TRAFFIC BRIDGE AT PAREMATA

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 141, 16 June 1932, Page 10

TRAFFIC BRIDGE AT PAREMATA

(To the Editor.)

• Sir, —1 am sure that your readers are indebted to you for keeping the matter of the urgent need of a traffic bridge at Paremata (to give access to Plimmerton) before the public. It has been stated in the news columns that t£e mile of road will provide £6000 worth of navvy work for men who are at present engaged on more or less useless toil—also, that the bridge would provide £10,000 worth of work for skilled tradesmen who are now seeking an opportunity to be allowed to work.

Surely this is a factor which will appeal, to all public spirited people, and when we are further advised that' the road and bridge will save motorists some few thousand pounds annually in upkeep, and that every- motorist wjll be saved about.twenty minutes each way,in the journey to Plinimevton, it is surprising to read such let^ ters as that signed by "Anti-Stampede" in a recent issue of your excellent paper. Moreover, some, of this writer's criticisms are not quite correct. "There has been no stampede of this project—it has been before the public for twenty years! I do not understand "Anti-StampedeV remarks that the mileage has been wrongly stated. I often go to Plimmerton, and I reckon that the mileage is as follows:— Paremata to Pahautanui, 3% miles; Pahautanui to Plimmerton, 4% miles, making a_ total of approximately eight miles. "Anti-Stampede" is also wrong in saying that much of the traffic into Plimmerton comes from tho north and the Hutt Valley. I make bold to say that not 2 per cent, of the motor traffic comes from the | north, and not 5 per..cent, comes from the iHutt Valley! Moreover, the motorist, , from the Hutt Valley will find it quicker, | cheaper, and safer to s come to Plimmerton via Paremata and across the new bridge, i i "Anti-Stampede" is unfortunate in his remarks with regard to the cheap railway lares, and excellent train service to Plimmerton. The ordinary return' fare to Plimmerton is 4s 3d and 2s 8d for Ist and 2nd class respectively. The cheapest weekly ticket is 10s (although this same weekly ticket to Upper Hutt, which is the same distance as Plimmerton, is only 3s), and the week-end excursion fares are 3s and 2s. With regard to his'statement regarding the'excellent train service which Plimmerton enjoys-^n week days there is no tram leaving Plimmerton, between the hours of 10.15 and 4 p.m. In case of an emergency, such as sickness, or when an ambulance is required, all., those wasted miles have to be traversed around the Pahautanui Inlet.

. The Railway Department has sat calmly by and seen scores of thousands of pounds spent in Wellington in tunnels, boats, and buses to attract people to Hataitai and Jlubirme and Eastbourne, whereas a little foresight on their part would have secured a large population who would have settled up their suburban Manavatu line, which would have been a little gold mine for the railways over the last twenty years. This income has now gone to trams, boats, and ,ms and the railways are left. lhere is only one statement which appeals in the whole of "Anti-Stampede's" letterj-.and that 13 his remarks that the

Main North, road will never go through Plinim'ertori and Pukerua Bay to Paekakariki. ' This everyone agrees with; but, if in the years to come such a deviation and such expense • Were possible, then the bridge and the mile of road would all be part of the work. The suspension bridge will last until any larger bridge is required. I quite agree with the correspondent who has stated > that the Plimmerton Bridge and road is essential in these* times of 'economy, and would suggest that perhaps it would have been more correct to have signed "Anti-Stampede's" letter as "Anti-Progressive."—l am, etc.,

ANOTHER RATEPAYER.