THE BRIDGE LOAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 903, 6 April 1878, Page 2

THE BRIDGE LOAN.

PUBLIC MEETING.

$. meeting of the burgesses of Hamilton, convened ty the Mayor for the purpose of considering the proposal to borrow a sum of £7,000 towards tbo erection of a bridge over the. river at Hamilton, was Held, on Thursday evening, in the Court House, Hamilton, A large number of burgesses wore present, His Worship the Mayor occupied tho chair, and. having read the advertisement calling the mooting, briefly expLiined the objects for which they were met, saying that it was hardly necessary to make any remarks on the necessity for the work, as all were fully agMeiJ on ; that, and that he would therefore leave the matter in the hands of the meeting to discuss the proposal before

them

Or Potter asked if plans and- specifications of the proposed bridge hud been prepared to lay. before tho meeting. The Mayor: We have not got thoin prepared "yet, but are in a fair way of doing so. We have advertised for them. Mr H. P. McPherson asked what Ato if auy had been fixed upon for the bridge. The Mayo.l' ; That must depend much upon the Engineer's report, My own opinion is that the bridgp should cross the vivev opp^sijte the streets aylnch run on the West, side at right ungjes from the river to Victoria Street, past Mr "Webber's house, and on the East side up to the main road at Mr Lequesnes. We should get a good gradient there. If "we come down nearer to the punt the gradient will be much steeper. Jf j: McPherson : Is it not premature to call a meeting fcefore we know where the bridge is to be. The Mayor: It will be for tho ratepayers to decide where the bridge shall !?e. '0V P-.Qtter asked if the Mayor had received any information from the Government respecting the phins jj-nd specifications promised by the Premier 1 to be sent from Wellington.

The following telegrams were road by the clerk in answer to Mr Potter's finestiou.

Wellington, March 1-3, 1878

" To the Mayor of HamiU^jj.. The Engineer-in-Chief has had tl*<? Hamilton bridge plans under his considcf#?.Q#j tyat there is an important question jijo^pQted. ti^prpwitk that it lias been oh)igP<i w 'w.vefpviM <i9 % Ho 11 - tlie VveillifiV to i^e-will return to Weliiugtiin in % fpw 4*y«/' 11 Son* Kwwh™, " Under 1 Secretary Public Works." '

Hamilton, 4th April. •'U"Tho Mayor to John Knowles, Esq., r,S.r.W.; Wellington. v 'Hits &i& important question connected with the Hamilton fcsidp pjans, to which your telegram of the 15th filfc. been <k»i* tied by the Premier. Anxiously waiting for said- plans." • Hamilton, ttli April. ■<•< 'f I,jj iSfyyor of Hamilton to the Engi-neor-iu-CUiuf at *We}j.ington. Will you kindly iiifrnm jfce ivfyetffcer there are any drawing's in existence flip ft bridge across^ the Waikato Hiver, at

Hamilton, and, if so, why they have not been forwarded in accordance with ths Premier's instructions." His "Worship said he had received no j answer to cither telegram, possibly on "account of the absence from Wellington \ of the Premier. All they had uoav to do j was to discuss the matter, as the actual settlement of it would have to be decided by a poll. , Mr R. Harris did not think it advisable to borrow £7,000 without plans and specifications to go upon, and proposed, that as the Mayor und Council had not prepared plans and specifications of the proposed bridge to be prepared and laid before the meeting, the present meeting be adjourned. The Mayor said it was all very well to say the Council had hot got drawings, &c, of the proposed bridge. They had not had time to get them. They wanted the bridge, and must get the money. If the burgesses wanted a bridge they must take the steps necessary to get the money to build it. Mr F. A. JWhitakcr said they had no power to adjourn the meeting. The only way to decide the question was to go to a poll* It was not fair on the burgesses generally that they should be toiind one way or the other by those who were present "at this meeting. There were over 200 burgesses, and the matter could only be fairly decided by a poll. Cr. Potter said, a bridge had long been the great want of tho community. He had been directed, as their chairuTan, by the East Hamilton Town Board to try and get thc| local Boards to meet and dovise some plan to get a bridge. They had tried the Government more than once, and had got many promises, as in the present instance of the plans, but nothing more than promises. He and Mr. Vialou had consulted over the matter, and called a meeting with the object of inducing the ratepayers to petition that Hamilton should be converted into a Borough for the very purpose, and the sole purpose, of giving them power to erect this bridge. It was also thoroughly understood between Mr Vialou and himself that when the Borough was declared the first thing done should be te got the bridge erected. They had been now nearly three months a Borough, and what had been done? Not even the plans of the bridge had been prepared.He was distinctly under the impression that all means would, be resorted to to commence the bridge, and he thought that the preparation of plans and specifications was the first step to be taken to enable them to commence the work. The Mayor went to Auckland soon after the first meeting of the Council, and there learned the opinions of competent engineers respecting the probable cost of the bridge. Some said £8,000, some £10,000, or oven more. That discrepancy in the suppposed cost was one reason why he, Mr Potter, pressed to know the exact amount required. It was unreasonable to go in the dark, and ask the ratepayers to pledge themselves for a sum of £7,000, while Engineers say it will cost £11,000, or perhaps £12,000, o r £13,000. Where would they be then 't They could get the true cost only by calling for tenders. Sir George Grey, too, had told them that the £3,000 could not bo paid until the Government had approved the plans. 1 his was another reason why the plans should have been prepared without delay. If the Council waited for the Government plans tljey might wait till the £3,000 had slipped away, Mr Whitaker had one practical remark to make on Mr Potter's speech. Ho had said the meeting was pledging itself to a sum of £7,000. That, as a meeting, they could not do. The act of pledging themselves to borrow could only be done by the ratepayers at the poll. Those present couß not pledge the whoie body of ratepayers. Mr Slater objected to having a bridge built at the expense of the ratepayers. Ife thought it was a wovk that should fairly bo undertaken by tho Colonial Government. They might as well aslg the ratepayers to construct a road from one end of the Island to the other. The bridge would not be simply a Hamilton bridge, but one of use to the whole country side. Mr W. Jones feared an adverse vote would cause the whole affair fcq. lapse, and that it would be better to take the sense of the meeting-, so as tq take steps to moet any objection in the public mind. He was speaking with a view to facilitate the carrying out of the proposed work, so that any obstacle to the scheme now influencing Ihe minds of the ratepayers might be removed by the adjournment of. further proceeding.? till the plans asked for had been prepared. Cr Potter maintained that the Mayor had power to adjourn the meeting. Ho thought it better, as tho public was in .fayp.r qf Ijaving data to go upon to ndjonrn the meeting fqr a i'qrtnight or tl^ree weeks, and get tlje necessary phus. The Mayor thought that double that time wuuld not be sufficient for the purposo, Cr Potfcoi? thought that was all the more reason why tho people should not be pledged. He felt »uvo if the plans were before them the majority of the ratepayers would vote for the loan. Discussion having ceased, the Mayor closed the meeting, intimating that he shoidd forthwith appoint a day for taking a poll on the miestiou of the loan.