MANY BRIDGES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19040, 13 June 1936, Page 4

MANY BRIDGES

STATE ROAD LIABILITY GISBORNE AND COAST 11 K ill WAY ROAD PROSPECTS .Cloo,ooo PER ANNUM

A big bridge building programme will bo one of the most important features of work on the proposed State roads in tlie near future in the Gisborne and Coast districts.

No less than seven important bridges require reconstruction on the proposed State roads, the total cost being estimated at from £60,000 to £70,000, and while this expenditure may be distributed over three or four, or perhaps more, years, the Main Highways Board should have a busy time from the outset.

In addition, a large amount of road construction work, together with heavy maintenance, will be required on the roads proposed to be taken over by tlie State, and the county councils concerned may be relieved of a heavy drain on their finances. The Gisborne roads which the Minister of Public ’Works, the lion. K. Semple,, has suggested as -State roads are the Wairoa-Gisbornc, which refers probably to the , Morere route, the Coast road as far as Ruatoria, and the Gisborne-Whakatane road, which no doubt will include the Waioeka Valley. HEAVY EXPENDITURE.

Already considerable portions of these roads, including the Wharerata, Gisborne-Tolaga Bay and Waioeka sections, are controlled directly by the Highways Board, which receives contributions from the county councils for certain parts, but under the new scheme the Highways Board will assume responsibility for all the cost.

Another heavy programme of expenditure is likely during the current financial year, and no doubt during some of the succeeding years, in the Gisborne and Coast districts, and prob-, ably the total allocations will exceed £IOO,OOO per annum. This estimate is based on the total of £106,000 placed on tlie estimates last year, and it is safe to assume, judging by the large amount of bridging work required, that the total estimated expenditure will not fall below the six-figure total for at least a few yearis.

Some of the bridge work proposed is urgent. Work is already in hand for the reconstruction of the Matcarika bridge, which collapsed recently. Piles are being driven, and every effort is being made to restore it as early as possible. THE BIGGEST BRIDGE

The largest bridging job in the district will be the replacement of the Kaitaratahi bridge. The present structure was condemned just before the commencement of the slump, and an almost immediate start was contemplated. However, the general curtailment of expenditure included the postponement of the replacement of the" bridge. Now the work is regarded as being very urgent, and is expected to be proceeded with without delay, but by the time construction is ready to commence the highway may be declared a State road.

The Uawa bridge, Tolaga Bay, is another which is set down for early replacement, and is also a big job, while further places where new structures are required are: Waihuka, on the northern highway; Wairakaia, Muriwai; a bridge at Bartlett’s, in conjunction with the railway construction; and Turiliaua, Coast road. In addition, others may be erected on highways which are not at present contemplated as' State roads, the chief of these being at the Karakatuwhero crossing, between Te Araroa and Hicks Bay, and on the new Coast road between Cape Runaway and Opotiki. One point which will have an important bearing on the roading programmes of future years will be that any expenditure provided for in the estimates will have a greater chance of being expended within the current financial year than under the present system. At present, some county councouncils have a difficulty in raising sufficient money to take advantage of the Government subsidies, with the result that a portion of the money that would have been available has remained unspent. Tlie intention under Highway Board control is to spend all money budgeted for, as far as possible.

RIDING CONSOLIDATION

EFFECT OF STATE ROADS

OVERLAPPING DANGER

A consolidation of riding interests may he one effect of the proposed State road scheme outlined by ttie Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. Speaking of this to-day, the Cook County clerk pointed out that the present Government sought to eliminate ridings. Air. Semple had said repeatedly that the riding system, though suitable to tlie needs of the country at one time, was nenv obsolete, and would have to go. This was also the attitude of the previous Government, although it was not put forward so forcibly. Tire county clerk felt that the State road plan might force councils to consider riding consolidation, for some ridings might receive greater benefits- from a reduction of expenditure than others. Tlie Waikohu County clerk, Mr, J. G. Appleton, feared that too much duplication or overlapping of interests might eventuate, unless the State road plan was administered properly. If the local bodies were left to control the State roads and debit the Main Highways Board with the whole of the cost, instead of only a portion as at present, the plan should work satisfactorily. . Otherwise, if the board took over complete supervision of men and plant, there would be a duplication of both men and plant, and there would be the spectacle of county men and plant passing those of the Main Highways Board to get to another portion of the county.