MILFORD BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 77, 31 March 1924, Page 13

MILFORD BRIDGE.

ACROSS THE WAIRATJ.

«BELOW" OR "ABOVE"?

Rival factions attended an open-air wtißS at Castor Bay on Saturday l f_rn-on, when the relative merits of a kridse f rom Cra'S street H °wden v__& a*™ a structure higher up the pL_ were discussed with considerable \_\i The Castor Bay folk were in a and they clearly showed their "reference for the proposed lower struc-

t Mr. G. Christian moved: "That this eeting of ratepayers is of opinion ___i the bridge site as proposed by the ff_it-mata County Council, from Craig's j o „_ to Howden Point, is the most suitible scheme." This was seconded by "Mr. R. P. Smith. Ur. David London said that the Minister of "Marine had turned down the Sane for this bridge on the ground that Twould be an obstruction to shipping, l_d on that account a conference of the local bodies concerned had come to a tentative agreement to embrace the uiieme of the Mayor of Takapuna, ffhich the Government had agreed to. but tfhith would be very much more costly. However, the bridge committee desired (he bridge built from Craig's Road to flowden Point, and an expression of opinion was required from this meeting. There was no ground for the objection 'that boats would be obstructed, for the p_ns for the lower bridge provided for a 15ft clearance. The proposed upper bridge would cost much more, and would take them over a filthy mangrove swamp, i_to which everybody's backyard would look- *^ c scheme for the lower bridge would give access to the people from all tie East Coast, and the cost would be only £9000, with perhaps £pOOO for land resumption. It was opposed by the Mayor of Takapuna—but not by his people, thank goodness! There was, in the speaker's opinion, "some under-cur-fent" at work which they could not fathom. jlr. OTtalloran spoke of the opposition to the lower bridge by the Minister, and _- the Government Engineer, who had __d it would require to be much higher, _id therefore much more costly, than a bridge higher up The Minister was right up against the bridge, and so were the Takapuna people. He thought it be_t to work harmoniously with all concerned, and get something done—otherwise they might have to wait for a long time to get any bridge at aU. He moved an amendment: "That this meeting approves of the scheme for a bridge over the Wairau as tentatively agreed on by the local bodies."

After more than an hour's further discussion, the amendment was defeated, as was also a further amendment, calling for another meeting which would be representative of all ratepayers from Castor Bay to Deep Creek. The motion wsb then declared carried unanimously.