CLYDEVALE BRIDGE CONTROVERSY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22356, 1 September 1934, Page 24

CLYDEVALE BRIDGE CONTROVERSY

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR, —Your correspondent “ Country Before Self” is evidently one of those people who likes to offer advice and at the same time remain unknown to those he is dictating to. If he was living in the district affected and happened to be on the opposite side of the river from his home when a strong wind started he would find he would have to camp out for the night, as many a one has had to do. Or should his wheat, having been sold to the Waiwcra Flourmills, have to go from the district through Balclutha to get to Waiwera, or should he have to shift his stock from one sale yard to his farm or send his fat sheep and lambs across on a punt in order to ■ get them to a freezing works, or cross the river when in flood, he would soon change his tune. Your correspondent offers advice to the people in the district as well as to the three county councils concerned. He suggests that a punt that was quite suitable 40 years ago woijld suit the requirements of the district for another 20 years. This shows how little he knows about the district and the needs of it. Does he not know that the Clydevale and Greenfield stations have been subdivided and closely settled for some years? me population has increased, schools and churches have been built, production multiplied, and transport methods brought up to date. A good highway has been constructed from Balclutha to Tuapeka Mouth, and yet there is no bridge to con : nect these two fertile estates. The Clydevale people are patricularly unfortunate, as they have only a punt to connect with the mam highway to Balclutha, which is their natural outlet and business town. The daily mail service has to cross over each day, and is often delayed with strong winds. It is particularly dangerous to cross at times; in fact, the punt has broken away on several occasions with a full load on consisting of stock, vehicles, and passengers, and the puntman has had to use his skill in beaching this nunt somewhere down the river wherever he could find a beach. So much for “ Country Before Self’s” knowledge of the real conditions that exist! Here we have a splendid road from Balclutha to Clydevale punt, and if a bridge were erected here it would allow any traffic to cross without delay. This would be one of the best and easiest ways to Central Otago going right up the riverside to Beaumont, giving access to the Blue Mountains for deer stalkers and a direct route to visitors to the lower reaches of the I’omahaka River, where there is splendid trout fishing to be had. A bridge at Clydevale would provide an alternative route to the Main South road between Clarksville and Waipahi, or there would be deviation at either Lovell’s Flat or Balclutha. This would be very useful in time of flood damage or repairs at any time between Clarksville and Wnipahi. Via Clyde vale is the chief stock route for large numbers of store stock taken by road from Southland to Canterbury. One can imagine the annoyance to traffic and the congestion that takes place when these large droves of sheep have to be transported from one side of the river to the other. I think I have written sufficient to convince any fair-minded person that the need of a bridge is great. There have been two fatalities of recent date in connection with these obsolete punts and many accidents. Evidently your _ correspondent has some grievance to air as he mentions sales tax and unemployment tax on income. If he has an income he should be thankful for it and glad to pay something on what many to-day have not. Regarding sales tax, which is mostly passed on to the purchaser, he is fortunate in having an income to enable him to purchase. As to his opinion that the time is inopportune to build. I beg to differ. There is the contractor who is constructing the bridge at Balclutha who no doubt would be pleased to undertake the work while he has all the necessary plant which would be available when the bridge at Balclutha is finished and would mean quite a lot of saving in transport alone. He finance for a Government with its hands full! Its biggest problem is unemployment. Here is one way of assisting an asset for the State. Much of the money paid by the taxpayer is worse than wasted, leaving no asset when the money is spent.

Is it not time some of the taxpayers’ money was put into concrete? To finance this work what need is there to borrow? What is the Reserve Bank for if not to be made use of as it should be to create fresh money or credit and the credit used to create an asset such as this bridge would be, besides being a great saving to the motoring public? “Country Before Self” is anything but progressive. Still that is no reason why he should offer his opinion on something that he' knows nothing about and try and prevent people securing better conditions who have lived and worked in these districts for years and have had to put up with the same conditions as their grandfathers experienced before them. I can assure your correspondent it is not the intention of these people in the district to follow his advice. Had it not been for the world's depression this last few years, and the fact that the Government had their attention on other matters, a move to get this bridge would have been made before now, and they are determined to put an end to the existing state of affairs. Your correspondent is of the wait-and-see type of individual, and should reverse his nome de plume.—T am, etc., G. E. Cross. Greenfield, August 27. TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —“ Country Before Self ” questions the attitude of the Clydevale settlers in petitioning for a bridge across the Molyueux River and also the attitude of the county councils concerned in supporting the proposal. " Country Before Self ” says that the district has been served by two punts for the last 40 years, and considers the service adequate for another 20 years. Apparently he is not conversant with the facts, as the Clydevale punt has for over 60 years been giving a service that, owing_ to the influence of wind and flood, combined with costly upkeep, has proved to be absolutely unreliable and uneconomic, not only financially. but also with regard to human life. The Tuapeka punt has been giving a similar service fort I think, 40 years. Is “ Country Before Self ” aware that all persons cross the punts at their own risk, and that in recent years there have been accidents at both punts, resulting in two drowning fatalities; that at least two people have been rescued from drowning, and that innumerable other accidents that would have involved loss of life have been narrowly averted? Is "Country before Self” also aware that on at least two occasions the Clydevale punt has broken away while carrying passengers, and that a recurrence of this mishap could easily result in further loss of life’ For his information I may say that the county councils are supporting the bridgeproposal, because they recognise that the settlers of the surrounding districts and the travelling public are entitled to a better and safer service than that provided by the punts, and realise that the present danger to human life far outweighs the cost of a bridge. Instead of lamenting over the sales tax and unemployment lew on income, “Country Before Self” would be showing a better spirit by supporting the bridge proposal winch, if nut into effect, would do away with at least one punt, if not two. thereby either greatly reducing or totally elnninntincr tTif* possibility of further punt fatalities in this district. By adonting this attitude “ Country Before Self” would be helping tef render a service to his fellow men. which is. in other words, putting country before sell. —I am, etc., Service Before Self. Clydevale, August 30.