BRIDGE WANTED

Otaki Mail, 9 May 1923, Page 2

BRIDGE WANTED

CLOSER SETTLEMENT DESIRED,

A deputation from the Hutt County Council waited upon the .Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. G. Coates, yesterday, when tbo isolation of Tnita and Stoke's Valley, in fact, the whole of the district on the eastern side of the Hutt River gorge, was emphasised. For the benefit of this district, which at pre-ent litis no direct communication with the railway., and for the benefit of ti large district on the western side, it was suggested to construct a bridge close to the Hnwyards railway station, and the assistance of the Government iu this connection was sought. Mr W. H. Field, M.P., who introduced need of two additional bridges across the Hutt River. Stoke's Valley was being settled rapidly, and the settlers there, and others in the vicinity, had no means of reaching the railway without going miles out of their way. The the Hay wards railway station. The cost of the bridge would be £<s2">o, and they asked the Government to make a fair contribution. The land necessary for the road had been oA'ered by Mr George. The Minister said that it appeared to him as though the provision of a bridge would undoubtedly induce settlement on both sides of the railway. He suggested that the matter should be left to Messrs Wilford. Field, and himself, and this, course was agreed upon. The Government would at least give a subsidy of £3 for £2. Mr T. M. Wilford asked the Minister if he would obtain :>. report as to the best locality for a bridge front the railway to Taita.

The Minister said he would £0 further

into the matter. Tire engineers were very busy and work was getting behind all over the country. He would lei Jlr Wilford know later what the Department could do. RAILWAY DEVIATION. THE W.MNfJ OMA'I'A KOUTE. A deputation from the Council also requested information relative to the |p]oposed railway deviation. The Hon. .Mr Coates in reply stated that the Public Works Engineer would recommend thai the line should be constructed from Cross Creek through to tlio existing line by tunnel: at least, 11 was pretty obvious from the data prepared that the recommendation must take thai form. He added that the full .lata bad been prepared, but he had not yet seen the corrected figure*, and it statcmem until he had the figures before him. "We know what the appiuximatc costs tire going to be," he added.

The Minister reiterated that it might he necessary to place the matter before Cabinet. 11 was pretty obvious however, that the engineer- would recommend a deviation from Cross Creek through by tunnel to the existing rail way line. Mr Wilford: "Then you will go und r the hill instead of over! " The Minister: ".Exactly. We wilfgo under instead of over. 1 am informed that this scheme is by far the cheapest and ruost practicable of all the schemes that have !. it proposed." Mr Coates

promised that he would make a nil statement on the mattei a) f-irlj date. PAEKAKAEIKI DEVIATION. BEACH ROUTE ABANDONED. Mr W. 11. Field, M.P., on behalf of it deputation of l'ukerua settler-, yestcr day stated that the people of that dis trie! wuri.: Very anxious to learn what I follow. Was the railway line round the con-t from I'liiumerton to Puekakariki -till considered feasible by the engineers, in- asked. The chief engineer .Mr Furkert) said that since the beach route was first proposed the conditions had considerably alt.-red. A huge number of hou-s-es. for example, had been built where the railway would have to go: and the department had therefore been fort-..! to reconsider the inland route. A tunnel might now be constructed just beyond Plimnierton, and if that scheme were adopted the line would not rise to anything like the height it did now. There were many possibilities, and he was not in a position to say anything

definite. It might be necessary to tunnel right through. Mr Field asked the Minister where the permanent highway would go. Tiie Minister: "What do you mean by permanent highway' What on earth do you think We are spending SO much money on the present road for?" Mr Field: "I do not mean to suggest that you should construct a new road right away,'' The Minister: "Why look so far ahead, Mr Field J" Mr Field inquired whether, in the event of the existing railway line- be-' ing dispensed with it. could it be eon-j

verted into a road. Mr Furkert replied that that would be far too expensive. It would be cheaper to construct a new road than to attempt to widen the present railway track. The utilisation of the track seemed to him :o be out of the question.