Last Toll Bridge in Dominion

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 96, 26 April 1939, Page 4

Last Toll Bridge in Dominion

NEED FOR FREE USE OF RANGITANE STRUCTURE

The opinion that the toll bridge at Rangitane should now be made free to motorists was freely expressed by members of the executive of the Automobile Association (Manawatu) at a meeting on Monday evening. It is the last of its kind on the highways of the Dominion and it was decided to make representations to the Minister of Transport, Hon. R. .Semple, to secure the free passage of motor traffic over the bridge. “It is the last remaining toll bridge in New Zealand," said tae president of the association, Mr. W. H. Brown, referring to the Rangitane swing bridge, which crosses the Manawatu River aad. allows access to the Opiki district and incidentally gives a »aorter route to Wellington from Palmerston North. “Whilst I do not think that we should press the department for a new bridge just at the moment we might fairly press for something to be done to eliminate that bridge being a toll bridge. L think that toll bridges are a thing of the past. I know that this one is owned privately. I understand mat the Minister gave an assurance that the bridge would not remaiti a toll bridge. I think we might fairly make representations to the Minister and the department thut they should see if it is not possible for them to take over this particular bridge. I think that you will agree that the days of the toll bridge are iinished in New Zealand." Mr. Brown was of the opinion that a new bridge could cot be built there for some considerable time; in fact they could not press for one until there bad been a new structure erected at Bulls.

Mr. F. R. Holben thought that surely the department would do something. The farmers of that locality did uot have to pay as far as he knew uud it was the tourists and general motorists who had to pay the tolls. There was a lot of traffic through there to Levin and (Shannon and it was certainly a good road, too. It was decided to ask the Minister of Transport to make arrangements wit k the owners for the abolition of the Lous on the bridge.

NEW BRIDGE FIRST TENDERS TO BE CALLED SHORTLY “We have plans in hand for a uevv bridge about seven or eight chains upstream in a better place," said Hon. it. Semple, Minister of Public Works, whe j he was asked last evening as to wliat was likely to be done by the department to avoid the payment of tolls by those u&ing the Opiki route to Wellington. lie added that first of all the State hai to take over the highway before anything could be done. There was no sense in incurring expenditure on a bridge uiless there was a proper highway. Tney could not wipe out the toll unless rhe new bridge had been built which would automatically do away with the toll* ■ and they were now nearing the time a when tenders would be called for the new bridge and approaches. It had to be remembered that since he travelled over the route in the course of an inspection some time ago, they had to deal with the Whirokiuo route because that was the more important of the two. The latter had cost £83,000 and then there had been a preferential subsidy on the No. 60 highway through Shannon, so that when the new bridge was built at Opiki they would have three really good highways to Wellington.