THE NORTHERN APPROACH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9719, 15 February 1910, Page 5

THE NORTHERN APPROACH.

To the Editor.

Sir,—l notice a letter in your issue of the 12th from Mr Donald Donald on the above subject, which is worthy of tbe consideration of the ratepayers. It seems a pity if the Council has decided to build a tem • porary structure in the shape of a wooden bridge over the Waipoua River, with a life of rot more than thirty years. You'nesd not go far for the truth of what Mr Donald says. There are over half a dozen in your own district that were built under thirty years ago. The bridge at Te Hoe, in the Alfredton district which the Masterton Council are going to renew, has not been built more than

25 years. Take the two spans leading in to your town—the Government engineers say they are rotten to the core. I could show you plenty equally as bad, and the ratepayers will have to pay the piper soon. The loans on some of the bridges will not run out for years, and the ratepayers will ne paying on two loans. The maintenance (painting, etc.) of those tem- ( porary wooden structures is a very big item. If the County Councils in the different districts were to show the ratepayers the cost of maintaining those bridges they would say: "Who would have thought it." In the first instance the permanent structure of cement and iron would not cost more than 20 per cent above the cost of a temporary structure. You have the best of cement made in the Dominion, and the sand and shingle manufactured on the spot. I am not a ratepayer in your district, but I take a great interest in any improvements, and 1 think Mr Donald Donald deserves credit for bringing this matter beforojjthe ratepayers. I I am, etc.,

JOSEPH DAWSON Hukanui, Feb. 14th, 1910.