THE MANGERE BRIDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15252, 15 March 1913, Page 5

THE MANGERE BRIDGE.

♦ - ALLOCATING THE COST. STRUCTURE 50 FEET WIDE. ; ABOLISHING LIFTING SPAN t Thr commission appointed to allocate the cost of the erection of the new bridge at Mangere sat yesterday, Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., presiding. Those-joined as parties to the inquiry were:Mangere Road Board, Mr. A. E. Skelton; Onehunga Borough Councils Mr. R. McVeagh; Auckland City Council, Mr. Stanton; i Newmarket Borough Council, Mr. Clayton; Ellerslie Town Board and Mount Wellington Town Board, Mr. Towle; Otahuhu Borough Council, Dr. Bamford. The commissioner intimated that in the company of the representatives of the Onehunga Borough Council and the Mangere Road Board, ho had made a tour of inspection of the locality of the bridge. Mr. Skelton stated that a conference of the local bodies concerned had been held on March 5. It was then agreed that it was necessary that a bridge should be erected, while no objection was made to the design of the bridge aa proposed by the Mangere Road Board. As to the third point, as to what amounts should be payable by each body, no agreement had been come to. To Abolish The Swing Span. * On behalf of the Mount Wellington and Ellerslie Town Boards, he continued, an offer had been made to withdraw all objections they might have to the proposal that the bridge should be built without a lifting or swing span, if tho Mangere Road Board could see its way to release them from the proceedings. Immediately following the conference, he had written to the Secretary of the Marine Department informing him of the facts of the offer, stating the position that the Mangere Road Board was prepared to take up, and asking for the consent of the Minister to have the bridge a monolithic structure instead of the typo already agreed upon. So far, ho had received no reply. Under the circumstances he considered it would not be wise to proceed with the case against the Mount Wellington and Ellerslie Town Boardsi until the Marine Department forwarded a decision. If the reply gave permission for doing away with the lifting span, Mangere Road Board was willing to release the two boards in question. The cases against the other parties could be continued at once. Otahuhu Repudiates an Agreement. Dr. Bamford, on behalf of the Otahuhu Borough Council, said he was instructed to object to the statement that the parties were unanimously in agreement concerning the points mentioned by Mr. Skelton. Other counsel gave different versions of what took place, and the commissioner ultimately said that it seemed that another conference should be held. Dr. Bamford then stated that the Otahuhu Borough Council had no objection to the abolition of the lifting span in the bridge, because if the bridge had to bo bailt the span would be useless to Otahuhu people. Further, the council would agree that the bridge was necessary for Mangere. Mr. Skelton -1 : From my friend's statement I think I may conclude now that what I told the Court was correct. He admits now an agreement about both points, that is, his clients have no objec- . tion to the design and agree that the bridge is necessary. Bridge To Be Fifty Feet Wide. Mr. Stanton pointed out that the plans were for a 30ft bridge. Now, however, the Mangere Road Board intended to make it 50ft wide, and stated that it was quite willing to pay for the extra work. But then the difficulty would arise as to how the other cost was to bo ascertained. Mr. Skeßon said his clients intended to erect the 30ft bridge and add on the extra 20ft _ afterwards. There would be no trouble in connection with the accounts. The commissioner prophesied that there would be great difficulty in carrying on the work as proposed. Jurisdiction of Commission. After a conference with his clients Mr. Skelton said he desired to ask the commissioner to apply for an extension of his jurisdiction to enable him to deal with a 50ft bridge. The Act was consulted and was shown to set forth that the commissioner had . power to agree to an alteration in the : , plans as suggested, provided the other local bodies had no objection. The altera- ', tion was agreed to.. A Definite Agreement. Mr. Skelton definitely stated again that the Mangere Road Board was prepared to pay for the additional 20ft. Some time ago the engineer had made an estimate that the 30ft bridge would cost £17,188. Therefore Mangere's proposal was that this amount of £17,188 should be apportioned between the local bodies, Mangere included, while Mangere would agree to pay the difference between the estimate for the 30ft bridge and the actual cost of the 50ft structure. It was then explained that if the Marine Department agreed to the elimination of the swing span £538 would have to be deducted from the £17,188. Ultimately the local bodies agreed to the proposal as outlined, subject to the deduction of £538, leaving £16,650 if the swing span was abolished. The commission was adjourned until March 31 to enable Mr. Skelton to put the new proposal before a full meeting of the Mangere Road Board.