OTAKI BRIDGES.

Shannon News, 29 January 1929, Page 4

OTAKI BRIDGES.

TAUNGATA AND WADHOANGA. OOTJNCIL FACED WITH KNOTTY PROBLEM IN KBPLAOEMENTS. • FURTHER GOVERNMENT AID TO BE SOUGHT. 9 Much (Of pie ;time at the Horo,wheniia .'County Council's (meeting; \pn Saturday was taken up in .hearing objections to the Scheme for the? proposed dismantling of the old (Taungata jbridige> its replacement by a light stock bridge further up !the gltream, . jand the , erection of .a netw bridge at Waihoanga. In/jthe Send Jit was decided to assist Mr. Joy, the principal objector, tinman endeavour to (secure from the .Government (assistance to erect a new bridge on Jbtie (site Gf the present ,Taungata structure.

Replying to the Council's application for permission to spread the interest on the present Taungata bridgeLoan over the whole County,, the Audi-tor-General wrote that, pursuant to section 22 of the Local Authorities Loans Act, 1926, the office consented to the Council paying the interest, £2S lis lOd per annum, out of the general account.—Received. ' A letter was received from Messrs Harper, Atmore and Thomson, solicitors, stating that they had received the Council's communication with reference to Taungata and other bridge proposals, and had referred the proposals to Mr. Joy. Both he and his neighbour, Mr. Blackmore, objected to the proposed dismantling of the Taungata bridge and the substitution of a lighter bridge, on the grounds that this scheme would seriously inconvenience farming operations, j Mr. Joy relied on the present Taungata bridge for driving cows to the other side of the river. The writers had suggested that Messrs Joy ahd Blaekmore wait on the Council and explain their objections more fully. Mr. Joy had conferred with Cr. Ryder. '..,. Objections Stated. Cr. Jensen introduced Messrs Joy, Blacicmare, Stevens, and Simpson Bros. On being invited by the chairman (Mr. Monk) to speak/Mr. Joy stated that the new position proposed for the Taungata bridge was of no use to himself and Mr. Blackmore;. they would like the Council to reconsider it, and give: them some sort of access that .they could use without too much trouble. It seemed as if the Council wanted to put too much money into the Waihoanga bridge. A £SOO bridge where the Council proposed to put it, replacing the Taungata structure, was neither use nor ornamont to any of them. He knew that the old bridge was not safe, but he used it every day, morning and nightt mosltly, for cows crossing the river. If that bridge was taken away and a bridge erected fur-' ther up, as the Council proposed, hewould have to sell his cows. With regard to bringing sheep out, it would be different if there was half an acre on which to erect yards, but there was xuyt room to hold half-a-dozeni sheep. As for the proposed £SOO bridge, there would only be space to walk across it.. His, friends were urging a bridge for their end, and he did not blame them, but he and his neighbour wanted something they could make use of at their end. Old Bridge Unsafe. The chairman: You are of opinion that the Taungata bridge is not safe. Mr. Joy: It is not long since I saw 140 shee.p oil it; but I would not risk mine. I take two or three cows over

it. ' The chairman: It is a question of pounds, shillings and pence. The Council have > given the matter consideration from every point of view. It has to be realised that dismantling and re-ereclting the Taungata bridge would cost at least £4OOO. We/have had to take into consideration that there is a bridge there that is unsafe, and all the experts who have seen it have said it should be dismantled immediately. Then there comes the question of the restoration of it. To say that we should.give an aeeess equal to that, raises the point: Where is the money coming from? Mr. Joy: The Taungata bridge is far too big; half the size would be sufficient. A light bridge half the size would carry all the stock we have to bring out. The chairman: If we put a light bridge half the size on the present Bite, it would cost much more money than you or we could find. Mr, Joy: Our idea was that the Council should not spend so much on one bridge, and insttead of a big bridge below should give us what they can. The chairman: They have a considerable Government subsidy down there, which the Government are not willing to give you up above. If it were not for the Government subsidy, there would to no chanco of getting a bridge at all. Mr. Joy: I don*t sco why the Government should give all. to one and none to the others

The chairman: Wo cannot alter the poai/tion; but we have got into a position now where I think something can \k done.

