MAIN ROAD WILL BE CLOSED.

Otaki Mail, 13 September 1922, Page 2

MAIN ROAD WILL BE CLOSED.

UNLESS GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IS RECEIVED. DEFINITE STATEMENT BY COUNTY CHAIRMAN. At Saturday’s meeting of Horowhenua, County Council, Cr. G. A. Monk, the chairman, slated tiiat the condition of the Otaki bridge was ‘giving him some concern, on two occasions lately he had visited the bridge, once with the Government engineer, who said tiie only thing they should Uo witli Hie asphalt covering was to take it up and sling it. overboard. Although there was a thickness ol four to six inches ol asphalt, the planks were breaking every day, and was no protection. The Council did this bridge up a little time ago, and now it was going to pieces again from Hie heavy traffic. Cr. Ryder said it had remained in good order for some time after the last repairs. 'Tiie chairman: It is much worse now than it. was six months ago, utid the only tiling is to go back to wooden planking. Cr. Ryder: Why not stop the heavy tratlic? I understand that was going lo be done. The Chairman: EM we are going to prosecute, but alter this month the Council can't prosecute under tiie Public Works Act, and will have to make a. special by-law, and you know tiie recent decisions in these sou ot cases. 'Tiie traffic is simply tearing the bridge lo pieces, one engineer states that it wilt cost £2iß)u to todeck the bridge, ;uid we have not got the money. We told Hie Minister we had nothing lo put the Oliau bridge in order, ami i made it plain to him dial it wo could get no assistance

from the Government, the main road would have to be closed at the Oliau bridge. The chairman stated that

never under any circumstances had the position been so exceptional. Tin*. Council was really not able to mamlam the roar! and bridges. Uiaki bridge required £2OOO, and Oliau between £7OO and £BOO, and Hide was the Waikawu. Waitohu bad been urranged for. When at Hie Otaki bridge lie had inspected it underneath and noticed that planks were breaking, and this was shown by the asp-

halt cracking on the surface. The position was serious. "I don't know what the Minister's reply will be,” said the chairman. "We can only hope for the best "If we aic turned down we are not in a position lo repair Oliau, and the public can expect that unicss we get assistance, Olitiu will be closed.” Cr. MoLcavey: What is the position if a lorry goes through? Tiie chairman: We are riot responsible. The only thing to suggest at Otaki was a little repair. Cr. Ryder: The last work was satisfactory. l'hc Engineer: And that wa.-> only last Christmas. The Chairman: I was astonished when under this bridge to see the breaks. N'o other county in New Zeaiand, he said, was in tiie position Horowhenua was owing to the number of bridges it had arid the heavy stream of traffic over them. "If it is the last act in my public life, 1 .will vote to dose Ohau bridge if w r e get no assistance," concluded the chairman.