IHURAUA STREAM BRIDGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8379, 13 March 1907, Page 5

IHURAUA STREAM BRIDGE.

DISCUSSION AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING. ' The question of whether the bridge over the Ihuraua Stream at the Moroa Road deviation should be a suspension or a truss bridge, was finally disposed of at the meeting of the Masterton County Council yesterday. Cr Kebbell reported that he had been present at a meeting of the settlers interested in the matter, and they had again decided in favour of a suspension bridge. It appeared to him that they were determined to have nothing but a suspension bridge. The Chief Engineer of Roads had telegraphed to Mr Boustead stating that/there was no objection to a bridge being erected according to Mr Dawson's plans, if the County Council would accept the responsibility of the structure. The speaker -thought that the Roads Department should be instructed to proceed with the erection of the bridge. Cr Murray stated that the settlers strongly desired to have a suspension bridge, t It would, perhaps, be best to accede to their request.

Cr Welch thought the Council were making tro much of the responsibility question. He contended that as the settlers were finding the money for the erection of the bridge they would hav t e to bear the cost of maintaining the structure. Cr Toogood said that half the money for the bridge was being found by the Government. It was for the Council to expend the money to the best advantage. From what he had heard of suspension bridges from experts and others, he had no faith in them, and would not erect one for sheep traffic across a creek much less for traffic on a public highway. Cr Kebbell was quite satisfied that a suspension bridge was the best for that particular stream, considering the manner in which it was flooded in winter, and the large quantity of timber that floated down it. The settlers wanted the bridge, and he had promised to support them in the matter.

Eventually it was decided on the motion of Cr Murray, seconded by Cr Kebbell, to ask the Governmept to supervise the construction of a suspension bridge over the Ihuraua Stream on the Moroa Road deviation, the cost of the bridge not to exceed £7OO, and the Council to provide £4OO of this amount, and to take charge of the bridge immediately upon its completion. Cr Toogood asked that his ''No" be recorded against the motion.