COST OF AORANGI BRIDGE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6735, 11 October 1928, Page 3

COST OF AORANGI BRIDGE

QUESTION OF ALLOCATION. SATISFACTORY AGREEMENT. Satisfaction was expressed at yesterday’s meeting of tlio Oroua County Council over the decision of tho Kairanga County Council to agree to the proposed allocation of the cost of rebuilding the Aorangi bridge over the Oroua river. This County first turned down tho proposed allocation but at its meeting on Tuesday reconsidered tlio matter and agreed to the proposals. Or. A. Campbell (chairman) said that the only matter now remaining was the question of the amount of the Main Highway Board’s subsidy. The allocation of cost was agreed upon subject to the Highways Board granting a £3 for £1 subsidy. So far, the Council had no definite assurance on this point but he felt that it would be necessary for a deputation to go to Wellington to wait on the Board to urge the point, as it was likely that the Board would meet the claims of the interested bodies. Tbe position would be placed before the Board now that all the interested parties had come to an agreement on the allocation of the cost.

The Feilding Borough Council wrote agreeing to tho proposed allocation providing the Highway Board’s subsidy was £3 for £l. Tho district engineer, Public Works Department, intimated that tho Highways Board had agreed to increase the subsidy towards the cost of the erection of the bridge to £3 for £1 on all expenditure in excess of £IO,OOO. In other words, the Board would subsidise up to £IO,OOO on a basis of £2 fob £1 and on all amounts in excess of this would subsidise at £3 for £l. This was as far as the Board could go and if the local bodies were not able to come to an amicable agreement, the Board would take steps to arrange for the setting up of a commission.

The Council went into committee to discuss tho positions and the chairman reviewed all tho factors which led up to the agreement to accept the allocation, provided the subsidy was increas-ed-to £3 for £l. P

It was finally decided, to leave tho matter in the hands of the chairman and failing action by the Highways Board in increasing tho subsidy, steps -will be taken to set up a commission.