NEW TAMAKI BRIDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19604, 5 April 1927, Page 12

NEW TAMAKI BRIDGE.

Sir—l find ihe letter from Mr. Phillips very interesting. There must somcthing wrong with . County Council procedure if a new bridge over the Tamaki, to cost £25,000, can bo thrust on to tha already over-rated farmers, whether they want the bridge or otherwise. If this fine bridge is part of a scheme of through highways for the benefit of motor traffic then the national funds should bear the largest portion of the cost. The system of charging the cost of large expensive bridges to the land owpers of~the various ridings of the county, who have no use for the bridge, and will derive no benefit from same, is obviously an unfair system. Here we have in the same county a large body of ratepayers making deputations to the County 'Council and willing to shoulder a large portion of the cost of a much-needed bridge and safe outlet for Whitforcl and Maraetai, over the mouth oi the Maungaroa, and getting no satisfaction from the chairman of the council. In the same county, not 10 miles away, an unwanted bridge is to be thrust on to the ratepayers without a poll. The vital question to be considered by the commission, to my mind, should be: Is the bridge needed at all by the persons who would be forced to pay the bulk cIE the cost? B-- Beach.