Gorge Boad ana Bridge Commission.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8154, 2 April 1906, Page 5

Gorge Boad ana Bridge Commission.

Tfte Findings. A copy of the report sent to*3&f Excellency the Governor by Mr W, &. Short, the Commissioner appointed to' hold the necessary enquiry into the'' matter of the control and apportionment of the cost of maintaining tne Man&watu Gorge Road and the Upper Manawatu Bridge, and also of the erection and apportionment of the cost of construction of the Lower Gorge Bridge, has now been forwarded to the local bodies interested. After reviewing the maM of evidence presented to him, Commissioner Short says that under the existing circumstances he could not take thg Hokowhitu Bridge project seriously into consideration, and in fact it did not affect the question before him very much. The enquiry was therefore narrowed down to this : " Is or is not the bridge at the Lower Gorge required." He* concluded ■ from tlie facts that a bridge of some sort was certainly desirable. The claims 1 made by the various local bodies inter- 1 osted were then referred to at some ! length, the Commissioner remarking ! that it was his opinion that the Pohan- 1 gina could not be compelled to con- ! tribute at all. Claims for a contribution coul't onlv be substantiated against PahiatuaCounty, Woodville County and \ Borough, Kairartga County, Palmerston Borough, Feilding Borough/and Oroua County. He was also of opinioni that the benefit was greater to the districts west of the range than those on the ] I east for various, reasons, J

The report proceeds From the foregoing it will be seen that I consider that the cost of constrnctioiij (estimated at £10,000) less any contribution that may be made by the Government and less the sum of £3,140 to be first paid by the Oroua County on account of tolls collected on the old bridge, should be divided as follows - East side of the Bange— per cent. Pahiatua County 10 Woodville Borough 15 Woodville County ... ... 20 West side of the Range— Kairanga County ... ... 10 Palmerston Borough ... ... 10 Feilding Borough 5 Oroua County ... ... ... 30 The Commissioner in passing refers 1 to the fact that a Government subsidy ! of £1 for £1 seems to be expected m some quarters, and states that, no such promise has been made, and the possibility of such had nothing to do with his apportionment. Coming to the maintenance of the Upper Gorge bridge and road the Commissioner's recommendations are as follows:—

I For bridge and part of road situated in the Pahiatua County— - Percent. Pahiatua County ... 30 Woodville Borough ... 13 Woodville County ... 174 Kairanga County* 9 Palmerston Borough ... 9 Feilding Borough ... 4 Oroua County ... ... 17A. For bridge and part of road situated in the Kairanga County— Per cent. ♦ Kairanga County ... 30 - Pahiatua County ... 9 Woodville Borough ... 13 Woodville Coanty ... 17$ Palmerston Borough ... 9 Feilding Borough ... 4 Oroua County ... ... 17i The Commissioner mentions that he thinks that the toll at the Upper Gorge bridge will now have to be abolished, as his assessments were made on the distinct understanding that no charge is to be made on any part of the road or on either of the bridges. He adds that if a toll is charged it will make his apportionment unfair. In concluding, and after saying that he recommends the erection of the Lower Gorge bridge, as proposed, he reters to the question of costs. He thinks that each party must bear its own, while the charges of the Commission should be divided equally between the seven local bodies against whom assessments have been made. His Excellency the Governor has ordered that effect be given to the Commissioner's report, and ( that the necessary warrant be issued at once in terms of the " Public Works Act, 1905."