REPLACEMENT OF BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22024, 2 February 1935, Page 14

REPLACEMENT OF BRIDGE

ALLOCATING THE COST NOVEL REQUEST TO BOARD [by telegraph —OWN correspondent] WHANGAREI, Fridny What was described by Mr. C. -T. McKenzie, chairman of the Main Highways Board, as the first request of the kind the board had received, was made to-day by the Whangarei County Council, which asked the board to exercise its powers under the Main Highways Amendment Act, 3925, and apportion the cost between the county and the Whangarei borough of the replacement of a bridge across the borough and county boundary. The county chairman, Mr. L. Webb, said that the brewery bridge on the boundary, which was the Otangarei Stream, was in danger of collapse and required to be replaced. The county council was desirous at the same time of altering the route to Kiripaka, which would necessitate rebuilding the bridge some distance away. The new route would require a deviation of the road within the borough. The amended route to Kiripaka would be a decided advantage to users of the road. The relative costs could not bo definitely determined owing to the amount of compensation for land not being known. The Mayor of Whangarei, Mr. W. Jones, said that although the borough council had not yet considered the matter, he personally had a decided objection to any deviation of the borough road, which was in quite good condition. He agreed that the county portion of the road would be improved by the proposed route, but the borough should not be called upon to help finance a matter in which it had no interest.

Mr. Jones said the borough boundary was on the town bank of the stream, and as a result the borough ha'd no liability toward replacing the bridge. Mr. McKenzie said he thought the county council and borough council should hold an amicable conference to see what could be accomplished. The position was a peculiar' one and he would have the board's legal position in the matter investigated.