SHANNON-FOXTON BRIDGE.

Shannon News, 3 July 1925, Page 2

SHANNON-FOXTON BRIDGE.

PETITION TO PARLIAMENT.

The following petitioai which is to be forwarded to Parliament, is now open for signatures at the Council Chambers at Shannon:— “To the Hon. the Speaker and Members of the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled:—

“The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of shannon and surrounding district humbly showetll:—

“(1) That your petitioners are residents in and around .Shannon and in the course of their duties and business are compelled to cross the Maaiawatiu river, and a bridge near Shannon over the said river is a necessity to vour petitioners. “(2) That up to November, 11)24, there'was a bridge spanning the river at a part lying between 1 Shannon* and Foxton and such bridge was situated in the Horowhenua County. “(3) That on or about the month of February, 1922, 'the .Shannon ‘ Borough Council was made aware that the ; said bridge was not in a good condition and was likely to he swept away by flood. “(4) That the Shannon Borough Council at its own expense (although having no liability in connection with the bridge had an inspection made by a competent'engineer (Mr Edwards) who declared the said bridge unsafe and required strengthening. “(5) The Shannon Borough Council immediately communicated with tire ttorowhenua County Council, but that body refused to take any action, declaring the bridge not to be in dan- & “(6) The Shannon Borough Council then called a -meeting of representatives from the Foxton Borough Council, Manawatu County Council. Horowhenua County Council, and the Shannon Borough Council, this meeting was attended only by the representatives of the Shannon Borough Council.

“(7) The Shannon Borough Council by resolution sent a deputation (the Mayor and Engineer) in June, 1922, to ask that a commission be appointed Jto create- la contributing body, consisting of the Horowhenua County, Manawatu County, Foxton Borough and Shannon Borough. The deputation waited on, tire Hon. Minister -of Public Works (Mr Coates) and urged the appointment of the commission, but he refused to accede to the request' of the deputation, (it should be rioted that the Shannon Borough Council by asking for a contributing body voluntarily placed itself In the position of paying its share of the cost of maintenance of the bridge). “i 8) Your petitioners would point out that the Government had contributed a large sum towards the erection of the bridge and was therefore in a position to say that proper steps should be taken for its protection.

“(10) That the said bridge was swept away (part ol it) by flood in the month of November, 1924, and since that time meetings have taken place with no result beyond the placing of an unwieldly punt on the river near the bridge site. “(11) The Shannon Borough Engineer's (Mr Edwards) report on the condition of the bridge in 1922: was absolutely correct -and the disaster occurred which lie had foretold and at the very place mentioned by him “(12) The bridge is essential for the welfare of the district. Tanners' cream can-only bi sent to t; o Li.U t factory at great expense and when the river is ixi flood not at all. Wnk ers require the bridge to get access to the flaxmills, millowners require -he bridge to carry ..heir flax to The railway station, thus, hundreds of industrious people are sorely hampered, i )- convenienced and f ut to »', r eat loss on account bf their being no bridge. “(13) Your petitioners have exhausted all means to try and induce the

proper authorities to either put a new span on the present bridge or erect a new bridge, although the disaster occurred to the bridge) in November, 1924, and repeated efforts bad before that been made to induce the Horowhenua Council to strengthen Hie bridge, not one penny bas been spent, or any effort made beyond the unwieldly punt which , your petitioners are informed coist £ISOO in equipping and fixing the banks of the river, this sum your petitioners claim would have covered nearly half the cost of restoring the bridge.

“Your petitioners pray that your Honourable House make enquiries into our serious grievances and cause to be done such acts as your Hop curable House considers necessary to give your petitioners relief. .And your petitioners as in bound will ever pray. v> :