LOWER GORGE BRIDGE COMMISSION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11590, 17 July 1900, Page 4

LOWER GORGE BRIDGE COMMISSION.

[JPBOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] W^oouville, Monday. The above commission resumed its sitting at Woodville this morning to hear the evidence of the Waipawa County. Council, Danevirke Borough Council, Woodville Borough .Council, and Pahiatua Borough and County Councils. Mr Hursthouße presided, and thero wore present — Mossrs Jull anil M'Coruiiok (Waipawa Connty), Drrimmond, and Campbell Thomson (Danevirke), Motley and Burnett (Woodville), Smith and Bolton (Pahiatua County), .Wilson and Tosawill (Pahiatua Borough), Fitzherbert (Palmerston Borough), Diokin (Pohangina), Guy (Fitzherbert Koad Board), Loughnan (Manawatu Road Board), Pearce (Manchester Road Board), and Edwards (Palmerston North Borough Council). Mr Burnett commenced the business of the commission, and Baid it would be endeavored to show that the interest of Woodville in the bridge was small indeed. The road was primarily a stock road, and Woodville • was not a community of farmers. Not one in the Borough bad, he dared to say, ever sent a hord of stock over that road. Neither were they' a wealthy body, and they could not afford to pay a great contribution even if they wore interested. They were also threatened with another commission at the instauce of the Pohangina County Council for a share of the cost of a bridge on the road to that district. To show the poaitiou of the borough he called William Gibb Crawford, clerk of the Borough of Woodville. The population of the borough at the last census was 1160. The average revenue was about .£950 per annum, last year's was about £1125. Exclusive "of refunds the. reven ue, including Government subsidy, was £1060. There waß only one aheepfarraer in the borough (Mr Heslop), and hia farm was in the Waipawa county. By Mr Tosswill: Knew the Pahiatua borough. Should think the Gorge bridge would be of use to that borough, as it would facilitate stock traffio to that borough. Supposed it would be as much use to the Pahiatua borough as to Woodville. By the Gorge route the distance would be about 27 miles. To bring stock by a level road for 27 mile's would bo better than to bring them over the hills by an 18 mile route. • It would be easier to get to Feilding from Pahiatua by the Gorge route. Believed that the tiorgo road was safe for stock. Had heard of accidents there, bat with ordinary care in daylight did not think there was much risk. Considered the two boroughs oa a similar footing. With a good road over the Range did not think the Gorge road would be any benefit to Pahiatua. By Mr Fitzherbert: Had been in borough over 20 years, and was there before the Lower Gorge bridge was first ereoted. Before the construction of the railway the road was used for a great deal of traffic other than stock. Since that it was more used as a stock route. The road would be of use to Woodvile for vehicular and horse traffic, but not for goods traffic. There was not much traffic of that description. There might be more if there was a bridge, and it would then be of use to Woodville to a certain extent. Still the road would be of great usn to the surrounding district aB a slock route. That district was in the Waipawa county. The presence of the railway obviated the necessity of the road except for stock purposes. By Mr Loughnan: Bridges on the other roads leading to Woodville were of use. Speaking from a business point of view, did not think the Gorge bridge would not be a benefit. Woodville might benefit indirectly to a certain extent through the bridge through tho benefit that would acorue to the surrounding district. The bridge would lead to more traffic than tho punt would induce. The same might apply to Palmerston and Peilding. The fact that 05 people paid toll at the crossing between 12th and 18th June, on their way to Woodville, proved that the bridge was needed. By Mr Smith : Had been told that the Gorge road was a safe one for stock. Was not sure that be had heard of accidents to stock. The road might be dangerous now, as it was, he understood, in bad order. By Mr Edwards: The Borough of Woodville had always taken an interest: in trying to get the Gorge bridge erected. Meetings had been held with a view to getting the bridge ereoted. They had aIBO had envelopes printed in Woodville with this sentence on them ; — " We want the Gorge bridge." Had only one suoh envelope and no post cards. By Mr Motley : The borough's aotio in agitating for the re-erection of Gorge bridge had been taken in consequence of letters received from the Manchester Boad Board containing proposals for the re-erection. By Mr Guy : These proposals included an estimate for the share of cost to be paid by Woodville, which they considered was out of all proportion. [It was agreed that all correspondence received or forwarded by the borough with reference to the bridge should be put in at a later stage.] By Mr Pearce: Thought the bridge would be a good thing for Palmerston from a business point of view. The reereotion of the bridge without a toll would no doubt lead to a good deal of horse and wheel traffic Could not say how the Commission originated. The borough had asked to get the bridge erected tor the sake of the surrounding district. By Mr Fitzherbert : Would not attempt to say that he knew the requirements of Palmerston people better than they themselves did. He had not been told that they wanted the bridge. When he said the bridge would be of use to Palmerston he spoke from past experience. People used then to go to Palmerston for their goods. Some of them had done so since the railway had been opened, and one instance was given in which this had been done. By Mr Drummond : Woodville had not consulted Danevirke with reference to the re-erection of the bridge. Did not know that Danevirke had ever asked for the bridge. His Borough Council thought and said that if they had to contribute, so should Danevirke and other places, because of the benefit to stock traffic. By Mr Tosswill i The Woodville Borough Council had suggested that Danevirke, Feilding, and, he thought, Pahiatua should be added to the list of proposed contributing bodies originally bent out by the Manchester Road Board. Did not remember Hawke's Bay being included. By Mr Burnett : Could not remember a deputation going to Wellington in connection with this agitation. His Borough Council thought the work was a colonial one, and should be undertaken by the Government. By Mr WilBon : Did not know of any agitation being made by the Pahiatua Borough for the bridge. The question here cropped up of the Manchester Road Board's intention to charge tolls. — Mr Peaice said it was not decided that the Manchester Road Board would have charge of the bridge.— A letter was put in stating their intention to collect tolls, dated 1897. — Mr Loughnan said the matter was in the hands of the Minister, who would be guided by the Commissioner's report. — Mr Hursthouse said that was so. — Mr Burnett said he had understood that the Government would contribute a handsome share of the cost, but were averse to the tolls. — Mr Pearce said that the letter handed in did not apply to the proposal before the meeting, but to a previous proposal for the Government to pay half and the Manchester Road Board 16-24 th of the balance, certain other local bodies to pay the remainder. Further, he declared the question had not been discussed by the Man- , Chester Road Board. — That, said Mr Fitzherbert, was proof of their intention to collect a toll. James Grant, junr., had lived in Woodville nine years as drover and sheepbuyer. Prior to that had lived in Hawke's Bay, farming and surveying. Had driven a good number of cattle and sheep through the Gorge and over the Palmerston-Pahiatua range road. Some years had taken as many as 10,000 sheep and cattle, and every year several thousands. Could not give the exact numbers. Had taken more sheep than cattle through the Gorge. Had lost neither cattle nor sheep in the Gorge. Had lost none either road. Provided the Gorge bridge was up and there were no tolls would prefer the Gorge road to the range road. The prinoipal portion of his droves had come from Hawke's Bay. Had driven a good number of sheep from the surrounding' district. Since the range road was opened had taken stook from Pahiatua both ways, but principally over the range to avoid toll. Over the range wsb 20 miles from Pahiatua to Palmerston, as against 25 by the Gorge, the former being muoh heavier at present. The Gorge road took less out of the stock than the range road. The former enabled stock to arrive at the Palmerston market in better condition than the Range road, and that made a difference in value. Had driven no stook through the Gorge singe the bridge was washed away. Most of his sheep went to Palmers ton sale yards. This applied to stock from Pahiatua and Waipawa counties. Would imagine that the Bange road rose 1500 to 1800 feet, and two-thirds of the road was hilly. Had heard of a great deal of stock being lost on the Range road. To the Commissioner i One lot of 50 head got away. To Mr Burnett: Had heard of others being killed. By Mr Smith; The Gorge road was tj>9

