The Pahiatua Herald. with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 155, 30 May 1894, Page 2

The Pahiatua Herald. with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1804. The discussion on the Mangatainoka bridge proposals still, like a wounded snake, drags its slow leng.h along. Fresh complications arise at every turn ; new dangers are thrust before tbe harrassed committee and expectant Council with overy change of tbe wind. No proposal evor brought before the representatives of tbe Pahiatua ratepayers "has commanded so much grave consideration and deliberation ; no local subject ihas produced such divergence of opinion amongst the burgesses. And now we have it on : tlu- authority of competent engineers ] that further changes w:.i dcpiand tin. j attention of the Council. l!;c very I heavy rains of the laM th.ee days ; have swollen the river to an inordinate degree, and the rushing torrent, ill its boundless might, has t at naught the elaborate designs of puny man ; and as though to show how vain it Were for him to attempt to coniine it in any channel, has again shitted its centre of attack on the gravel hank which bars the straightness of its course. Last week everything appeared favorable to the furtherance of lilt* design of the committee to divert the river into the channel along the edge of the bush on the Mangahao sido of the boulder-bed. To-day a grave diltioulty presents itself. Last j week the torrent beat itself in fury ; against the hank intervening between i its waters ind the dry channel into I which the Council wished to direct it. To-day the spot so lately assailed is left comparatively high above the rush of the waters, and the strength of the stream is now directed to a point a chain or two further down, where it has swept out a deep gulf in which it swirls and foams with warning fury. However the situation may now appear frouian engineering point of view, to the eye of the layman tho diversion scheme appears impracticable, without overcoming natural laws so far as to mako a stream flow uphill. To cut the channel down below tho level of the latest one would involve (still regarding it from the position of an ordinary mortal) an outlay far beyond the means at the disposal of the Council. After all, that body may yet be compelled, by this latest display of thi illimitable forces of nature, to adopt the suggestion of the Enginoor-in-Chu f and extend tlu bridge over the whole < I 1 . igl b d. 1 )f cours all admit that that would he tire proper course to pursue; the que stiou of ways and means was the only rock on which there was any split over the matter. Rut even yet that ditliculty may be overcome. The Council have, applied to the (iovernment to have the control of tie- proposed structurevostod in that body. Clause seven of Section 15 of the Public Works Act Amendment Act. git sautliority for this appiication. Tho same section also presents a way of getting over the difficulty which has until lately escaped the notice of the local authorities, but which promises a reasonable and satisfactory solution of the problem which has so long engaged the attention of all tho amateur engineers and budding politicians of the town. We quote tho section ; In any case whore the local authority of any <1 istrict desires to construct a bridge, or to establish a ferry or ford, in any position that will, in its opinion, be of benefit to the whole or any considerable portion of the inhabitants of on adjacent district or districts, as well as to tho inhabitants of its own district and where it is, in tho opinion of such local authority, reasonable that tho local authoritiesof such district or districts whose inhabitant. are to l>e so benefited should contribute to Urn cost, of constructing or establishing tbe said bridge, ferry,

or ford, the following provisions shall have effect: —We epitomise the provisions, which demand that the local authority shall prepare plans, specifications and estimates of tho work, and shall send a, copy of the same to the ! Minister and to each local authority which it is proposed should contribute to the oost of the work, together with a notice stating (a) proportion of such cost which it is proposed that each local authority should bear ; (b) that after tho expiration of two months from the date of such notice being served it is tho intention of such local authority to apply to tho governor for power to construct tho work and to recover the proportion of tho same from tho local authority or local authorities (in this case the Pahiatua County Council) mentioned in such notice; and (c) that any objection to the proposal must be sent to the governor within such period of two months. At the expiration of that period the local authority may apply to the governor for power to construct the work on the terms mentioned in thenotioe. Should an objection be lodged the governor (with the view of determining the necessity or otherwise of the work and the proportions to be borne by tho local authorities) may direct any Stipendiary Magistrate, or other person or persons to inquire into and report on the matter, though it shall not be obligatory upon the Governor to aot upon the opinion or act upon any recommendation in tho report. Section 7 of the Public Works Act Amendment Act of 1887 provides that the cost of exercising these powers shall be paid by the local authority as the Governor shall direct, and may be recovered by the Government in any court of competent jurisdiction. Should the local government refuse to maintain or repair the bridge, ford, or ferry, tho Minister may do the work required and recover all costs and incidental expenses by legal proceeding ; or the amount may be deducted from any moneys payable to the local authority by the Government. Keverting again to the amending Aot of 1889 we find that should the Government authorise the construction of the work, tho proportion of the cost deemed to be a fair proportion may b. recoverable in any court of competent jurisdiction by the local authority in whom the control has been vested. And now comes the most important soctiou in the Act, which we quote in e.ctenx<> :—For the purpose of providing tho amount