Cr. Ryder stated that in an interview he had put the position as plainly as possible to. Mr. Joy. The old Taungfrta! Bridge ■was still in position, but tK©; Council did not know, from clay to day, when it would cease to be th*ere, and thero would be neither sniall bridge nor big bridge then. The only thing that Mr. Joy could tell him which threw a little light on the matter was that the old bridge was on a better site than the bridge would be iKat the Council intended to erect. Old Site Urged.

Mr. Joy suggested, that the site of tfce old' bridge should serve for the new one. He stated that the anchors'

at present ia use would hold a lighiter bridge. The chairman;, We don't know what those anchors are; I don't think' they are of concrete. If they had been made of concrete and put in properly, there would not be any Taungata or Waihoanga bridge trouble. We are not going to be held responsible for the sins of our forefathers in this respect.

Cr. Girablett: How many cows will be deprived, of means of access? Mr. Joy: I am running eleven cows over .there every day. Cr. Catley: Where it is going to be a hardship to Mr. Joy is that he is going'to lose a bridge with level access from the top of one bank to the other He is going to got a lower one—a sidecutting, which will be a considerable disadvantage in driving milking cows. I don't see how it is going to be obviateu except on the ljnes we proposed. This had the most serious consideration of the Council, and we propose to do what is only possible, tak? ing into' account the cost. Mr. Joy: The recent big flood came too close to the bridge to be comfortable for your little bridge.

The chairman: Mr. Blackmore advised us as to the flood level, and wt were being guided by that. We would like' to meet your wishes as near as possible, but the monetary side of it is limited. Origin of Taungata Bridge. In tracing the history of the Taungata bridge, the chairman stated that it was erected just before he came on lO the Council, having been put up by means of a loan raised over tne properties of the Taungata . Land, syndicate, comprising the holdings of Mr. Barker, Mr. Blackmore, Messrs Corrigari Bros., and Mr. Bobinson (whose place it» now owned by Mr. Corlett). The loan was' subsidised by a Government grant. Subsequent to that, this Taungata block had been subdivided and was owned to-day by Messrs Corrigan' Bros., Mr. Blackmore, and Mr. Barker, with the resultH thaJt only the section owned by Mr. Barker, was served by that bridge. It was quite definite that the big block of Messrs Corrigan Bros, was not served by the present bridge, nor by any bridge that the Council might build. There remained the two sections of Mr. Barker and Mr. Blackmore. Actually the only property directly served by the Taungata bridge to-day was Mr. Barker's. Mr. Joy sug-* gested a half-width bridge on the site of the old structure. It would cost two or three thousand pounds on that site. The Council had suggested, in regard to the special loan which was loaded on the Taungata block and Mr. Corlett 's land, that they should not have any liability any longer, but that it should be paid out of the general fund of the County. The Present Arrangements.

'' We are not asking you,'' the chairman continued, "to raise any special loan for a bridge in lieu of the Taun..gata bridge, but have decided that, by selling portion of the bridge, we shall have sufficient money to subsidise that offered by the Government for a light dtock bridge. The balance of the old bridge will go into the Waihoanga bridge, at the request. of the Public Works Department, which is subsidising bolth bridfes.. The Department will not subsidise the dismantling of the Taungata bridge, because the Council, some years' ago, gave an undertaking thalt they would not call on the Government again'for the dismantling, repair or re-erection of that bridge. . I was; the only member who voted / against that; I realised that no such undertaking should be given. The Department is stedfaatly declining to do anything, even to the dismantling of the bridge. I will put this position to Mr. Joy: If you found the Taungata bridge this afternoon in the river, God help you, because you will never get a bridge. We are seeking to obviate that by taking - the bridge down, but till these objections are settled we have reached a stalemate. We have; asked the settlers interested to statu their objections'. We are very anxious to proceed with the dismantling of that bridge, and we want simultaneously to erect the light stock bridge so that you will not bo without access. I had IwipedHhat Mr. Blackmore would be here to-day, because he was with us ,on our visit and he said, 'lf the bridge is going there, I will make a road to the bridge.' He has since objected to that. He and Mr. Joy are really the sole objectors in regard •to that bridge.'' Mr. Joy: I saw him the other day, and he said he would object to having it there.

