NORTHERN APPROACH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 981, 26 February 1910, Page 5

NORTHERN APPROACH.

) DISCUSSED BY THE CHAMBER OP COMMERCE. COUNTY COUNCIL'S SCHEME CRITICISED. At the meeting of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce, yesterday, there was considerable discussion on the proposed re-erection of the bridges at the norther end of Masterton. Mr Donald Donald referred to the proposed work of improving the northern approach to Masterton. It was originally proposed that the Mastertun Borough and County Engineers were to formulate a scheme for the improvement of the approach. This had not been carried out, instead the County Engineer had prepared plans and had not consuJted the Borough Engineer. These plans of the County Council were f>r the re-jrection of the two bridges'over the Waipoua river in wood. He nad in communication with Mr Laing-Meason, an engineer of considerable experience, and Mr Measoo had given him plana and specifications showing that the water in the Waipoua could be made to flow in one channel, and only one bridge would then be necessary. Mr Meason's proposal was to build a substantial ferroconcrete bridge with a road width of 24 feet and a footway of six feet on each side. The whole work could be done and a lasting job made at prob-bly £I,OOO less than the County Engineer' 3 estimated cost [of the J work. He did not think it would be of any use to petition the Council to suspend their proposed plans, and consider the substitution of concrete for wopd, but he thought the ratepayers might by aid of the law restrain from spending the ratepayers' money in the manner proposed. It had been argued that the effect of carrying the water through one channel would be to flood the adjoining lands. He could only say it would be cheaper to erect a retaining wall or buy up ) the lands for which, compensation I might be claimed for injury by i'' flood water.

The chairman expressed the opinion that the erection of wooden bridges would be a mistake. He would like to. know from Mr Donald, who had evidently gone very fully into the matter, what effect the diversion of the southern streams would have on the supply of water to the baths?

Mr Donald said there were minor difficulties that would prove neither complicated nor costly. The water required for the baths could be taken through pipe B , and there would be a culvert where the present southern bridge was. It had been urged that the Education Reserve property would be injured. He could only say that for every £1 of injury there would be £lO increase in value. He understood the Borough Council feared to raise any objection to the County scheme lest it would hang up the work of improving the approach. He considered that it would be better that the work should be postponed and get good work done. Mr Donald moved: "That in view of the County Council's decision to erect two wooden structures at the northern approach to Masterton this Cham • ber urges the Masterton Borough Council to insist on the original resolutions being carried out, viz., for the Borough and County Engineers to formulate a scheme for the northern approach, and should they not agree, then to call in a consulting engineer. That in the opinion of this Chamber reinforced concrete or some more lasting material than wood, should be used in the erection of the bridge or bridges required." The motion was seconded by Mr J. D. Cruickshank and carried. The chairman remarked that one advantage of using concrete was that the sand and gravel was already on the site.