THE SHANNON BRIDGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2909, 14 July 1925, Page 2

THE SHANNON BRIDGE.

At last night’s meeting of the Borough Council, a letter was received. from the ' secretary of the .Shannon Dairy Coy., enclosing copy of a report received from R. TV. Holmes and Son, engineers, of Wellington, re the Shannon Bridge and j necessary repairs that should be carried out to same.

Cr. MeAlarray said that Air Linklater, M.P., had said that day that lie was going to interview Air Furkert, chief engineer, Public Works Department, and that he (Cr. AleAfurray) was of the opinion that the Council should not do anything until this expert’s opinion had been obtained bv the Member.

The Mayor said that, the Eoxton Borough Council should have been notified of the meeting of local bodies to be held at the bridge today. Foxlon would be a large contributor to the repairing or renewing of the bridge, and they should have some representation at such conferences.

Or. Wiustanley asked the Council which proposition they intended to support:- the new bridge or the repairing of the old one? Cr. Thompson said that Shannon was opposed to the shifting of the bridge to a new site, as it would divert business in Shannon from the south to the north.

Or. Walker said that the shifting of the bridge would not alter the road. A new road would be made circling back to the old road from the new bridge. The Mayor said it would be far better to repair the existing bridge than to build a new one. If a new bridge was erected, Eoxton would have to bear a big portion of the cos!, and Shannon would get out of it altogether. Cr. Cowley said that if a new bridge was erected, the Main Highways Board would have to bear. 50 per cent, of the cost (£25,000), whereas if the existing bridge was repaired the total cost would be £5,100, of which the Main Highways Board would not bear any portion of the cost. It would be a better proposition to support a new bridge. Or. McMurray said that the present bridge would never be safe. Banking schemes at that locality formed a funnel at the bridge, and the result was that there was a big scour at this point. It would be money thrown away to repair the Shannon bridge. If this bridge was repaired, the Main Highways Board would cut out the Shannon road as a mu in highway, and consequently the borough would lose a considerable sum that it would otherwise have received for the maintenance of that portion of the main highway within the borough. The Council must be governed by experts, and act on their suggestions. Cr. Walker was of the opinion that a new bridge should be erected as a new one would' last for all time.

It was decided that Grs. Adams, Woods and Thompson attend the conference of local bodies, and that the Council is of opinion that the resolutions passed at the conference of local bodies re erecting a new bridge he adhered to.