necessary to enable any local authority to comply with any order which may be made by the Governor hereunder, such local authority may raise a loan for the said amount in terms of section 16 of “ The Local Bodies’ Loans Act, 1886,” without takiny any jwll of tin ratepayers thereon, and for that purpose, and for tho purpose of paying the interest on such loan and repaying the principal thereof, such local authority shall have, and may exercise, all the powers of tho “ Local Bodies’ Loans Act, 1886,” and all the provisions of that Act, where not inconsistent herewith, shall' apply to such loan. It is important to note that under the Act “ work,” besides meaning the construction of the bridge, includes approaches and proj tectivo works in connection therewith: and “ construction ” includes an adi dition to thu length of a bridge, or j tho rebuilding of any portion of a

bridge which has been destroyed by fire, Hood, tempest, or accident, or the entire rebuilding of a bridge which in the opinion of the Minister requires to be entirely rebuilt. We have quoted sufficient to show that a way out of the difficulty still exists, and n« doubt the Borough Councillors will avail themselves of it. According to the resolution moved by Mr Tosstvill and passed at Monday night’s meeting a deputation is to wait upon the County Council and lay before that body the facts of the position. Doubtless the relationship of the local authorities in connection with the bridging of the Mangatainoka river will then bo fully explained. The Engineer-in-Chicf’s estimate of the cost of bridging the entire waterway (present and prospective) is .£3OOO. Towards this sum the Borough Council have raised by loan £I6OO, oil' which total the sum of £77 7s has already been spent in preliminary work in connection with the scheme of construction now in contemplation. To enable the work of greater magnitude to be carried out the County Council would be required to raise a loan of a similar amount, which, under the conditions before stated, the Act enables them to

do without taking a poll of tho ratepayers. It must not he forgotten that the element of compulsion enters largely into this division of expense s. Should the control of the work bo vostod in th(> Borough Council, as it certainly will, that body will bo empowered and assisted to obtain from the County Council such proportion of the cost as shall be deemed by the Government to be a fair charge upon them. However, it is hardly likoly that recourse will have to be had to this extreme measure. There is no

gainsaying the fact that Urn work is ono of more than merely town iinportanco. As a matter of fact and equity it should not bo cast upon the local authorities at all, hut should have been dono years ago by the Government. They repudiate the responsibility; therefore we must assist ourselves. Another point worthy of consideration is, that should advantage he taken ef the provisions of the Public Works Acts and the

whole of the river bed be bridged, the protest of Major Kemp and the other Maori owners ©f hind on the Mangahao side of the river will be nullified ; the grounds of their objections will have been removed. This factor is important as suggesting the removal of the probability of litigation and boundless expense to both Maoris and local bodies. It may be objected that it is too late in the day to set in motion the machinery of the Public Works Act, hut we hope and believe that I lie good sense of the members id’t ho local bodies will load them to j adopt the easy and certain moans at

their command instead of compelling an adherence to a scheme whioh, despite its advantages over all the others previously disoussed, has still the element of uncertainty and danger, and limitless possibilities of I expense. The Borough Councillors ; have undoubtedly discovered the most reasonable and equitablo way of overcoming a serious difficulty. Let us ; hope they will receive the co-operation i oi the County Councillors.