A DEPUTATION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 212, 22 May 1915, Page 3

A DEPUTATION.

TO THE BOROUGH COUNCIL. FROM RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL, ' THE HAUTAPU BRIDGE. A ROTTEN STRUCTURE.

A deputation from the Rahgit'ikei County Council consisting of Councillors Doole and O'Callaghan and the County Engineer, Mr Mair .waited on the Taihape Borough Council last night with reference to the Hautapu Bridge. The Mayor said he was pleased to welcome the deputation. Th e borough had received the engineer's letter recommending the building of a new bridge and he would be glad if the deputation could tell them what to do and how it was to be financed. Mr Mair (County engineer) said it was -some years since this matter first cropped up before the Borough of Taihape and the County Council. The bridge was a very old one. Two years ago he had inspected the bridge and the impression he then gained was that it would not last very much longer. .Repairs were made that were satisfactory at the time, but works had been carried out that had weakened the bridge, and her had been watching it very carefully for a long time. If they could remember, two years ago last March the chinnan called at Taihape and in company with Messrs Newman, Guthrie, and R. W. Smith, M.P., visited the bridge and instructions were given of what was to be done It was a question as to whether a high level bridge or a low level bridge should be built. It was arranged that he should prepare plans for both bridges. In going into the matter he did not prepare a plan for the low level structure, but h e had drawn a rough plan for the one on the high level; one that would fulfil all that was required of it. He estimated that it would cost about £3,500. Plans and a letter were sent to the Taihape Borough Council and to the Upper Wangaehu Road Board, and no doubt they would still have the plans and' letter ] in the office. The Government had been applied to for a subsidy with th e result that £SOO was placed on the estimates. The placing of this sum on the estimates showed that the Department was in sympathy with the work being done and the balance would be furnished later on. The bridge would have to be built by special loan raised over the whole of the County. The Upper Wangaehu Road Board would be called upon to pay a part of the cost and if going on with the work was favoured a conference of the three bodies would be called. The cost to the three local bodies would be £1750. Lately he had made an inspection and he found the decking was rotting. Where the decking was rotten other timbers put in at the same tim e would also be rotten. One might bore a hundred holes and not strike the worst place. They might carry out very expensive repairs which would not be satisfactory. Therefore, he-thought it was a very good time to review the whole matter, and decide to put up a structure that would ba

all that was required. If there was anything the Council wished to know

he would b e pi- . : ' the in- . The Mayoi w^^l^ s . rstand that in the new bridge proposals you decide to make deviations of the road on both sides of the bridge. If so, is the cost of that work included in the estimate ? Mr Mair said he could not remember whether that had been included in the cost or not. Cr Joblin asked whsther Government would grant the full subsidy? Mr Mair replied that was most probable as a sum of £SOO had already been placed on the estimates. If they did not take some steps to avail themselves of that they stood a good chance of .losing the whole amount. Cr Wrightson asked if the Rangitikei County Council had officially apportioned the amount to be paid by each body?

Mr Mair replied: No, th e County has not, that can only be done at a conference of the three local bodies concerned. His opinion was that the County and the Borough should eontribute equally and th e Upper WangaeJiu should pay according to valuation. He saw no difficulty about it. The Mayor said the only difficulty about it was in case the conference did not agree they would have to call in a commission and that would cost as much as the bridge. Mr. Mair said a lot of money could be wasted in tinkering with the bridge and if very bad weather came it might collapse altogether. If the new structure were started now they could use the old bridge and save the cost of a temporary one. He had seen work of this kind left till too late and they were compelled .to build a temporary bridge to enable the new one being put over. . . '"

Cr. Bennett suggested that other members of the deputation should express their views. Mr. Doole said they would prefer to hear the opinions of the Taihape Councillors. The Mayor said the Council had not considered the matter as a body, but no doubt individual councillors had given the subject their consideration. He did not think there was the slightest difficulty. He. was entirely of the opinion that the £IOOO spent on the old bridge was not so satisfactory as spending £3500 on a new high level bridge. He did not think there was any comparison; the high level bridge was infinitely the best. It would do away with bad and nasty corners. p Near his house was a dangerous euttinff The cost to the Borough of, roughly, £SOO would mean a very small rate. Personally, he was in favour of the high level bridge.

Mr. Dcole said their chairman and members of Parliament would bo against erecting a low level bridge, but if they asked the Government to subsidise the high level structure they would strongly support it. Cr. Bennett said it was simply a matter of money; at a time like the present they should be careful about expenditure of this kind. The bridge was to cost £3,500 and it was unknown what proportion the Borough would have to pay.

Mr. Mair said it was a boundary bridge and its cost was apportioned between the Rangitikei and Taihape Borough-at the-present time. If they decided to go on with the work they could not 'do anything till they were assured of the Government subsidy, but they must make a start somewhere, and it seemed that the sooner they made a start the better or they would lose the sum already placed on the Estimates for the work. The deputation then withdrew. Cr. McLennan remarked that the least said the soonest mended; it was the same old thing over again. It was a matter that had been under consideration for a longtime; the work would have to be done and he thought the Council desired the work to go on. The best plan was to have the conference and go on with the work. It had already been on for three years to his knowledge, and it was probable trouble would happen if it was not done now. In any case something would have to be done and it would be best to do it now.

Cr. Bennett said we wanted the bridge, and we wanted a new bride; it was still the same old question of finance. The suggestion was "that the County was bringing the work forward and the Borough was to pay for it. He asked whether it was possible to raise a loan over the whole Borough. The Mayor said the Borough's share on the figures given would be about £SOO. To provide for that sum the rate struck would be a very small one. A special rate w r ould have to be struck by special order. The Rangitikei County Council might make arrangements for the whole loan, and v/e should heartily applaud their action — (laughter) —but he thought it very doubtful.

Cr. Wriglltson said it would be no | advantage to the Borough; they wouhl I have to pay their share however it wos done. Cr. MeLennan moved that the Cout!cil approve the principle of the bridge and that the matter be dealt with bv the Finance Committee; and that a conference be arranged as suggested with a view to going on with the construction of a high level bridge. i Cr. Joblin seconded, and said it. was] the best thing to do, and the only thing they could do. Cr. Bennett thought they should approve the principle and ash the County Council to call a conference. The Mayor said the conference was only necessary when they had decided to have the -bridge. The chief purpose of the eonfercne would be to proportion the contributions. Cr. .Toblin asked what answer had been given to the proposal at the previous consideration. The Mayor said, the Council had no desire to go to any expenditure at oil. but the work was n ycav more urgent now. If they could believe what Mr. Mair said the bridge was now unsafe. Cr. Healcy said he wondered there had Sot been an accident there. The river was dangerous and there was r bad cutting. The best thing th'oy could do for Taihape was to have the new bridge erected. The motion was then put and declared carried.