Bridging the Matau.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 40, 15 April 1875, Page 5

Bridging the Matau.

PUBLIC MEETING AT INCH CLUTHA. In pursuance of ad vertigement, a meeting of ratepayers within the 'bounds of the Matau Road Board district was held in the Schoolhouse on the evening iof Monday. The meeting was largely attended, and a good deal of enthusiasm manifested. The district members, Messrs M'Neil, Henderson, and CJark were present by sped J. request, and took .part in tne proceedings. Mr William Inglis (North Clutha) was voted to the chair. In introducing the business he s aid the meeting, had been called for the purpose of devising such measures as would be calculated to further the work of erecting a bridge, so as to join Inch Clutha with the main land; The time had come when an undertaking of this kind -was absolutely necessary. The surrounding circumstances warranted them in presuming that the traffic provided for at present by the punt service would be increased, and with the additional facilities of a bridge, there could be .no' doubt. but that it would become three or four times greater than it was. He thought they would all be prepared to acquiese with him when he said that no time ehould be lost in getting the work set on foot. As matters stood it was hardly possible for the Island settlers to get their grain forwarded to the market. The matter had been under consideration for years past. Twelve months ago soundings of the river bad been taken, and plans were prepared by Mr Grigor for a structure estimated to cost L4OOO. These plans would now be submitted for their inspection, and the next thing for their consideration was as to the best course to be pursued for providing the money. The meeting had been called for that purpose, and they would now be asked to give that question their serious consideration. Mr R. Grigor said that two years ago a resolution was passed to make a preliminary survey of the bed of the river at a point situated in the vicinity of the punt. The thing was done, aad a plan prepared to send to the Government. , The matter was then remitted to the Provincial Engineer. At a subsequent meeting of the Council, Mr M'Neil tried hard to get a sum placed upon the estimates for carrying out the work. In' that he was unsuccessful, and the plans . were afterwards got back by the Road Board. The Board had at one time the idea that it would, with the assistance of Government, be enabled to build the bridge. Certain resolutions to that effect were passed by the Board, but unfortunately these were not carried out. The idea then was that the bridge should be built of timber, and a resolution to that effect was adopted, and. a plan fixed upon, subject, however to. any .modification the Government might decide upon. For various reasons that proposal was not given effect to neither. That was the position in which the matter stood at the' present time. ; ; ; . Mr Robert M'Kenz : e then moved, "That a memorial be presented to the Superintendent and Provincial Council, , pray ing that a sum sufficient for erection of the bridge should be placed upon the estimate* ; ad further, that a deputation be appointed to urge upon the Government the Decessty .of the said proposal being given effect to, the deputation to consist of Messrs M'Neil, Henderson, Innes, Anderson, . Clark, and the chairman. The motion was seconded by Mr Thomas Macdonald (Inch Clutha) and carried. . " ' Mr J. A. Crawford (Ballance) moved the next resolution— "That the following memorial be adopted and signed in terms of the foregoing resolution :— i " To the honorable the Provincial Council of Otago. " The memorial of the inhabitants of ; Inch Clatha — "Humbly she weth, .that your memorialists are laboring under. a very great disadvantage.by the absence of a bridge across the Matau branch ; hitherto /heavy loss has been frequently sustained by the dilatory and unsatisfa tpry ' manner in, which the produce has been forwarded to Dunedin; your memorialists hail with pleasure the prospect of very shortly having steady and quick transit, to the ■ Dunedin markets .by the completion of the; main • Southern trunk.. , To. the * main land this provision will be 'of immense value, but to the settlers of the Island no direct benefit can accrue in connection with the removal of their produce until such time as abridge is placed across the river; for speedy access to the railway station the present mod,e cf punting is quite inadequate, especially for the delivery of produce. .The navigation of this branch during the winter months is quite impracticable, which forms a barrier iorthe transmission of all kinds of produce to Dunedin. : ; . •'.