OPAKI RAMP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 October 1938, Page 6

OPAKI RAMP

COST OF THE STRUCTURE QUESTIONED. CANDIDATE'S CONTENTION. Further reference to the cost of the Opaki overhead bridge was made by Mr J. H. Irving, National candidate for the Masterton seat, when speaking at Eketahuna last night. Mr Irving said he had in the first place stated that the ramp would cost £14,000. Later, Mi Robertson, his Labour opponent, had quoted a telegram he had received from the Minister of Public Works, the Hon R. Semple, stating that the actual cost of the ramp was £BOOl. At the same time, Mr Robertson had said that Mr Irving should be more careful in his facts and figures. Mr Irving said he had made full inquiries and on referring to the "Gazette” he had ascertained that a contract had been let for the work to Messrs Rhodes and McPherson , at £B4lO. In addition to that the cost of survey charges, payment to the clerk of works, land for compensation, fencing, sealing the new approaches and additional filling work had to be added. When he had crossed the ramp on different occasions during the last week he had found a large tractor and driver, the cost of which could be put down at £5 per day, a motor truck and driver, a cost of £3 per ■ day and six workmen, at a cost of about 18s each per day, all engaged on the work, representing an expenditure of over £l3 per day, and the work was still far from being completed. Mr Irving pointed out that on the estimates of the District Highway Council 1937, appeared an amount of £ll,OOO for the ramp and in the following year, a further £2lOO. He was still of the opinion that the cost of the completed ramp would be somewhere near the estimates as they appeared in the document stated. He considered that the Minister and Mr Robertson should themselves be more careful of their facts.