NEW RAKAIA BRIDGE

* ALLOCATION OF COST ELLESMERE COUNTY COUNCIL CONSIDERS PROPOSAL

Among the correspondence dealt! with at a meeting of the Ellesmere County Council on Monday was a letter from the Public Works Depa tment intimating that it was intended to proceed with the building of a new traffic bridge over the Rakaia river on the Main South road in the near future. The allocation of the cost was a matter which required attention at once, and on the basis that the tstal cost would be £70,000, it was proposed that the Highways Beard should provide £62,000 and the local authoi\ti:s interested the balance, £C337. Ihis has been allocated as f Hows: Aehburton County £COOO, Sclwyn County £1555, Ellesmeve County £773. The mahitenan.ce costs en the new structure would be based on a similar proportion. Ihe engineer expressed the option that the Highv/a; s Board had met the posit'on verv generously. On the motion of Cr.; A. Quig.ey and A. Anderson the council aoproved the allocation set down for Elleemere. Speaking of the provision of the money, the engineer sa : d that there was no immediate hurry, as it weld be two years before the bridge would be completed. The council could raise its portion out of revenue or by a loan from the Highways Board. It was decided to defer making a decision until next year's estimates were being considered. Cr. Anderson reminded members that the council had some time ago protected to the Government against any shortening of bridges over the Rakaia which would mean cu: tailing the ar:a of the river in flood time. Such a restriction would endanger the council's waterworks intake and also increase the risk of flood damage between the bridge and the sea.

The engineer was asked to bring this matter to the notice of the Public Works Department.

The Selwyn Courty Council, at its meeting yesterday, was advised by the Main Highway Beard that its allocation of tne cost would be £1."5. It was de-ided to replv that the couneil cons d red that £ICOO wouls be its fair proportion of the capital cost.