Objection To Lock On Clarence Bridge

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31318, 14 March 1967, Page 8

Objection To Lock On Clarence Bridge

Thn locked bridge acroes the Chrence river and publie use of the New Zealand Electricity Department route through Molesworth will bo> taken up again by the Minister of Electricity and member for the district (Mr Shand) “to see whether some compromise can be arrived at.”

Mr Shand advised the Amur! County Council of this in a letter received at its March meeting after protests by the council at the lack of action tn having the locked chain barrier removed from the Clarence bridge. The Minister of Lands (Mr Maclntyre) advised that he was making investigations also about the locked chain across the bridge. Mr Shand advised that there had been considerable discussions of possible ways in which the situation could be ameliorated. His letter continued: “As Minister of Electricity I am responsible for the maintenance of the road, which was constructed for the purpose of servicing the department's power lines. Also in my capacity as Minister of Electricity, I would be very happy to band the road over to any authority, local or national, which would be prepared to maintain it in a state adequate to ensure access to the department's lines at all times. That is as far as my authority extends. “As member for the district, I have brought the local objections before my colleague, the Minister of Lands, on a number of occasions. I have alm had considerable discussions with officers of the Lands Department, both in Wellington and on the site, and have gone m far as to suggest possible alternative means by wMch the department could preserve what it regards as its legitimate interests while at the same time meeting the wishes of the section of the public which is anxious to make use of the road. “In addition to the objections of the Department of

Lands and Survey, who contend that public access especially at certain times of the year to this area would interfere seriously with their farming operations, there is a further problem which concerns the Roads Board. If there is to be no bar to traffic passing through Molesworth Station, there will undoubtedly be substantial traffic development through Molesworth Station down the Awatere Valley to Blenheim and Picton.

’While the Electricity Department’s road could, I believe, cope with this traffic without undue difficulty, the same is not true of some sections of the highway from Molesworth Station to Blenheim, Which are narrow and dangerous. It would be most unfair to local settlers to open this route to through traffic until steps have been taken to up-grade these sections of the Awatere road, involving an expenditure of many thousands of pounds. “I mention these points to illustrate that the difficulty is not entirely with the Department of Lands, and is certainly not one of mere bureaucratic obstinancy. “I will, however, as your representative in Parliament, take the matter up again with my colleagues in an effort to see whether some compromise can be arrived at”

“A reasonably good letter,” said the chairman (Mr A. A. Macfariane). He could not see, however, that putting a few extra care on the road from Blenheim was any reason “for closing the road down at the bottom end.” After further brief discussion, Mr Macfariane said: ‘We will have to let it ride for another month at least”