PUHI PUHI BRIDGE

Kaikoura Star, Volume LVI, Issue 88, 9 November 1936, Page 3

PUHI PUHI BRIDGE

£3 FOR £1 SUBSIDY PROMISED At the Council meeting on Friday a letter was received from the Hon. R. Semple (Minister for Public Works) as follows: “With reference to the deputation from your Council, which waited on me on October 29, in connection with an increased grant for the Puhi Puhi Bridge, as promised at that meeting, I am prepared to increase the subsidy | on this bridge from £2 for £1 to £3 for £l. Concerning your request for a loan from the Government for the amount which you would have to find towards the cost, 1 regret that it is not possible for the Public Works Department to advance you this money. “In. view of the fact, however, that you are saving £420 per annum from the alteration of your highways into the State Highway, it seems to me that it would be within the means of your Council to set aside for two years the amount of money which you are saving in State Highways and put it towards the cost of the Puhi Puhi Bridge. By this means and with the payment of a small additional sum each year for two years, you should be able to pay off the bridge without raising a loan. I trust, therefore, that your Council will be able to pay its £lOOO towards the cost of the bridge before it is completed. “Plans will be prepared and tenders invited for the construction of the bridge aW soon as possible.” The chairman said the estimated cost of the bridge was nearly £4OOO for a one-span bridge. He had interviewed the Minister respecting the matter, with the result stated in the. letter. Councillors were in agreement that the Puhi Puhi stream was the worst proposition in the County. The bridge was considered a most necessary work. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Cr. Howard, it was agreed to accept the proposal of the department.