THE HUTT BRIDGE MUDDLE

Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 134, 3 December 1901, Page 5

THE HUTT BRIDGE MUDDLE

There appears still to be a tangle in the preliminary steps in connection with the erection of the new bridge over the Hutt River. At last night's meeting of the Hutt Council a letter was read from the Under-Secretary for Public Works acknowledged receipt of a communication from the Council to the effect that Mr. Fulton had submitted the plans of the proposed bridge to the Government Engineers for approval, and intimating in reply that it could not be found that the plans had ever been submitted to the Public Works Office — none of the superior engineers of that department knew anything at all about the matter. The River Board also wrote, pointing out that its contract would be completed by the specified time, i.e., 31st October, 1902, and it was the Board's intention to clos6 in all along the line, as great risk Would be incurred by leaving the works in an unfinished state, besides which the total cost to the ratepayers would be largely increased if the works were 'token over from the contractor in an unfinisUtd state pending the completion of the Bridge. As the Board has no power to hasten the erection of the bridge, and iias no alternative but to push on the riverprotection works to a conclusion, the responsibility for any damage caused by delay in the erection of the bridge must rest with the Council. The Mayor (Mr. Stevens) stated that evidently they had been worrying the wrong Minister. The. position was a serious one, and if by reason of any gaps in the embankment not being lined i»p any person was drowned, the Council would be in a most unpleasant position. If within the next fortnifght the Government had not made up its mind in the matter and had not decided to grant the promised subsidy, then the Council must go on without it. It was decided that the vr'a yl& of the Council should wan, upon the Premier, the Minister for Lands, and the Government Engineers, and request an immediate settlement of the matter, and that Messrs. Field and Wilford; M.H.R.'b, and Mr. Fulton be invited to attend with the deputation. It was also decided to inform the River Board that the Council fully recognises the urgency of the matter, and is doing all in its power to avoid further delay.

The gap between the Brandon-street arm of the Queen's Wharf and the staging south of the ferry wharf, is to be filled as expej ditiously as possible. The Harbour Board is now inviting tenders foi the construction of the retaining wall and staging for a length of about 500 ft. The depth of water available at the jetty will be 16ft — sufficient for the berthing of many of the smaller vessels trading to and from the port. The fill-ing-in with earfn between the present re* taining wall and the one about to be erected will be a matter for future contract. Tenders for the work now contemplated will close on the 19th inst. Messrs. Hyde and Co., auctioneers and land agents. Viotoria-itreet, offer a number of proper U«a for v ~ i >