THE PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1879.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 3278, 18 February 1879, Page 2

THE PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1879.

Another and altogether unique episode in the history of the proposed bridge to Oobden has occurred, the circumstances of which must, we are sure, cause no little public surprise and indignation. Up to the present time the question of what sort of a bridge it should be has been the ostensible reason for delaying the work, but now the matter ha 9 assumed an entirely new phase, it being gravely proposed that the bridge should not be made at all, and that the money appropriated for its construction shall be devoted to an entirely different purpose in another portion of the County. Yesterday hi 3 Worship the Mayor received the following telegram from Messrs Woolcock and Reeves, M.H.R.'s, and a copy was also forwarded to the County Chairman. " Promise was made and authority given for the construction of a horse bridge to Cobden. It has been suggested to the Minister of Public Works that the money could be more advantageously spent in completing the road across Pyke's Flat and to Laugdon's reefs. The Minister is willing to abandon the bridge, and devote the amount to these purposes. Wish an expression of public opinion on the matter. " Signed, •' C. Woolcock, "R. Reeves." To this telegram his Worship the Mayor sent the following reply :— " The County Chairman is absent, but I think I may safely say that public opinion would not be in favor of the funds of the Cobden Bridge being appropriated for any other purpose. The bridge is jrgently required by the Coal Creek farmers and dairymen to facilitate the tranafer of their produce to market, besides the advantages it would confer on the public generally in giving communication between the residents of both Bides of the Grey River, whose interests are identical in all respects. ' " Signed, "R. Nancarrow, " Mayor." Now, the first thing we have to do in this matter is to inquire who it is that has taken the liberty "of suggesting " to the Minister of Public Works the course of action mentioned. It is evident that the suggestion has not come from the members for the district, otherwise they would not have given their constituents i such timely warning of the affair, and asked for an expression of public opinion. It has certainly not proceeded from the County Council or from the Corporation of Greymouth, and still less from the residents of Cobden. The possibilities thus become considerably narrowed, and having regard to certain circumstances, we believe that the responsibility will lie with only one person whose official ' position would invest his suggestions with any importance. The County Chairman only left Wellington two or three days ago, and part of his mission was to endeavor to obtain money from the Government for the purpose of making the two roads refeired to — Pyke's plains and Langdon's. Necessary as are these works, it is difficult to believe that the County Chairman, whose duty it is to watch the interests of the whole County, would venture to suggoot the diversion of the money for the Cobden .Bridge without the leave or authority of the County Council, or any expression of opinion from that body on the subject. But it is well known that the County Chairman is not heavily bound by those considerations which would deter other men, and we are therefore not surprised to learn that the suggestion of diverting the money for the Oobden Bridge to other purposes did, in fact, emanate from the County Chairman, a telegram to that effect having reached us since this article was commenced. The County Council meets on the 22nd, on which occasion it is to be hoped the member for the Cobden i Riding will be in his place to denounce the whole proceeding, and to elicit the opinion of the Council on this instance of the flagrant usurpation of its powers.

The Mayor's telegram properly represents public opinion on the subject, and it is to be hoped the district members will not only acquaint Mr Macandrew of this fact, but inform him that the " suggestion" is entirely against the wishes of the whole district.