BRIDGING' THE WAITAKI.

Otago Witness, Issue 846, 15 February 1868, Page 7

BRIDGING' THE WAITAKI.

At the last meeting of the Titnaru and Gladstone Board of Works, the foflo-wing is reported in the Tiniarii Herald, ,ta have passed concerning the proposed Bridge over the Waitaki.

The following letter, and copy referred to therein, were read :—: — Superintendent's office, Dunedin, December 30, 1867.

. Sir — I take the liberty of enclosing herewith copy of a letter addressed by me to his Honor the Superintendent of Canterbury under date April 4, 1867, relative to the erection of a, Bridge across the river Waitaki.

Presuming that there iB little probability of the Provincial Government of Canterbury now doing anything in this matter, I have the honor to inquire whether or not your Board will be disposed to co-operate with the Government of Otago' in carrying out an undertaking so important to both Provinces ' upon some such terms as those indicated in the letter referred to.

From statements which have been recently made to me, I am disposed to think that a suitable bridge could be constructed for a considerably lower figure than was previously estimated as the probable cost.

In the event of your reply being favorable, I will take steps to procure suitable plansand estimates, to be submited for the approval of your Board. — 1 h -.ye, &c,

James Macandrew, Superintendent. To the Chairman of the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works, Timaru.

Province of Otago, Superintendent's

Office, Dunedin, April 4, 1867. Sir — As the Provincial Council of Otago will be shortly in session, I am desirous of placing before it some practical proposition for the erection of a bridge across the river Waitaki. With this view I beg to submit toyou the following propositions :—: — Ist. The bridge to be constructed by the Otago Government, the plans to be approved of by you ; cost not to exceed L 20.000.

2nd. Canterbury to pay over one- half the cost in debentures at current market value.

3rd. Scale of tolls to be fixed by the twoGovernments, the tolls to be collected by the Otago Government, and after defraying thecost of collection to be applied to keeping thebridge in repair. If insufficient tor this purpose the Otago Government to make up thedeficiency. Should your Honor feel disposed to concur in the plan now indicated, I shall be glad to take the necessary steps to give effect to it, if otherwise, perhaps you will be good enough to favour me with your own views upon the subject at your earliest convenience, as it is desirable that no time should be lost in setting about a work which will be of vast importance to both Provinces, and which will, I trust, lead to drawing them closer together in the bonds of that unity which it is for the material interests of each to cherish. — I have, &c, James Maoandrew, Superintendent. His Honor W. >S. Moorhnuse, Esq., Superintendent of Canterbury. After some discussion, it was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Mr Perry, seconded by Mr Studholmey " That the Chairman be requested to apply to His Honor, the Superintendent, to place on the Estimates the sum of LIO,OOO, to be handed over to the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works, for the purpose of co-operating with the Otago Government in defraying the cost of erecting a bridge over the Waitangi river."

The hailstorm, which occurred in Southland on Tuesday, was one of the most singular ever remarked in the Province. Its effects, says the Southland 2Tews, appear to have been felt chiefly within a circle of about a mile in diameter. In this space, the fall of hail was something to rememHer. Mr B. Bain, of the Junction Hotel, WaikewJ, has informed us that some twenty panea of glass on the north side of his house were broken, and the surrounding grain crop beaten down and stripped aa if a lot of poultry had been ravaging rt. Mr B. was in town at the time ; on his way home, after crossing the four-mile swamp, he found the road covered with a sheet of water and ice. This remained throughout Wednesday, making the road unfit for traffic, while a few hundred yards n< arer town it was " dry as a bone.'* The hailstones were of all shapes and sizes — round, oval,- and irregular — many as large as walnuts. These lay a foot deep in many Ijlacss, and remained unmelted nearly the whole of the next day. , The most alarining " ice-fall" was simultaneous with theheaviest thunder, and continued for a minuteor two only*