SHANNON-FOXTON BRIDGE.

Shannon News, 14 November 1924, Page 3

SHANNON-FOXTON BRIDGE.

SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL’S VIEWS.

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting the Mayor in referring to the damage done tQ the Shannon-Foxton Bridgej said the mishap was a painful thing /tQ the people of Shannon and more so. to the residents of Moutoa wlho were being caused considerable inconvenience. . As far as the Shannon Borough Council were concerned their conscience was clear.. He ; understood the Horowhenua County Council’s engineer now said he had i predicted there was a danger of the bridge being carried away; if that was so the reports they had gome time back from ihim differed. He Went on to say that the Council’s engineer (Mr Edwards) was to be given credit lor the warning he had given when he showed by plans what would happen with the current. The Horovvhenua County Council, when approached by this Council, had said the matter was nothing to do with this Council. The Borough had offered to be a contributing body to tne bridge and a similar offer was made to the Minister of Public Works, but nothing was done. Now they were ail irresponsible. The bridge was gone and much inconvenience was neing caused. “I don’t know what we are to do. I would like to know if any Qf .thq councillors have any suggestions tq make.’-’ Cr. Murray said he had . been requested by residents of Moutaa to ask the Council to do all in their power to hurry the work of restoring communication between the two places.

The Mayor said he had rung up the Horowhenua County Council office and he had been informed that their Engineer was out at .the bridge. Cr. Gunning said the Council were impressed with the nfeed. Unfortunately they had to- deal with a local body "which appeared to be opposed to them and practically snubbed them. Hq said he had, noticed a meeting of local bodies was to be held in Shannon. “If we are invited to attend,, surely, they -won’t ask us toj become a ■ contributing body after having turned us down when we offered to be.” Cr. Murray: -We axe up against a big question as to being a contributing body. The Mayor:. 1 certainly think after what has happened that the extra cost of damage should be borne by the Horowhenua County Council. • The Engineer: We 'told them where the water would go -and it went inexactly the same position; Cr. Hyde said he thought the County Council were doing a.fi. they could to restore communication as early as possible. .; . .. The Engineer said the bridge should. be shifted up stream. Has reason for recommending this was on account of the piles not being in far enough —.only nine feet—and a greater body of water was coming down wun every flood- By removing it .-thepiles could be put down 05 feet. Should he have anything to do with the construction he would have tne banks .shifted back and a big ] work on either side. He would .have no more earthwork approaches, and he would insist on a big span. Cr. Murray was of opinion that another span and an approach i should be added, otherwise there would stiff be a scour. He asked the Engineer if he had anything in bis .mind that would influence, the work being pusfi6<The Engineer said a permanent job, would never be made by - repairing. The bridge must be shifted, it me Borough Council was to become a contributing body, he thought the Council should not agree to contribute unless a permanent job wa s m it was then agreed on the motion of Cr. Hyde that if a representative is invited to attend the meeting of local bodies to be held at Shannon, he must refer back ’to the Council before committing them in any way.