The Gorge Commission.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8199, 27 January 1906, Page 5

The Gorge Commission.

The Commission resumed at 10.30 a.m. this morning before Mr Short, Commissioner. The case for the Pohangina County Council was proceeded with, Frank Arbon, settler, Pohangina, giving evidence generally on the lines of those who had preceded him on behalf of the County, namely, thht the bridge was not a necessity, all the settlers' business being done on this side of the range, while if stock were brought over from Hawke's Bay to Pohangina the Whariti road would be used. By Mr Sandilands : Stock from Wairarapa to Palmerston or Feilding would come over the Range road; even if going to Feilding because it would give drovers the chance of turning over their stock at Palmerston en route. By Mr Louglinan : He could not see that the bridge would be of any use to Fitzlierbert settlers under existing circumstances. lie-examined by Mr Fitzlierbert: Ho knew of no stock going direct to Poiiangina from Hawke's Bay. He did not think the bridge a necessity, and consequently the expenditure of £10,000 on a bridge was not justified. Thomas Harland, engineer to the Pohangina County Council, gave evidence with regard to roads that could be made in Pohangina to connect with Woodville and also in other directions to serve the needs of the district; about £500 would do all the work necessary. With these roads there could be no necessity for the bridge. By Mr Sandilands : He would prefer the Whariti road for stock to the Gorge unless there was no traffic on the latter. D. Sinclair, for some years engineer to the Pohangina County Council, gave evidence with regard to the Whariu, Malton and other roads in the Pohangina district. He considered a servicable road for all classes of traffic could be made between Pohangina and Woodville for ;£IOOO. He did not think the Gorge bridge would be of any benefit to the Pohangina. The M T hole County did its business with Palmerston and Feilding solely. Frank Phillpotts, chairman of the Pohangina County Council, said his council saw no necessity for the erection of the bridge as far as they were concerned. None of their settlers desired it and there was no reason to believe would use it if it was there. The train was used on almost all occasions if business took them to the east coast. Settlers on both sides of the river did their business with Palmerston; those who did not went to Feilding, Kimbolton, etc. By Mr Sandilands —Not a single ratepayer had expressed a desire to have the bridge erected. The evidence of the last witness closed the case for the Pohangina County Conncil, and the Commission adjourned to Woodville, where it will sit next Wednesday to hear the eases of the East Coast bodies.