— Bo— — — — umtmmmvmmnjmm safer of the two, there being ;• narrow but well-formed road, and or.ly tiro plMv-i heing- really dungorous. Tbo grades .oil, the Range road, wore not; bad. If a lacij ' and gentleman went throngh on a bioyolp! the road must hare been in a very much better state than erer he saw it. Would rather go ronnd the Gorge road when, driving Bheep by oontraot. At present . could not very well get through the' Gorge road with stock.— Mr Smith here raised the point of the inadmieaibility ol hearsay evidence, arid was' supported by the Commissioner.— Witness, continuing, stvid that with good roads could take' atook to Palmerston through' the Gorge in two days. It took : two days by tln> other route. By Mr l'osswill: Went over the rangn road with 3000 Bheep with Mr Joseph Birchley, some four and a' half months ago. Last summer took 620- head of oattle for Mr Crosse to Kumeroa via Pahiatun, from Palmerston by the range road. Did not use the Gorge road os account of the difficulty of getting through Mr Cotter's place. The sheep driven over the range were brought from Hawke's Bay. Drove the cattle tv Crosse'?, four miles from Kumeroa, in two days by fast driving. We avoid a dangerous pkpn by taking tfce Makomtiko road. Provided that the range road was properly metalled and formed for the full width, and there were no toll, there would be very little difference in the roads between Palmerston and Pahiatna. Believed then that' he would prefer the Gorge routo Of course an improved road would make a difference. By Mr Fitzherbert: Tolls made a difference to the roads. If they were not too heavy would prefer to pay them and save trouble. ' Supposing the bridge were ereoted. would use the hill road if there were tolls on the Gorge road. The toll was certainly -a ' bar. Average time for sheep in average weather wa3 about one and a. quarter miles am hour. A quiet road was preferable, an opinion that was prevalent among drovers. Spelling sheep was done partly for feed purposes. ■ There was not muoh feed in the Gorge. Had found the Gorge road fairly quiet once the coaches stopped running.It was not quieter than the Pabiatua range road. There ! was a good deal o> feed 'along the Napier road, beyond the Gorge. It was all the way along two or three chains from the railway, more in places. ' If the road through Siberia were finished would prefer the Napier road. It would, he believed, be a much quieter road than the Napier road. There was not so muoh feed. If the Eitzherbort East road were finished, and there was more feed on it, he would prefer that road. David J. Bower, Woodville, ■ drover, gave evidence in favor of the Gor b e route. At 5.30 p.m. the commission adjourned until 10 a.m. on Tuesday. An endeavor will be made to show that the Hawke's Bay County Counoil is liable for a share of the maintenance.