-.:.;, ... "In laying this ; matter before your honorable ; House, your memorialists would, draw; attention to the, necessity: and importance of having direct 1 communication with the railway station ; at Stirling, more especially as tins district is destined; from the extraordinary richness of -its soil, to become one! of the, chief feeders and sup-: porters of the; maia line. >No portion of . the province can equal the Island, for the. growth of grain' anidfcerbage! of all kinds.; This season expensive 'additions are being made to the improved iland,- which will vastly increase Vthe^ traffic for | the :maintenance Jof <tbe railway enterprise ; "and -further/; your; memorialists are; fully coint^atthe^ construction of; a, bridge -will: J>£come a. reproductiTe nnderteking, r .ai9d as; ;such7is; plbsely al)ied^^7t^V^min|stT^ I iip%<pl t the, Provincial s C^tmcif ra u conn£c-i -tibn^ wjth. expenditure on* reproductive;. ■ works'/ 0^ ?j; , i-l-i'^i)f-"ti^i^y.isix^u-': i •'■ mei^orialMts lay their'primi9eß; landerliyouplfav^Jlel-consideration^iindi hope your honorablftHouse wjll give oßsent seconded the resplutioD.whica wl^ad op tedi F iin;a Jaiifl'iapon % fi£ taßl§^ fpf^gpft| '■§ ™ I a Mr Bavid i (ior€s^ri# sng- 1 gested'tbjfUfmleBtamateo£tb£>traffi .oyejlbepwts^^^ view of Btreng^heiiin^ v th^^ .Itaodfl)^ odLftfap! deputation. ■ . ■'•"-•■■ '■.■'"■■■ !■%:''}' i"** -.';■-.'„■■.. After the suggeationb«d been discuseed,

and variou»-Bt«tiBtwal4nfermation regarding [thej ujdjustrial pursuits? ofrtbe/district J*en,sth,e meeting adoptedaa opiniarijthafc* the cour^e>Buggeet_ed jwou'dibe im x it dient inasmuch/ aB,tbat : it a wpuld afford no;rejtable clv? to ■• the ; probable- amouH fc -of which would h§ bfoughtabp^t by -mh^uotJOHpfa;briJge. n on the motion pf/ftfr A. Ro88 ; (Ba!clqtha) k seconded by Mr Georgi \ To*nsend (in,eh, Qlutha), ; the Serins " pledged itself to do alMa its power to^assisc ' the , members in .carrying .-> the ■ proposal through the Council. l 5: '„; " . '-/,, * -„£ Mr M^eil next, addressed, the meeting. He said he had to. apologise for notifying come before, them at; an earlier period to render what waa/ currently known, as aa account of hia stewardship. Various reaHona had prevented him doing : so. -jn; tho first place he,, had to inform thVm that during th,e firas session he sat in the Council he labored under, difjfjoultiea. , Hiai colleague jhaVing reigned; /,he.< (Mr M'Neil) wm left to/represent their jnjteresta single- banded, ., . Still,, he had done ey.erything he could. to get thia work done. \. He had furnished the Council with statistics from his .qwn.gettonjftl kno^ledge v pn the subject," and, l by-.yery,;maQyTitheBQ' itfere thought to re much too favorable (laughter), : He- : ha^^rgVd'bpth'tiie'^xepjittivA and the Superintendent o^tHepqinti; Indeed to such an extent' had he gone, thatit came ,to be i looked, uj>pn. as, oiie'pf his hobbies. -They _', were, ; however,' .aware matters of this kind had to ( be assented to; by the Conncil as a wholej and in a Council composed of forty-six, members, it wag not a very easy matter, toobtaia that i asqenjt. Several members urged him to witfidraw the motion he brought' forward on the subject, stating, that if he did so, they w<juld support it when it,, came TorWard^next session. Next session, \he '(Mx ; -fii ; ifeil> , along with Messrs Henderson anil Clark waited upon the Government , and.' endeavored to get a sum placed upon thageneral eßtimates for the \ bridge. . •rtiat waa\not done, on, the ground that' the carryingiout of such a work J would depend .iiponithe loan to the province being, obtained from the General