NEW SHANNON BRIDGE.

Shannon News, 11 October 1927, Page 3

NEW SHANNON BRIDGE.

THE POSITION REVIEWED. ■m ACTION OF CONFERENCE CONFIRMED. The official report by the Highways Board, covering the conference held in Levin, on September 20th, between members of the Board and representatives of the local bodies interested in the new Manawatu liver bridge near Shannon was received at the meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday. The purpose of the conference was to discuss the allocation of cost of the bridge and also of the approach roadi. Representatives of the Horowhenua and Manawatu County Councils and the Foxton and Shannon Boroughs were present. The conference resolved that the route known as No. 2 be.adopted. This route extends from the Mangaore stream, in the Shannon Borough, partly by way of Sheehan Street, to the bridge site, and its estimated cost was formerly proposed to be divided between the Horowhenua County at £394.8 and the Shannon Borough .at £2448 (unhiding a new bridge over the Mangaore stream). At <hv conference it was suggested that if the Board wo aid contribute 50 per cent, of the cost of the section in the Borough, the Shannon Borough Coiine : l would consider making a contribution of £-")0t and the Horowhenua County Council £742. The cost of the section in rhe County would be borne by the Board and the Horowhenua Council on the basis of £ for £. The estimated cost of the approach load 'n the Manawatu County is £BOO, and this is to be.borne, 50 per cent, by the Board and 50 per tent, by the Manawatu County Council. In the event of the approach roads in the two counties exceeding the estimate, such excess is to be borne on the basis of 50 per cent, by the Board and 50 per cent, by th?. interested local authority The'bridge U estimated to cost £23,662, of which amount the Board is to pay £13,442, leaving £10,220 to be contributed by the local authorities in the following proportions: — Shannon Borough Council, l/12th, not exceeding £850; Foxton Borough Council, 1/I2th, not exceeding £850; and the balance equally by the Horowhenua and Manawatu Jounty Councils —provided that, in the event of the cost of the bridge exceeding the estimate, twothirds of such excess shall be paid by he Board and the remaining one-thiro by the Horowhenua and Manawatvt County Councils. The Board now asked this Council to pass an uiiconditiona 1 resolution agreeing lo the foregoingterms, and to send a copy under seal to the Board's office at an early date.

With regard to the old Manawatu bridge, it had been intimated by the Board's representative that there appeared'to be no opposition to the Foxton Borough Council being credited with one-sixth of any amount realised on the salvage of the bridge, and the County Council's representatives confirned this. Although the Government contributed £ for £ towards this bridge, the Board did not propose to claim any share of the salvage value. Th« chairman slated that the calling of the conference was the result oi a request by this Council, and it was very successful, enabling the local bodies to arrive at a working agreement and select the route on the Horowhenua side of the bridge. Besides having secured the shortest route, and a dry one, this County had got what should prove to be the cheapest of the three suggested routes. The Chairman then moved:—

That this Council agree to the allocation of the cost of erection of the Manawatu river bridge and the construction of the road thereto, as contained in the letter from the Main Highways Board, subject to the Board securing to the Council 'the necessary authority to raise a loan to meet their liability on the security of the rateable property of the Tokomaru Riding.

The ehairmai. explained with reference to the latter clause of the motion thnt it was not necessary to take a poll, but this loan would be authorised by a warrant to be issued by the Board. -£r. ilyder, who seconded the motion, sa-'.d that some though;- that No. .1 route from the noi-lli side of Shannon, \v.a--better than h;4 which had now beei: chosen. He asked how the prcseni route was decided on.

The chairman stated that there had had to be a compromise, and he believed that the local bodies agreed to settle on the centre route. He had talked about routes long enough, and did not want to discuss them now, as the question was settled; but the position from this Council's point of view was bettered very much as against No. 3 route.

Cr. Jensen asked what .jurisdiction this Council had to spend money for another local body. He had always understood that they could not spend money in that way.

The Chairman: Yer; we can contribute. Cr. Jensen: Does this mean that the Borough of Shannon will maintain it?

The Chairman: Yes; it will be maintained bv them and the Highwavs Board.

Cr. Barber said the" question was whether the Tokomaru Kiding could etai.d up to the expenditure.

The Chairman said he had done his level best to get it reduced, and he had not yet given up his efforts in that direction. It was a riding matter.

Cr. 'Whytj said he had always been under the impression that No. 1 was the best route, because years ago" the eld road was subject to floods; he thought that with the increased water in the Otar.'i it would be worse still, but he was told now that this would not be so, and that in the last few years there had been no flood in it.

Cr. Jensen. We are supplying more money than the Shannon people. Instead of contributing towards the pro-

posal, we are bearing the larger burden . Cr. Ryder: We have got a long list. The motion was carried. The chairman of the Main Highways Board wrote with reference to a request by representatives of the Council, when ti Wellington, that the Board should ■■egard the deviation of the Main Iligh.vay between Shannon and the new Manawatu bridge as a major deviation nid pay a more liberal subsidy than £ for £,. This application was to be dealt with by the Board at its next meeting, hut the Board desired that the Council in the meantime deal with the question of allocation of cost, etc.; and if the Board should favourably consider the Council's application in regard to the "rate of subsidy, this could be made the subject of a separate arrangement. The chairman explained that Crs. Barber, Catley and himself, with the Clerk, had waited on representatives of the Highways Board and asked, seeing that there was a heavy expense in the Wirokino Hiding, that this be declared a major deviation. The letter was received.