ASHLEY TRAFFIC BRIDGE ENQUIRY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13713, 21 April 1910, Page 9

ASHLEY TRAFFIC BRIDGE ENQUIRY.

The enquiry at 1» aurora before Mr T. A. <B. Bailey, Commissioner, opened on Monday, was continued yesterday. Mr Van Asch, opening the caie for the Ranpdora Borough, said the country districts had made it to appear all their iiioney was .spent in tho lawn and nothing was received in return. If there was no bridge, ar.d or.c had to be erected, Kowai and Ashlry would combine and c>rc< t it. For the Kowai, it had suggested a new bridge over a new site, hut bud no defir.ito details that ! should in:r-res.s tlie Commissioner. In ■ .•■■eitline tiie contributors, he asked that j the cost for supervision should be limitl fd, and that the cost for a leiujth of rond .'i])pr;>ncliiny: should not be charged for by the Ashley Board. The ford i wa.s not wanted, nor W3s th» lower Ashlay bridge mod. Tin , Kanjiorn traffif ivaf very little., about an eighth f>- f Kowai an<l Ashley. a>id, if anvthinji, the former board should contribute in an increased proportion. If the two districts north of the river formed a county, and the road boards south were in a county, he thought the borough i would bo ' exempted in the way thati Tomuka did not contribute to tin , Opihi bridge and Kaikottra to that of the Clarence. ,The borough authorities objected to paying tho <-ost of a double bridge, and ' considered its proportion should bo reduced 20 per cent.._ wliich miirht justly be r.ut on to tlio Kowai. Evidence was "given of tallies taken by the Raniiiora Council. Mr C. Ivory Jennings, momlicr of the Coiincil, i;ave evidence of analysis of tallies of persons erofsinjj the bridge put in. For July 13th and 20th the percentngps were—Kowai 43, Ashley Ran-jiora 4, other places ;>. At oiie date a large funeral of 3< vehicles came to Rangiora from Kowai, which would have made; that district tally larger than Ashley. A tally was taken at the ford which was almost dry. Tho ford was not much used,, and attimes vehicles were upset. Business had not gone ahead in Rangiora m ten years, as ascertained by enquiry. Tho population had decreased in last two censuses by 100 ner&ons. The school attendance" in terfyears was reduced by 130 children. The outside districts had every advantage in Rangiora haying a market, which improved the value ot country property. Tho outside district had the advantage of Rangiora High and Technical Schooln. It was .■» strons reason for erecting the bridge that the Ranciora doctors were needed in tlie Ashley and Kowai district, and they were now connected by telephone and motor-car. When damage took place at the bridge Rangiora people did not agitato in tho matter. The extra expenditure on the borough streets cut up by stock took up. the .£2OO received from"auctioneers' fees. He denied that the trade of Ashley and Kowai was the life of Raniiiora —it would not be ecjual to a third. The double-width bridge was not wanted for the Rangiora traffic, as very few horse vehicles from the town used' it. At the conference to repair the bridge at £1200, Rangiora and Kowai agreed to an increase to avoid the cost of a commission, which was an expensive thing, as they would find before this was finished. He saw no reason to alter the present contributions. The agitation for tho bridge came from Ashley. He considered the Kowai district had been treated, too lightly, and in his opinion should pay more. The. population of Kowai served in the lower part of that district was equal to all the population of Ashley. He knew that something had been done in warning Kowai ratepayers to use the ford to lessen the traffic returns. He considered fifteen per cent, was a fair contribution for the borough. If the bridge was nonexistant nine-tenths of the Ashley residents would still go to Rangiore. »ne borough at present paid 12£ per cent, of maintenance of the Cust bridge. Mr John Ellwood, a resident in Kowai district, said there was a , general desire for a bridge. He lived, at his farm before it was erected, and at one period it was six weeks before tliey could cross the river, and he appreciated the value of" the bridge. The ford was not a good one. His opinion was that the residents all used the bridge unless the ford was very low. Had heard that persons lately were requested to iise the ford. To Mr Johnston: The bridge was of the greatest service to the Kowai for six or seven miles from the bridge, and would account for that Board calling its witnesses beyond that area. - "Mr C. W.-'Bell* Mayor of Rangiora, said Mr Jennings had put'the matter fully and fairly. They appreciated all tho trade which came to the town, but all the trade did not come from the inhabitants of Ashley and Kowai. The bridge was no material benefit to many of the borough residents, and its contribution should be reduced and added to the Kowai. The Rangiora residents i did not require a double bridge. Tlie 1 double width was only needed for Tues*day heavy traffic front the country. . Mr E. K. Good, a resident in the borough for fifty years, said he was fully acquainted with th© "bridge and previous enquiries. Hβ always argued the persons using the bridges ahould maintain the construction and upkeep. At last enquiry the borough con]d not be properly represented,, and therefore it was a good reason why the allocation should now be reviewed. Very few borough residents used the bridge regularly, and the majority practically di 3 not use it. When floods were in the river and country people could not get into the borough on market day, there was , -more business to be next week. He agreed with Mr Jennings that only a third of the business of the town, came from north of the'Ashley, and' then only a tenth of the burgesses got any benefit. ;. . In reply to Mr Johnston, Mr Good said Ashley originally erected the bridge. Its contribution was then made 55 ■■ per cent., and later, 45 per cent. Ho thought Kowai and Ashley should be equal contributors, as they were equal users. ' Mr Hugh Boyd, builder, said threefourths of. the borough residents did not use the bridge, and the other fourth only occasionally. The ford was of little value, but he was surprised to find the Kowai residents using it one day when tallies on the bridge were being taken. The advantages of the bridge were three-fourths to Ashley and Kowai. It increased the value of their land £2 per acre. The bridge was of advantage to sellers of produce. When the floods were on he heard no complaints from Rangiora. He was a large user at the time, but did not complain. His impression was that Rangiora should pay 15 per cent., and Kowai and Ashley the largest amount, equally. Tlie Commissioner then visited the locus in quo, where the ford, Kowai proposed site for a bridge, the old bridge and its protective works, were viewed. The Commissioner will make his report to the Governor in due course.