HUTT VALLEY BRIDGES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10634, 6 July 1920, Page 7

HUTT VALLEY BRIDGES

£ FOR £ SUBSIDY ASKED. BY COUNTY COUNCIL DEPUTATION. -■ A Hutt County Council deputation waited upon tho Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister • for Public Works) yesterday afternoon- to ask for a pound for pound subsidy towards the erection of three bridges in their district —one over the Pukuratahi, River, estimated to coat about £4000; ono over tho Stoke’s Valley River (about £1500), hnd ono halfway up the Eimutaka’a (about £500,i. Mr W. H. Field. M.P., introduced the deputation. : It was stated that the proposed deviation. in Stoke’s- Valley would save some ten chains of ■ roadway on fhe mam road north to the Waira.ra.pa, and that the bridge suggested would prove cheaper than the reinstatement of the present ono over tho Stoke’s River. It was represented that tho country was very poor, and there were very few settlers on it, the rates were very small, and the council was unable to carry, out fhe work for lack of funds; while, on the other side of the range, tho Wairarapa people had done a lot of work and improved their side of the hill.. The Hutt County Council considered that tho Wellington people, who very largely used the road, ought to contribute towards the work, and they also asked the Government to subsidise it. They invited tho Minister to visit the locality at the first opportunity and see the position tpr himselt. The Minister said that he would t fatain a report from the district engineer, who was well acquainted with the locality; and,. on receipt of tho report, he would go thoroughly Into the matter and see what funds, if any, could be spared for the work. He also promise’d to visit the district when, opportunity permitted