Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, OCT. 4, 1902. The Shannon Bridge.

Manawatu Herald, 4 October 1902, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, OCT. 4, 1902. The Shannon Bridge.

Whether the proposed embankment of the Motoa estate is carried out at once or not, the possibility of suob an embankment should make all eon°

ueeted with the ’Shannon bridge pause before incurring the liability. Wherever the bridge may be built in the locality of the ferry, it is known by all old settlers, that the banks are very likely to shift, and the Manawatn County knows, by the experience of the Awahuri bridge, what an expanse that entails. That bridge to-day is, wo believe, some live times longer than when first erected, and should the Shannon bridge display a like capacity for growing the cost will be enormous. If a bridge induces a scour of the banks, and such a probability has been shown at the Pitzbferberfc and other bridges, the consequences to the adjoining properties to the Shannon bridge would be extremely serious, as neither bank of the river has any extent of high ground away from the river, and any washing away of the North banks of the river, would place almost the whole of the Motoa 3Wamp under water, except what might bo checked by an embankment if ground high enough to build one on was left; and on the south bank the river bank dips inland at once ami the Makerua swamp would bo as awkwardly placed. Settlers along the river can point out the inroads the river has made, and we remember the time‘when a fair width public road ran along the bank in front of the frontages of the sections, and part of the sections are now in the river.

Everyone who takes up property alongside a river must expect many changes in their frontages, but those who are in possession of large areas of low-lying land, saved from being under water by the action of nature in having thrown up a natural bank, should be tha ones who one would have thought would religiously guard the river bank from any fresh risks. Of coarse this is their business and perhaps they are willing to take the risk for tha benefits secured in return by a bridge. The general ratepayer, whether tha bridge is of any moment to him or not has to “ pay, pay, pay.” and he is entitled to be heard when he brings possible liabilities for our local governing bodies to consider. If the banks go, it means an increased cost in lengthening, but in the case of the Shannon bridge it means that there is a possibility of there being no high land to lengthen the bridge to, for the farther you get away from the present bank of the river the approaches would bo dropping lower and lower away from the centm of the bridge, until in fact the ends of the bridge would have to bo turned to try to keep the road on higher land. One thing, however, is a matter affecting the cost of tha bridge which has not been prepared for. The Engineer has doubtless designed his bridge to be so far above the highest flood known, similarly as be designed the Wirokino bridge, but wo feel certain that the probable effect upon the flood waters by the proposed embankment of the Motoa estate has not been taken into consideration, and therefore the further cost of heightening the piles and approaches has yet to be added to the estimated cost. Whether the embanking is done this year or not, such work must be anticipated in due time when building tha bridge, as it has been shown, by the intro lu?ti'>u of a Bill to give tha Assets B.<ard tha power, that it will bo done sooner or later, if the Board is not prevented from doing so.