EXPERT KNOWLEDGE WANTED.

Shannon News, 10 March 1922, Page 3

EXPERT KNOWLEDGE WANTED.

SHANNON-FOXTON ROAD MENACED

CONFERENCE OF ENGINEERS TO BE CALLED.

At a meeting of the Shannon Eorough Council on Tuesday night, Cr. Murray referred to the erosion by the Manawatu River endangering the Shannon-Foxton Road as well as the approaches to the bridge over the river. Any damage to the road would affect the business of the town, he said, and if a loan had to be raised it would be well over the winter belore a start was made on the work of putting the road out of danger. He understood, however, that, there another scheme in view, in which the Fox ton and .-Shannon Borough Councils would each be required'to contribute an eighth of the cost, the balance to be made up evenly by the Horowhenua and Manawatu County Councils. In that case the'' money could be got immediately, and the work could be finished within a few months. _“I would like to see a joint committee set up to consider this,” he concluded. “Foxton turned it down,” observed another councillor. Cr. Murray replied that it was under consideration again, and would, be brought up at a meeting on Monday night next. From what he could gather, he thought it would then probably go, through. He understood that it would be a matter of about only £8 a year in interest. The Mayor: ‘‘lt is only a matter of what it is going to be spent on.” He understood that it had been arranged for the two county engineers to confer and then see Mr Furkert, chief engineer to the Public Works Department, on the subject, “As for shifting this road with the river in its present condition,” said Mr Murdoch, “you might as well shift it every week.” Cr. Gardner: If is no use puttnig groins in. The river will work in behind them.

Cr., Richardson: Yes, that is so. It strikes me that the bridge would be lelt high ( and dry. The Mayor: If something practical is going to be done, the Council should not object to £2O a year.

Cr. Murray reiterated that, the matter was of importance to the industries of the district, and 'said he would like to move that representatives of the bodies concerned meet and go f'uyy into the question. The Mayor: They have met.

Cr. Murray: We should meet again. The Mayor replied that it was not a matter for consideration by daymen,. and .that the engineers of each body were the persons to go into ft. “It is no use for people to go who know nothing about, hydrostatics,” he said, and moved that letters be sent to the Foxton Council and the Manawatu and County Councils asking-'them to' permit their respective engineers to meet at the bridge at a time to be appointed to go fully into the matter in the light of expert knowledge. Cr. Gardner: I don’t see why we should be the first to move.

The Mayor: But we are the most interested. There are only a lew settlers in the Manawatu county who are interested.

Cr. Richardson: They are all interested.

Cr. Farglier considered the matter was one of such magnitude that it was entitled to he regarded as a national question. The issues were so hig that the Government should he called upon to at least subsidise the work.

Cr. Murray returned that the proposed measure was really only pro tern to avoid immediate danger. The only question was as to whether the Council might establish a precedent and become accordingly liable lor further expenditure as other work became necessary.

Any danger of this continued liability was negatived by councillors, and the Mayor's motion was seconded and carried.