CAMBRIDGE TOWN DISTRICT BOARD.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1605, 17 October 1882, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE TO WN DISTRICT BOARD.

A special meeting of the above body was field at the town board office, Cambridge, on Thursday evening last, to consider matters in connection with the Karapiro bridge. There was a full attendance of commissioners. A communication was received from Mr .7. Knowles, Undov-Secrctary Public Works Department, in reply to a request from the board for a progress payment on the work, of £300, stating that the Government couid not accede to the boards request until the condition under which the giant had been made were conformed to. The Chairman explained that the Government through some erroneous representations which had been made them in regard to the erection of the bridge were labouring under a mistake. It had been said that the bridge was not being erected according to the Government plans, but instead was being erected further up the river than the old structure. Since the letter from the Public Works Department, which had been laid on the table that evening, had been despatched fiom Wellington, he had been in Auckland, and saw Mr Hales, the District Engineer, to whom he explained the misunderstanding which had arisen. Mr Hales had promised to again icpoit upon the work, and place the matter in its proper light before the Depal tment. On the motion of O. Nixon it was agreed that the chairman be requested t<> write to the Minister for Public Works, explaining the circumstances of the case and the action of the board in erecting the budge; and fuither that MrHoskinjj'& report upon the matter (report laid on the table and considered) be attached thereto. This was all the business

The following is the text of the letter which the chairman has forwanled in compliance with the above resolution :—: — Town Hoard Office, Cambridge, 13th October, 18S2 John Knowles, Under-Secrctaiy Public Works, Wellington. Sik, — I have, the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 28th ult., No. 30^1> with enclosures as st.Ued lhcse were submitted to the board at a special meeting held last e\ening, when the board unanimously lequcstod me to send }ou the underwritten statement in reply The board regret exceedingly tli it any misundcrst mding should h.nc a, lsen between them and your department, .is they have been and .lie mos' anuous to give effect as far as it lies in their power to your expressed wishes. As, however, you \ lew their actions as would appear by join letter to be in direct variance to thib statement it will be necessary lor me to set out the board's position as known to them pi ior to the receipt of your letter. The matter of Government assistance towards the erection of the bridge was gone into between the board and the then Minister lor Public Works, Sir John Hall, at Cambridge, on the 24th February last, when ]. B Whyte, E";q , and the writer were present. At the interview, Mr Hales produced a sketch plan of a proposed bridge for Karapiro, to be Oft higher than the old one, to be erected near the mouth ot the creek, and to carry the approach by the ri\er Waikato up Wharf-stieet. I his road, as Mr Hales stated, would have been a verj costly undertaking. Sir John Hall visited the budge site the same afternoon and condemned the proposal abov« ¥ rcfeired to. bir John fuither stated that should the local bodies see their way to ero:t the bridge, the sketch plan and any other information the Government possessed, should be placed at their disposal, but that no working plans, were prcpaicd, so th.it none could be gi\en. The amount of the Government help he promised to com mil incite from Wellington, fins he did by wire naming the sum at £400, without further icm ark or instruction as to the design or site. No other Government plan than the sketch above referred to (and which Mr Whyte will hand jou with this letter), has ever been before the board, neither was the board aware that the Government had ever prepared any other until perusing Mr Hales' letter. The board understood that the subsidy of L4OO was given on the understanding that a bridge &c, \aluo for L 690 should be built by the localbodics. The present structure is value for LB5O, so that the board has moie than fulfilled that condition. When the matter of the error in the site of the erection is cleared awaj, Mr Hales' ad\cise criticisms arc reduced to the statement " that there will be great difficulty in keeping 1 up such heavy banks on the steep side of the cieek " The board has met this by the erection of an extra span at the steep end referred to. Enclosed herewith you will find our engineer's report m reply to Mr Hales' memo; also jour tracings Nos. 9285 and 928G, with his additional colourings and remarks. I trust he hns made it clear to you that the board has made the best possible use of the public funds at their disposal, and that the present structure when finished will be of a substantial nature and a very great boon to all using it. On receipt of a letter from a Mr Gwynneth, the boaid met on the ground to investigate his statements, and were unanimously of the opinion as above stated Mr Whyte has also inspected the work and will tell you he fully concurs in the same. As Mr Whyte was a party to the arrangement made between Sir Jno. Hall and the boaid, and being our member, we have sent this communication fhrough him, and as he has lately been on the ground he will be able to state authontivcly how it has been given effect to. About 5000 yards of earthwork is finished, all the piles are driven, and lower headstocks aic on, and 5 out of the 8 sets of trestles are erected Our board are o\erdrawn £300 at the bank and demand is made on us for £400 on account ot the Karapiro work. Under these circumstances I trust that you will be good enough to remit immediately the progress payment of £300 as applied for It is urgently needed. — I am sir, your obedient servant, Thomas Wblis, Chaiiman Cambridge Town Board.