CLIFDEN

Otago Witness, Issue 2298, 17 March 1898, Page 30

CLIFDEN

j March 7.— A meeting was held at Clifden on ! February 22 rt the Waiau Bridge question, which ! has so long been before the public, and which has i hitherto been considered as unlikely to be aatUi factorily solved by the Government. There was a good attendauca of settlers, and Mr J. King was voted to tbe chair. The punt has been in ail unsatisfactory state for some time past, and the question arises, Are the settlers to have a new puctf which, judging by present experience, will soon again become an old one, and in the course of half a dozen years be condemned and leave ths public again in their present unsatisfactory ana j dangorous condition, for the Waiau at Us best Ja j not to be trifled with, and is frequently in highly i dangerous moods. It was suggested that a new [ double punt to work the traffic in the meantime I be put on at the ferry, but his scheme would mii volve heavy expenditure not only on the punt itielf. but in the erection of expensive jetties to work conveniently, the river rising and falling according to the state of the weather and the season several feet, and on the west side the beach is gradually shelving. All these expenses would go a long way towards tbe erection of the bridge, and when the bridge itself is erected the punt would become so much dead money. It will be wise of tbe settlers in tb.3 meantime to put up with the present ttate conditionally on the erection of a bridge being assured, and provided the punt is made t© carry a couple of tons in safety. Mr Gilfedder, M.H.8., who was present, promised to worl; as the meeting voted. If in favour of Olifden he would do his best for its immediate erection, but if in favour of the lower site he thought it would be better to put up a substantial bridge which would cany the railway ns well as the traffic, and he did not think there would be much chance of such a biidge until the railway line had been started from Orepuki, Mr Gilfedder put the matter so clearly and concisely befors the meeting that when the chairman put the motion theie was a unanimous vote in favoui of Clifden, Mr Gilfedder thereupon promised to draw (he immediate attention of the Government to the resolution, and to make every effort to have the Fpf cifications made ready at once and tenders called for a suspension bridge in March, and to further the interests of settlers by every mpacs in his power. A vote of thanks to Mr Gilfedder and to the chairman concluded a very enthusiastic, meeting. Lii.burn Rchds —On the following day Mr Gilfeddpr, accompanied by settlers, visited the road« formed under tha co-operative system up tha Lilbnrn. The Government are now working under a different and a much cheaper scheme, having latterly handed over moneys to the county council. In tlm case of the Otahu channel, a piece of work was done in a short time for about as much as the inspector and his cook would have drawn under the old co operative system In the afternoon the short cut from the Orawia to (Jlifden tluougti Mcrrivalo via Messrs Chamberlain's and V, Witt's sections was looked at. Here the road I'ih» nuis through bush for o mile and threequArt«r.3 Two sections along it were taken up, but owing to difficulty of access both have been abandoned If this road were opened it would shorten tbe road from Otautau to Otahu, Clifden, Manapouri, aucJ Ts'Anau and the Upper Waiau generally by three ruilps and six chains. This road has remarkably easy grades. Ia fact, from BUc.kwcod Hill to tho Fenham, as a rule, the road is particularly level, with one or two exceptions. Mt Gilfedder was favourably impressed, and thought the work should be gone ou with at once.