Needs of Waihoanga. The chairman: xu& wai ttoa S a P co " pie have had to suffer from want of access for three or four years. We ion'it sympathise with them more than with you, and we are anxious that you should have some access immediately. The chairman added that the Council's proposals to the Government were not for a £SOO bridge, but for a £ISOO bridge; but the Government was not prepared to agrco to that, being only prepared to give £250 towards the erection pf it. The proposed bridge would bo created according to a Government plan. It would cost the Coun cil a little more if Mr. Blackmorc was not ,going to do the approaches. timber was to be sold to the general fund of the County, and would go into stock. It was almost impossible to! take into consideration the putting up of a bigger bridge. He did not think the Loans Board would agree that any moa'e money should bo borrowed over the land concorned; it was overloaded, to-day with special rates, and had to bear the burden of the Otaki Gorge Road loan. Mr. Joy said he would like to see some of the money for the Waihoanga bridge evened up; he thought it could be looked into. He believed that tho •atepayers concerned would bo quite i satisfied if they had a serviceable ' jridige there for their stock. It pnlyfoj

had to' rain for five minutes and it was impossible to gel along with sheep. He dealt with a good many sheep in each year. Cr. Jensen asked if the deputation were of one mind to have the money divided.

Mr. Joy: Yes, and give us a bridge of equal value. Ours will be a bit more expensive than theirs, but (that is because we hiave a longer span. I think they could get a good 4ft Gin bridge. The chairman: Have you conferred with Mr. Simpson and Mr. Stevens, and have they agreed that they are prepared to accept a 4ft 6in bridge? Mr. Joy: No, it is only my suggestion in front of them. Lack of Finance the Trouble.

The chairman: If you think I should go to the Government and ask for plans for two 4ft 6in bridges, 1 think j(t is bettor for me to get out. It would astonish me for sensible-mind-ed men to come and ask me to reverse my decision after all the negotiations that have gone on. A 4ft Gin bridge will, cost £I4OO. Where is the- money coming from. I have not the valuation figures, but the properties run into many thousands in one case as against probably hundreds in the other. Mr. Joy: There is a narrow site half-way between' the two bridges, and we would only have to make a stock track through Mr. Corlett 's section, and it would suit all of us. I

The chairman: You would have to make a road —and what would that cost?

Mr. Joy: It would be more serviceable than where they intend to put the light bridge.

The Council's Responsibility.

The chairman stated that the Council would consider the representations. He added that the Council had had the advice of a leading suspension bridge engineer and of Government engineers, and they were all of opinion that the old Taungata bridge wa's unsafe for traffic, that it could not J>3 repaired, and that it musit be dismantled. The Council had absolutely no right to allow a bridge like that to sitand. • They would be lacking in their duty if they allowed that bridge to be used rather tihan a new bridge. The Council had a duty, and i/t must be, Carried out. They were very pleased to have had the 'representations on the matter; but as■ far as he was personally concerned, he would use every endeavour to have •that bridge dismantled, and that immediately. The thing had gone much further than it should have gone, and he had been in daily fear of hearing that the Taungata bridge had gone into the river. The representations now made had not altered 'the position, as Mr. Joy had not been able to show the Council where anything bettlter than the present proposal could be carried out with the money available. It was right to make representations to the Council if the proposed bridge was too low. A 4ft 6in bridge could bo erected on that site for £ISOO. If the deputation had any influence to get the Government to ftnd the other £IOOO, he thought such a bridge could dc built. Mr. Blackmore's Objections. A letter was read from Mr. Blackmore in regard to tihe proposed dismantling of the Taungata bridge and, construction of the Waihoanga bridge, objecting to the scheme on the grounds that the Waihoanga bridge would only serve the needs of three settlers and would costt seVeral thousand's, while they had a road, giving access to thoir properties without a bridge. He stated that their' principal need was a bridge for their chiuiren to get to school from the south side so a small bridge would serve the purpose. It would be much better to spend £SOO in repairing the Taungata bridge than ito dismantle it. The proposal to erect a footbridge further up the river would be oi very little use t\ the six settlers who used the bridge to take their stock «ver. It would beabsolutely necessary to make this small bridge wide enough to cross with a sledge. The present proposals were not in the best interests of the settlers concerned, and he trusted that ax more equitable adjustment wiould be miade before a final decision was reached.

