THE BRIDGES AND THE LOAN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 85, 30 May 1911, Page 5

THE BRIDGES AND THE LOAN.

BRIDGES TO BE CONSIDERED., Cr. Healy moved at last night’s meeting of tho Borough Council that Cr. Paget’s motion deferring consideration of tho bridges in connection with the loan until estimates had been obtained for other proposed works be .rescinded. Cr. Healy said he moved his resolution because tho majority of the electors on the south side of the river wore in favour of the bridges, and h s thought they should he considered m connection with the whole loan and not deferred until after tho road works were considered. Ho had got an estimate from an engineer, who said that a ferro-coucrete bridge could bo put up for £3500. The present town bridge was a fairly good one, and at small cost could be re-erected at Cordelia Street. Both at Cordelia Street and Brecon Road there had beer requests for bridges. i Cr. Morison seconded Cr. Paget said ho had moved his motion because ho wanted something done. In the old Council there were people who had used tho bridges as a buttress from behind which to carry on sniping and to keep back the whole scheme. Since the bridges could no longer be used to that purpose he supported Cr. Healy’s motion. It was desirable if it was desired to pass a loan that the bridges should be included:lf the bridges were not put in the southern portion of the town would vote solidly against tho loan. What the Council should do was to distribute the expenditure of the loan over the whole ol the borough. It could not.be expected that electors on the' south side would agree

to a loan which would appreciate the value of northern property and would depreciate southern property. The whole position was: No bridges, no loan. Cr. Ward said that the Foreman had informed him that in four years the abutments of the bridge in Broadway would need to bo renewed. The making, of the abutments would be an expensive work, and should he provided out of loan money. In view of the circumstances it would perhaps be better to build a new bridge. Nevertheless, ho did not agree with the whole of the bridge scheme. Cr. King, referring to Cr. Paget’s remarks, said so far as he could see the majority of the old Council had been returned. The Mayor said his opinion was that the bridges, would kill the loan. If the south side had done anything for itself the bridge would probably have been widened long ago; but there was not a single building on the south side worth calling such. Cr. Paget: Would you build on the other side ?

The Mayor: If I was starting in business 1 would have no hesitation in starting on the south side. The motion was carried.