Government. : Before leaving Dunedin at the ,. close, of the , aiessiQp^ be again waited on Mr, Keid^ for^'the , purpose of petting his Tiewa on the! ppint. ., .Mr Reid said it would; be, the^first .'wprk to be undertaken out pf. the new loan;"",". It was a work which pajne under; the head of " railwayp," and 'i|t .could only oe carried out aa a railway schemed He.Had no doubt , armed as they would be with/ the petition adopted, but that they would succeed in getting a vote passed for the work' this session, (Applause.) , ,He - belieyed" . the , ' construction of the bridge would i have'the' effect of increadng the vtenfold, and he thought/ a numerously signed petition, su ch as the phe before the meeting, would have more. Weight than any statistical information they could put'forwar.dls'."Although not,, strictly /apealjibg,! a' political gathering, he wo^be/ftuitorepaieatoanswer any questions pu^ to^iai.' .",.:! [ n "' \ T^»e Chairman V,WKa^ about 'the ldan of the L 5,00 0.000. Will /any pi- it be got for the bridge?. ; , /./.., ;/n c ' 7"" Mr M'Neil : .No. Thajt,^^ goes^^ , enfirely for General Government / works. ', '■.., These local railways have to b^e provided; for/by the province. , / ,r - 7/V.'" ,, -Tslv Henderson next a3dr|is?d the meeting. Rethought Inch Clutha^ite .entitled to get the, bridge erected -over the river. He thought, if sufficient^ /presgurA, were brought to b§ar upon^Gpyerpment- they would be induced to f put. a/sum uppn, the estimates for, the purpose. / iThe^fi firetVtep therefore would be to forward tbe petition namerouBly signed to the /Superintendent, and allow the matter i 6 further, purged upon his attention by, the depuial;ion,'/.lu the event of that course! 's'npLhaFing 'the desired effect, it wojild theh T he;'djßsirable for them to petitionths Council anS i their jf'epresentatives, would use, t^|r. best iend/iayora to get the work .prqy|ded^or..6'y/'y,ote; ,7'Xn •whatever light tbe^./migWjlppk'at^it.'the bridging of the'/nyer^wasXan.jmpoftant work. It would Jbe,, of' , gife»f value "'as a feeder for the main line of fail way* /, He couM assure them, he VouW do,, his beat. as one of their repreeentativesta get the thing carried out. ( Applause.^ . ]''.. . / . • /" '/ . Mr . Clark, in repelling; an opih/on expresfed to the contrary, saiil jbe was V, very anxious indeed to see. the ..riyer ri b^idged^ at |;hiB4 place. Two years ago/Tie.Kad mpvjei in the matter, and last yiear he renewed his efforts privately to gejt the lfhjqgv done/ b,ut had failed. /Now, that^j^'ey/^had/ taken! it., again in. hand, he had llit'tjfe i ? doubt/ that if; properly backed up, /fhey] would, be mare successful this , ye*T> ■•j'He.' l '',w^B.'4?]iidT,to learn the proyinciaj^ / ch^t/^ra^un/i , j?he land sale? this i year reached* !LiOQ^oo6 /"iiT excess of tbe s .estipaie— cb^seqiwintfy, Government would have/^ufcK ! |up]re nHoney to spend this yeax^than^ibey'h^d.last.^The position of .affairs], wasi.cxce^tioriftlly".prosperous just now^—cpnai^M^tly^W'jdi^inot apprehend they /^Woii Jd, ha^g^T^t/flifficulJfcy in getting a : wm.for jt%epfifidgVp:taijed; on the eetimateß., Still, therJB F injghJ;^e', pome difficulty. In a^ouse p^m^ose'pvqff dirty-, six members, it was not to, H?. i exp'e«ed they j\ ould all . be found;" 1 ofj^o^e sQmd<' 4 .' ln, getting votes .'paVsed^som^jme^m^ much more successful/ thjn .others. Clt3r rf a 8 not, however, ihermbsl^aißQrplis! ambrigst. : them who Bucceedl^ ever, the claim, pji wojßwa^d^a^ a^atL'j'jjw f believed Inch^lpt^w ? ocgutC^^0 c gutC^^ have a,brjdge, ! ;and i> he^| J was i n^p^fura,py6pos^l to that £ effect^ogl J : lytt /be naade in vain. ,. He could on earih it waB.poBBible|br ri se|t{|ra to t ig|tf ; ■ oni mt^ out a bridge.. \skttMmJbWb' ment; was. rather; awkwardly^Htuated mats relation/t^ f|je oene?Cwerßmeni. They, (the, o^UU§WTo^mmi Rpad .Boards, ana^u^':cip.aiui(|p fetipfrpw, but would ,no| admTt^rthe ,P^bvmcTal oovernment;borrpJYinf 2 QM^i^gle^e^?. Thativ^s/; rat^efy a^f3 n^^^|oiubmpiß. The province wWaexpec^to/ma^'e'br^n^ , w^orrpj?^mopey for^ tne.pju|po«e pfjdet raytApplause). ■ _ .„^ •«• . .r ■ . .-* =■ ; line tolneh^6J^th»dH«a^a^^^^vHtcn J it -/<