DISCUSSED BY BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10422, 13 September 1911, Page 4

DISCUSSED BY BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Masterton Borough Council received the resolutions of the County Council at its meeting last night. The Engineer reported that he strongly objected to the bridge being on the side of the street, and recommended shifting the bridge or else J widening it to the full width of theroad. He would not recommend the lowering of the bi-idge. The Mayor said that he had had hopes that the County Council would agree to one or other of the Borough. Council's proposals, but unfortunate* ly they had flatly refused to make any alteration. The Mayor said he was prepared to go as far as possible un- | der their legal rights to stop what he considered a serious blunder. Cr. Temple: We will back you up. Chorus: Hear, hear! The Mayor said that he did net think it was right for the County Council to have treated their proposals as they Jiad done. He did not lika spending ratepayers money on lawyers, but he thought everything possible should be done. They could at \ least withhold further payments. He advised that the Council let the County make up this end of the road. The Engineer stated that the- plans he had seen in the County office did not agree with the position in which the bridge was placed. Cr. Temple said that if the plans had been changed they had the power to withhold further payments. He favoured fighting the matter to the bitter end.^ Cr, Ewirigion said that it was strange that the in the County office should not be similar to the contractor's work. He thought there was nothing else to do but to take a legal opinion. It might be necessary t*> have the opinion of the late Engineer. Cr. Prentice moved that matters be left in the hands of the Mayor and the Engineer to deal with. "In my opinion." he said, "the Council is in the position of the man who cut off a pig's tail to make a whistle, and by doing so had spoiled a good pig and got a very bad whistle."' The Mayor suggested informing the County Council that they would not pay over any more money until the : both bodies met in conference to discuss the matter. He also suggested mentioning that it appeared that the bridge was not being erected in aer cordance with the plans. Cr. Candy asked if an appeal to the Minister would be of any avail. The Mayor thought it best to write to the County Council strongly objecting. He moved: "That we feel strongly in this matter and decline to go on with the approach, and will also decline to make further progress payments until such time as the County Council meets us in conference. We respectfully point out that the bridge is not erected in the alignment on the ulans signed by the Council', and that Mr McLachlan's proposals would in no way meet this Council." - The motion was carried. The Mayor was authorised to get the opinion of the Borough solicitor on the matter.