THE PROPOSED MATAURA RIVER BRIDGE.

Southland Times, Issue 19985, 27 September 1926, Page 11

THE PROPOSED MATAURA RIVER BRIDGE.

To the Editor. Sir, —It is doubtful if such high handed action has ever been shown by a public body in Southland as that of the Southland County Council in deciding to build the Mataura River bridge where they know hardly any one wants it. In building where they have decided to they are flouting the wishes of hundreds of ratepayers in the Waihopai and Toi Tois ridings. And surely it is those who pay the piper that have the right to call the tune. They are proposing to build it where it will stand as a monument to the folly of an incompetent and bungling county council. This site is between the properties of large landed proprietors—few of whom have asked for the bridge and who have a railway station between their properties and a railway station on either side of their properties and good roads to their very doors. Evidently the council believes in giving to those who already have a fair share of public utilities. They will foist the bridge on them whether they want it or not. Now contrast this with what we find on the lower site. There are a lot of hard working, struggling settlers who have promised the sum of £l5O towards the cost of the bridge on this site and received the promise of it some years ago. But the council seem to have little rgard for promises given. These settlers are unable to get their children to school or their milk to the factory for they have neither a railway station, a bridge nor a decent road. The only thing they have received is—broken promises.—l am, etc., C. CHRISTIE.