The Paremata Bridge

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 115, 8 February 1935, Page 13

The Paremata Bridge

Sir, —May I use your columns to ask what is this Plimmerton Vigilance Society, which is an anti-bridge society? Is it composed of the some few malcontents who voted against the last bridge? You will remember that 91 per cent, of the voters voted in favour of the bridge on. the last occasion. I am ashamed to hear that there is any section of the community in Plimmerton which would vote against the bridge, and thus, against the progress of the district. I am not surprised that there was not a single name attached to the anti-bridge society. I dare hazard the opinion that there are not ten people in the whole of the riding associated with any such movement. The ratepayers know that the bridge will increase the value of their properties. It will give them access, day and night, to Wellington in half an hour. Let voters beware of apathy, but let them decide once and for all that they will look after their own interests, and secure access to their properties for themselves and for their friends by voting for the bridge.—l am, etc., RATEPAYER. Wellington, February 6. Sir, —In to-day’s issue you give prominence to an item of news from Plimmerton that a meeting of ratepayers had formed a vigilance committee to oppose the loan for this bridge on February 13. As far as I can ascertain no public notice of this meeting was given here, and it cannot be assumed that this is an expression of the mind of Plimmerton ratepayers, and is entirely misleading to those non-resident here. A correspondent opposed to the loan complained of the “hush-hush” tactics of the Paremata Bridge Association. Who are the ‘•hush-hush” people now? This news item does not.say. where the meeting was held, who were at the meeting, who was in the chair, or who were the ratepayers elected to this new vigilance committee. I remember one of the popular songs some years ago was, “Flush, Hush, Here Comes the Bogey Man.” The bogey man tries to frighten the ratepayers with a £7060 debt on this community; lie may not know that there are 600 ratepayers and that the capital value of their property is £250,000. I question if to five per cent, of these the extra rate of one farthing in the pound would be any hardship whatever. This means that a ratepayer with a property value of £2OO only pays 4/2 per annum; if his house and section are valued at £5OO ho only pays 10/5 yearly. This in-. eludes interest and sinking fund, and the cost of the plans for the previous toll bridge. This low cost to. the ratepayers is made possible by taking advantageof the low interests- cost. To delay for years is to miss this golden opportunity. This vigilance committee argues that this will be a national highway, and if the ratepayers wait they will get something for nothing. No county council in New Zealand would get the Highways Board to consider, far less to agree to. the above proposal, by which ratepayers would receive substantial benefit at the public expense, and of which the county council was not asked to provide some portion of the cost. I question very much if tlie council would propose such a proposition to tlie Highways Board. Surely the ratepayers of the Taupo riding are not so mean-spirited that they ask the citizens of the Dominion .to erect a concrete bridge and form a three mile road for nothing, when it costs probably over £20.000. I think it is this vigilance committee which wants watching, when it asks ns to give up a certainty for a probability. The ratepayers are now asked by this vigilance committee to let the councillor for the riding down, so that all his continuous and determined efforts nn their behalf will come to nought. From the opinions publicly expressed nt meetings of the ratepayers in Wellington, Palmerston North, and Plimmerton, they will do no such thing. They appreciate deeply what Cr. Button, has done for the riding, not only in this matter, but all along the line of his different activities on their behalf. Again and again has the proposal for the bridge been within sight of fulfilment., after countless interviews with the various interests involved, only to have another obstacle thrown in the way at- the last minute. Now the ratepayers have their opportunity of forging the last link of the chain which will make this bridge their own. —I am, etc.. JAS._ WALLACE. Plimmerton, February 5.