Mr. Barker's Position. Mr. L. Barker wrote that he depended on the Council to give him fair access to his property at Waihoanga. He was writing "without prejudice," as lie had not seen his solicitors with regard to loss of value of property. "Separate Bridge for Messrs Corrigan

Bros. Messrs Field, Luckie and Wiren, solicitors, acting on behalf of Messrs Corrigan Bros., wrote that: they had submitted the whole questioia to their clients, who wore seriously concerned about the position in which it was proposed to place the new bridges. Their clients desired the Council to re-con-sider the matter, which involved them in further liability and which was of .no particular advantage to them, especially when the property they owned was bearing a considerable portion of the burden of the bridge which it was proposed to dismantle. They asked that the Council would agree to a conference. Th-e chairman seated that the argument raised regarding Messrs Corrigan Bros.' liability was non est; they had no liability. They stated in a letter to their solicitors, who forwarded it to the Council, that, according to tracings received from the Council, the schemo was not a comprehensive ono, because it made no provision for access to their property. In this particular case, Messrs Corrigan request was for a bridge of their own. The chairman moved that Messrs Corrigan's request for a conference be acieded to. He explained that this was amply going-on wflth the schemo which Ley proposed eighteen months ago and rhieh was held up, but which they t ere now probably able to go on with. a 1 hey had a proposal for a bridge to s erected partly by special loan over i

their property and partly by Government grant. It was a separate bridge, and it was very difficult' -to get from one property -to another. Tho motion -was carried, and the Councillors for the riding, with Cr. Ryder and the engineer, were appointed to represent the Council at the conference, to be held on the ground. Consideration of Taungata.

Returning ito the representations made concerning the Taungata and Wailioanga bridges scheme, the chairman said that if- the suggestion made by Mr. Joy could be worked, it was the Council's duty to look into the .matter. Personally he did not think .that the information submitted, had altered the position. It wias purely a matter of ways and means. The Council had long ago recognised their very great responsibility in regard to the dismantling of the Taungaita bridge. He felt that the Council had made,an endeavour, and a considerable one, to give the settlers some substitute for it. A 4ft 6in bridge on the -Taungata site would coat about £2S(JO. If that money could be found, the Council would be only too happy to erect it. Two.<courses were open. One ,-was to defer the matter. The other .was to decide to go" on wilth. the dismantling of the bridge, Which he considered should be done. There was a .loft of valuable material in the old bridge, and it should be saved. An Extreme Course.

Or. Jensen: If we are not going on with the work we proposed, the alternative is to leave it at their risk.

The chairman: I shall never agree to that. . Cr. Jensen: We should leave it till it drops down, and notify the Public Works Department to that effect.

The chairman: I feel that I have a responsibility while I occupy this position, and I am not prepared to take up the position of a stale-mate with the hope that when the bridge goes down nofbody will be killed. We have been 'warned by men who thoroughly understand the position that; the bridge is ■one that should be dismantled early. Mlostt of the iron-work is now gone, and the foundation on one side is in a very bad wfcy. The fact that 140 'sheep were seen on it only shows the risks that people will take as long as it is there; and it has eome to a case 'where you should save the people from themselves. I would suggest that Mr. Joy get in .touch with the member for the district, who may perhaps be able 'to effect something with the Public Works Department for a grant to enable us to darry thalt out. , Dismantling to Proceed. It was then moved by the chairman and seconded by Cr. Ryder, that tho Council take the - necessary stops to have the Taungata bridge dismantled and proceed with the proposals before tthe Council. ' Representations to Government. The chairman added that the position might have been taken up of putting the matter off until after the Council election; butt he would? feel very much happier at the end of his term of office if he knetw that this had been dealt with and that nofeody could come on to the Council and say "Here is some dirty work left." He was quite prepared to go with a deputation to the new Minister of Public Works .and represent the position, if Mr. Joy could arrange a deputation. Cr. Jensen said he would be willing .to accompany the deputation. The motion w!as carried.

Mr. Joy promised to get in touch with Mr. Yield, M.P., and thanked the Council for the hearing accorded him.