THE SHANNON BRIDGE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 July 1925, Page 2

THE SHANNON BRIDGE.

* FOXTON FAVOURS NEW STRUCTURE. At last meeting of the' Foxtoa Borough Council, a letter was received from the secretary of the Shannon Dairy Co., enclosing copy of a report received from R. W. Holmes and Son, engineers, of Wellington, on the Shannon Bridge and necessary repairs that should be carried out to same. Cr. McMurray said that Mr Linklater, M.P., had said that day that lie was going to interview Mr Furkert, chief engineer, Public Works Department, and that he {Cr. McMurray) was of the opinion that the Council should not do anything until this expert’s opinion had been obtained by the member. The Mayor said that the Foxton Borough Council should have been notified of the meeting of local bodies to be held at the bridge to-day. Foxton would be a large contributor to the repairing or renewing of the bridge, and they should have some representation at such conferences. Cr. Winstanley ; asked the Council which proposition they intended to support: the new bridge’ or the repairing of the old one? Cr. Thompson said that Shannon was opposed to the shifting of the bridge to a new site, v as it would divert business in Shannon from ffie south to the north. Cr. Walker said that the shifting of the bridge would not alter the road. A new road would be made circling back to the old road from the new bridge. The Mayor said it Would be far better to repair the existing bridge than fo build a new one. If a new bridge was erected, Foxton would have to bear a big portion of the cost, and Shannon would get out of it altogether. Cr. Cowley said that if a new bridge was erected, the Main Highways Board would have to bear 50 per cent, of the coat (£25,000), whereas if the existing bridge was repaired the total cost would he £SIOO, of which the Main Highways Board would not bear any portion of the cost. It would he a better proposition to support a new bridge. Cr. McMurray said that the present bridge would never he safe. Banking schemes at that locality formed a funnel at the bridge, and' the result was that there was a big scour at this point. It would he money thrown away to repair the Shannon bridge. If this, bridge was repaired, the Main Highways Board would cut out the Shannon road as a main highway, and consequently the borough .would lose a considerable sum that it would otherwise have received for the maintenance of that portion of the main highway within the borough. The Council must be governed by experts, and act on their suggestions. Cr. Walker was of the opinion that a new bridge should be erected as a new one would last for all time. It was decided that Adams, Woods and Thompson attend the conference of local bodies, and that the Council is of opinion that the resolutions passed at the conference of local bodies re erecting a new bridge be adhered to.