MEETING AT MANGAHAO.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4462, 5 July 1893, Page 2

MEETING AT MANGAHAO.

, Bridging the River.

A meeting largely attended bv settlers in the Woodville-Mangahao and Balance settlements was held on Saturday evening, Ist July, at 7 pan,, at Mr J, Sinclair's house to consider the question of raising funds for the construction of a traffic bridge over the Maiigahao river at Sinclair's crossing. < Mr J, Patterson was voted to the chair on the motion of Mr Tait, bco* onded by Mr Heard,

The Chairman, on f "ping the meeting,- explained /.A - months ago a deputation Mangohao settlers, consisting of himself and Mr Sinclair waited on the Hon. Mr Seddon, then Minister for Public Works, urging upon him the necessity fur the construction of a bridge'over the'Mangahao river, and requesting the Government to place a sum on the estimates for this purpose. Mr Seddon fully admitted the urgency of the work and.told them to wait on the County Council. Tlii's had done, with the result that'flw; cillor Vile proposed " that Engineer be instructed' to prepare' plans and estimates of the work." This was carried, and kt • the last meeting of the Council those plans and estimates were to hand, and laid before the Council. Ho would now lay the plan and estimates before the meeting. The plan was for a three span bridge, one span, the contra one, 120 ft, and two 50ft each, with ono pier of concrete, the rest timber. The estimated cost was £ 1850, and approaches £l5O. It would now be for this meeting to decide the steps to ho taken for raising the funds for construction. The rateable value proposed to be taken for this purposo was as follows: —The whole of the Mnngahoe Biding on the west side cf the river, total valuation, £52,906. The total amount of interest and sinking fund required yearly to pay off the loan of £2ooo,would be about - £IOO, which would necessitate a rMa of 7-lGths of a penny on all property within the West If the Woodvillc-Mangabao Blook and the adjoining sections were eliminated from the area, it would reduce the rateable value to.a little over £34,000, and a rate of IMBtha of a penny or nearly £ would have to be atruok to meet loan and interest. He had much pleasure in reading a letter he had received that day from a Ballance settler, Mr A, Anderson, who stated that if this meeting decided in favour of a loan he (Mr Anderson) would gladly pay double his present share of rates, presided the bridge was constructed. He would now like to hear the opinion of the moeting. Mr MoCardle, who was present, and apologised for the'absenoe of their representative—Cr Vile—who wnß unable to como on account of the fresh i in the river, spoke strongly in favour of the Bettlers helping themselves by raising a loan. He said their part of the County had been neglected by the Council in the past, and that the bridge was a necessary link in the chain of road leading to Palmerston, Successive Governments had raada plenty of promises with regard to this work, but none bad been fulfilled. , The money derived from tbo sale of Waste Lands should havo been spent in the distriot on roads and hridges, and he promised them-to use , whatever influence he possessed in , furthering this object, Even the Hon. Mr Seddon had admitted the claim to hape this work done, and has paid a member of the deputation (Mr son) a well deserved COmpliment'lMßß i his persistent efforts in the cause. ™ , felt satisfied also that every settlor in i Pahiatua was in favour of this work ' being done, He contended that this district bad a fair and just claim on the Government,to assist them with a subsidy considering this was one of the moac fortile parts in the Colony, and i nowhere could be produced better \ butter, beef or mutton, and without a ■ fair expenditure of public money for , roads and bridges those resources , could not be fully utilised. He would , now move the following resolution; • " That in the opinion of this meeting steps should be taken to raise the £2OOO by way of loan, necessary for - the conßtruotion of the bridge across the Maogahao,"—Seconded hy Mr , Wyatt.

Mr Sinclair submitted that the Government ought to consider the faot that this was a work of interest to the whole of the district and not confined to this locality alone. Mr Tait asked the Chairman if the Minister, when the deputation inter- ' viewed him,made any defiuite promise of assistance ? The Chairman stated in reply that no definite promise was mado, but that the Hon, Mr Seddon considered it a just cause. ÜBS Mr Kippenberger mentioned that Mr Hall told him in conversation that the Hall settlement was willing to join in the expenao of oreoting the bridge.

Mr Reeve said that opeaking of this bridge at a meeting held in Woodrille-Mangahao for another purpose, somo little time ago, all the settlew from that ond of the Block had expressed themselves quite willing to bear their Bhareof the coats. He could not quite understand how so short a bridge could cost £IBOO, and ho-also thought that the east side of the river should be included in the rating area considering it was a work of somo imppiitance to settlers on that side. Ko"extra/ri»\ ing for this purpose heheldlTWgL decidedly better to pay more eS&t receive the greater advantage and facilities that the bridge would afford. Tho County Council had the power to strike a rate over the whole of tho County and put the cost of construo(ion on the gonernl rale, and in his opinion the settlors were entitled to ' ask this of the Council.

Mr Cooper asked if it was satisfactory to accept the plan before tho J meeting, I The Chairman: " That is another I matter. If the settlers think this is too costly they can ask the Council to call fur comparative designs," . I Mr Cornelius defended the Engi- ■ fl neers plans and estimates, as those of a practical and professional Engineer whounderetood the requirernents, Mr Welch moved asan amendment; " That a deputation wait on . the County Council requesting them to strike a goneral rate over the County for this work." . The amendment lapsed for want ol a seconder. The Chairman then put the original resolution moved by ; Mr McCardle which was oarried unanimously, Moved by Mr Beeve, seconded by Mr Kippinberger. "That a deputation from this meeting wait on the Govern* ment and the Member for the district (Mr A. W. Hogg), asking for a subsidy—oarried." . . ■ Mr Cornelius proposed and Mr Sinclair seconded. "That Messrs Patterson and MoCardle form the . I deputation, to the Governments * • carried. . : ; ■

Mr McCardle movid. " That a committee lie appointed to go into the question of fixing the rating are* ami propojed llio following gentle men «s nicmbors of the oomumtee" ;• Messrs Patteison Reeve, Tait, Eaton, Sindftir, Wyatt, Welch, Hall and !T ' Anderson, and the mover, seconded t ■ by'Mr Reeve and carried. of thanks to the Chairinnn and'o Mr J. Sinclair for the ui,o of his room were carried «'ith dcclatnation aud the meeting was brought to close,