avoided, a swing bridge, and thereby increasing the cost of the work. If, however, a clearance of aboufe-20 feet at mean tide level was given, so aa to allow steam launches or barges to pass under the bridge, it would be unnecessary to go to the expense of a swing opening, which if the river trade warranted it in the future, could be put in. A bridge 1,010 feet long would be required here, consisting of 5 spans of 100 feet and 17 spans of 80 feet supported on iron-bark piles and the coat of the work would be about £5850, including the approaches. Site B— Shannon Ferry. This site is on the road connecting Shannon with Foxton, and about 1} miles from the former township ; a bridge here would be more centrally situated, and would serve a greater number of. settlers more conveniently than at Wirokino. The aite would be well placed as far as Shannon and the considerable eettlement on the other side of the river from Shannon were oonoerned, while for places farther up the coast it would answer as well aa the first mentioned route. To meet traffic between Pa* hiatua and the coast, via Shannon, a bridge about this place would suit well, if the road between Pahiatua and Shannon, at present partly con* structed, were finished. The aite from an engineering point of view, however, is undesirable. It would bo extremely difficult to make a bridge at this place secure. The river bank on the North side is high, and composed of sand, with clay at a depth of about 10 feet, it i 3 readily eroded by floods, in fact a short dig tance above the site the bank has been cut back 40 feet in 8 years by the river. On the South side the banks consist of sand, and apt parently occupy what was at one time the river bed— in fact the channel of the river has entirely shifted sinoe the district was settled. The flood waters have here more velocity than nearer Foxton although the country generally is not submerged quite as deep, the road surfaces suffered considerable damage during the Easter floods, and the bridge approaches would be likely to suffer also. I do not think that a bridge of the length specified for Wirokino could be made safe here ; indeed it would be hard to guarantee the security of any structure except at great cost, owing to the unreliable nature of the river banks. Site C — Saundebs* Ferry. This site is about 400 yards below the Shannon site, and the remarks as to the central character of the position, etc., made with regard to the Shannon site hold good for this site also. The clay bottom is thought to be a little tougher here than at Site B, but from personal observation I do not think there is any appreciable difference, and the site is open to the same risk from the possibility of the river changing its course here in the future, as it has in the past. A bridge at this place in order to be at right angles to to the general direction of the river when in flood, would have to be of considerable length, and the difficulty of protecting the structure would be nearly as great as at the Shannon Ferry. At sites B. and G some private land for approaches would have to be acquired. I am satisfied that Wirokino i« tbe safest place at which to build a bridge over the river. J. A. Wilson, Besident Engineer. It was proposed by Or Westwood, seconded by Or Walsh, That this Oounoil tender their thanks to the Public Works Department for their engineer's (Mr J. A. Wilson, RE.) report and plans for the proposed bridge over the Manawatu River. Carried. The Mayor said he had conferred with the chairman of the Wirokinn Road Board, Mr J. Davies, on the question of a bridge, and they hud agreed on the following estimates :•*— Cost of bridge .. .. £5360 0 0 Government share . . 2680 0 0 Foxton B. Council share 1340 0 0 Wirokino Road Board „ 1340 0 0 £5360 0 0 If Manawatu County Council were inoluded then cost would be— Foxton B. Counoil . . £893 6 8 Wirokino Road Board . . 893 6 8 Manawatu C. Counoil . . 893 6 8 £2680 0 0 Tolli over bridge, estimated .. .. £200 0 0 Interest at 5 per oent. on £2680 .. .. 134 0 0 Cost maintenance, *c, .. 26 0 0 £160 0 0 Each local body would thus receive a dividend of £18 6s Bd, being a surplus of £40. The Mayor proposed, and Cr Coley seconded, That the Government be petitioned to grant £1 for £ subsidy for (he purpose of building bridge and approaches over the Manawatu Riv«r in accordance with the report

as presented by the Government Engineer (Mr J. A. Wilson, R.E.), said request to be forwarded through J. Stevaos, Esq., M.H.B. Carried. 1 The Council then went into committee and discussed the question. I On resuming the Mayor deolared the following resolution carried, Proposed by Or Westwood, seconded by Or Hennessy, That this Council form themselves into a Committe to deal with any minor matters that may arise in reference to the proposed bridge over Maoawatu. The Council then adjourned.