BANKING AT KARA BRIDGE.

Shannon News, 12 March 1929, Page 3

BANKING AT KARA BRIDGE.

CRITICISED BY COUNTY COUNCILLORS. QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY •RAISED. When the Engineer’s report was under consideration at the meeting of the Horowhenua 'County Council on Saturday, Cr. Jensen stated that the Works Committee were round on a tour of inspection on Friday and they examined the concrete put in at the Kara bridge. He would like to know wliat responsibility the “Council had in connection with that work. A wall of concrete had been put down by the filling at the entrance to the bridge on the eastern side.

Cr. Ryder stated that he had looked at the work. The ditch was very deep, and the concrete did not seem to be put any depth down into the soil There seemed to be a chance of its slipping in, in which event the Council’s road, with the bitumen on top of it, would slip in too. It was a question of the legal aspect of the action of the Drainage Board, which had,done this work without the Council’s permission. The Chairman said that the. Council must have -entered into some agreement with the Board, because the Council had had negotiations with' them over the bridge. The Council had been cognisant of what was happening there. Or. Ryder: Cr. Barber cays it was done without our permission. The, Chairman: I presume that anything done there in connection with the Makerua baiikirign scheme is the Board’s liability; -but that is only a layman’s opinion. If you want us to take legal advice, we will take it. ■ Cr. Ryder exoressed regret that Or, Barber had had to leave the Council table before this discussion arose. The Chaiman: I don’t think it; is very liable to undermine; but -when-, the river has been in flood for a' long time and the banks are saturated, the weight behind might cause it to give way.

The Chairman: I think our filling is set and solid.

: Cr. Ryder: I hope so. , The Chairman: I should say that the liability is the Board’s.

Cr. Ryder: It was Cr. Barber’s wish to bring this under the Council’s notice.

Cr. Jensen: We are taking the w T ork over?

The Chairman: No; we have nothih'g to do with their banking scheme. They put it on our road, just as they put it oil the railway. ■ Cr. Jensen: Is it not a fact that this work, has been done and handed over to us? The Chairman: No.

Have we passed the work? —No. Till such time as we have passed the work it may be their responsibility?— They did riot do it for us, but for themselves.

Cr. Jensen: We should object to their interfering.

Cr. ICilsby: Have they not had permission to do what they have done there, from the Council? 'The Chairman: No; they simply entered in and did it.

Cr. Kilsby: Then if anything went wrong there, it would be their responsibility. The Chairman: Yes. I agree with the Engineer that it might have been a uttle i:'ore substantial.