Communication with the Peninsula.

Otago Witness, Issue 1569, 3 December 1881, Page 23

Communication with the Peninsula.

At the last meeting of the Otago Harbour Board, the Engineer reported on the application of Messrs G. G. Russell, J. Smith, D. M. Spedding, H. Bastings, and W.OJregg for permission to construct a bridge across the bay from the city to the Waverley Jetty as follows :— *' T.his is a similar proposal to that brought before the Board in the beginning of the year. My report of the 31st January,lto which I would refer, dealt ,with the subject then. As in fthe-.previous case, no design has been furnished in indication of the mode of construction contemplated, therefore, until ' one is placed before me I evidently cannot advise the Board. I may say this, however, that a means of communication of the nature suggested is one of acknowledged importance, and would be of great benefit to the residents on the harbour side of the Peninsula as well as to those of the city. The promoters say that they would be * prepared to subordinate their undertaking in all its details to the paramount requirements of the Board's scheme for the improvement of the harbour.' Such being the case, the most legitimate course for them to pursue would, I apprehend, be to appoint their engineer, who should_ be directed to communicate with me, in order that he might be put in possession of data for his guidance in preparing a design for submission to the Board. My report upon the scheme could then be framed upon a clear basis. I may state that the Board's sanction ehould not, in my opinion, be restricted simply to the arrangement of the substructure, and its effects upon the harbour works, but it should extend to the general design. A plan complete,, or at any rate of one bay of the bridge, should therefore be furnished, as also the mode of swing-opening proposed for the ingress and egress of vessels to and fro from the upper part of the harbour." A copy of the report had been forwarded to the promoters of the project, and Messrs Smith, Anderson, and Co., on their behalf replied to it as follows :— " Referring to your letter of the 18th hut., to Mr George Gray Russell and other gentlemen signing the letter to the Otago Harbour Board upon the above subject, and the accompanying copy of engineer's report* we have the honour to state that, with a view of obviating many difficulty in making the design of the proposed bridge entirely conformable to the "Board's scheme of harbour improvement, we are instructed to suggest the expediency of allowing such design to be prepared by the Board's engineer, to be afterwards (if sanctioned by the Board) carried out by the engineer of the promoters, under tho supervision and to the satisfaction of the Board*s engineer. We are authorised to say that the promoters will hold themselves responsible to the Board for any reasonable sum which the Board may deem sufficient to remunerate their engineer for the e*tra work which the adoption of the above suggestion would impose upon him." The letter was referred to the Works Committee for consideration.