Tikorangi Bridge Inquiry.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7743, 20 February 1905, Page 2

Tikorangi Bridge Inquiry.

The Chief Engineer of lioads, Mr Jc. W. Hursthousc, has forwarded to [the Taranaki County Council the award made made by Couunissioner j Short, with an intimation that the Governor has directed effect to be I given to the Commissioner's recommendiUions.

I Alter stating fonnnMy the facts of, Ithe case the Commissioner sets forth that the Clifton and Tnranaki County Councils and Waitara West Hoad Board claim that the Government should continue to maintain the bridge, as it had been erected against their wishes, and was alleged to be a reward to a certain person for I political services. In any case they !claimed that the bridge ought first ■to be put in order by the Government before its maintenance is thrust on the local bodies. The Commissioner finds that the ■ bridge is in the midst of a settled | district, and although a great deal of ; the Clifton county might lie rough and sparsely populated, that was not tho case in respect to the land immediately adjacent to the few 'people who own land in the adjacent jvaMey. When asked if they wanted the bridge 'to ('all into ruin, the local bodies interested had shown they 'did not want to see that permitted, a reply which the Commissioner considers is an admission that the bridge is of some use to them. The | bridge being, there (although it may 'possibly not be in the best place), 'and teing used, there is in the Commissioner's opinion as much reason for the local bodies maintaining it as in their maintaining many of the I little used roads in the colony. He !considers, howeven. that there i.s reason in the contention that the structure should first bo put Into gvod repair, and he rtconimends that this matter ho referred Vo the Government for consideration. if this work be done, the cost of maintenance for several years will be very small.

| With regard to the apportionment of Uie cost of mainjtenancc, ho recommends that as the benefit of the bridge is greater to the Clifton than Ito tho Taranaki county, the former | should pay three-fifths, and the latter two-fifths of tho cost of maintenance!. A* the Waitara West Houd Hoard had to maintain the road j from the rond to the county road, |W.ithout much advantage to itself, |lhis shoukl be deemed a quid pro quo (for any l>enelit the Board derivjtvl from the bridge. He agreed with ithe proposal that the bridge should be vested in the Clifton county. Wilth regard to the costs of the inquiry, as neither county made nnv offer of settleiiiont, he recommends that such cost be equally divided between the two counties.