RANGITATA BRIDGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 93, 30 January 1934, Page 3

RANGITATA BRIDGE

MR BURNETT'S OPINION. DIVERSION OF MAIN HIGHWAY. (Special to the "Guardian.") TIMARU, This Day. On the proposal for the Utilisation of the present Rangitata railway bridge, which will presently be superseded by il new bridge alongside as a through' traffic bridge, Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., yesterday said he, had been asked to give the proposal his support, but he would like to make his position perfectly clear. "When first returned to Parliament in 1919 as representative for Temuka electorate, which extended as far as the Hinds River," Mr Burnett said,"I found a very strong demand from all sections in the Geraldine area for a diversion of the railway line from the Rangitata station, by Geraldine and back to the main line at Winchester. It meant a loop of some 13 miles of new line and would definitely give Geraldine main railway line access. I worked for the diversion and Mr Massey, then Finance Minister, was sympathetic, but the increased rail mileage put the project out of count. • It was then proposed, as an alterna-, tive, to put a branch line, Orari-Geral-dine, at a cost of .£44,000, but the . Geraldine people were indifferent to a branch line, as for them it was main line or nothing. "The present demand for.the utilisation of the Rangitata railway bridge for general traffic, which ultimately means the main highway along that route, opens Up the whole question of our duty toward the country' town. It • is a matter of South Canterbury history that in the 'seventies, when the survey of the main south railway line was being made, the railway, would I have come by way.of Geraldine, but for the obduracy of a certain property owner. Geraldine came into being as a sawmilling centre in an almost treeless South Canterbury. It then became an important distributing and business Centre in the new agricultural era, and its present-day status of being on the main motor the South Island is being threatened by the latest demand for what . is, if pushed, the direct main highway. "What I would ask South Canterbury is, 'ls it to your advantage and to the advantage of your town, that there should be a • modern tar sealed or concrete speedway between Timaru and Christchurch, whereon, in high powered cars South Canterbury people would be encouraged to do their shop- ' • ping and business in Christchurch, and thereby play into the hands of those, a very powerful section of the community,, who. think Christchurch is Canterbury?' Again I would ask the people of South Canterbury, 'ls it to , your advantage that our country towns should languish and decline to • the advantage of the larger centres? Do .you want the continued existence of the, country town in New Zealand? Do you not realise that the growth and continued importance of even Timaru is threatened by the modern trend of transport, "and the mad urge of change ? Do you not realise that the need for regional planning was never : more urgent than the present?" "The time has arrived for a return to sane, provincialism and a strong dash of the over criticised much maligned spirit of What is described as " concluded Mr Burnett.

DEPUTATION TO BOARD. QUESTION BEING WACHED. \ '/■>■■" TJMARU, This Day. Referring to the Rangitata railway bridge, Mr McKenzie, one of a deputation from the Mackenzie County Council to the Main Highway.?.' Board in Timaru yesterday, said that the Board had had a report from its engineer (Mr F. Langbein), but it would be .something like two years before the bridge would be available. The Board was going -to see the site to-day, and he assured the deputation that the question was not being lost sight of, and that preliminary steps were being taken. ' Mr McKenzie said that the Board was going to see the Geraldine County Council to-day and would take the opportunity of discussing the Rangitata traffic bridge approach with them then. • ". •■ Mr Jenkins asked if the Association could be permitted to send representatives to meet the Board and . the Geraldine County Council at the bridge •to-day, and it was agreed that .they should meet there* at 1.15 this afternoon. Mr Langbein stated that he thought that the corner could be put in order for about £IOO, .