DERBY ROAD BRIDSE

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 36, 18 June 1927, Page 5

DERBY ROAD BRIDSE

, 1,.,,, - -——■ i. -*M^r"°*"~ -"»-—*—— PROPOSED CLOSING. At last month's meeting of the Stratford County Council it was decided to close a bridge on Derby Road tor traffic. At this morning's meeting the matter was further considered.

Twenty-one residents of Upper Surrey and York Roads petitioned against the Council's proposal to close Derby Road. If the road was closed, they said, access to York Road factory and school would be cut off, and without the milk supply from Surrey Road the factory would probably close down. The Engineer of the Inglewood County had been offered part of the material for the Waipuku bridge free of charge, and it would not be costly to erect it, so as to stand all traffic.

Mr A. J'. Hogg, secretary of the Midhirst Dairy factory, wrote at the request of his Directors in reference to the proposed closing of Derby Road. If the road was closed it would mean a great hardship to a number of struggling settlers on the upper Surrey Road who supplied his company's York Road creamery. If this supply was cut off it would mean the closing down of the creamery. The directors asked that the Council should do what it could to assist these old settlers to make a living. The Clerk of the Inglewood County wrote that his Council had considered the matter and had decided to deter a definite reply pending investigations as to what effect the closing of Derby Road would have on settlers whose children attend the York Roa.d school.

Cr. Pitt pointad out that oi* the signatories to the petition a sprinkling were ratepayers of the lnglewood iCounty. Mr Frost and two other settlers waited on the Council as a deputation, to protest against the closing of the bridge. Mr Frost said the majority of the settlers wanted to come to Stratford. Eleven of the signatories to the petition were Stratford ratepayers. It was 5i miles to the Tariki factory and 'll miles to the York Road creamery. The children went to the York Road school. Settlers would like to have, two concrete piers, and were prepared to Rive the stringers gatis and to give free labour in erecting the bridge.

After discussion the matter was" referred to the chairman, the Riding members and the Engineer, with power to act. It was decided to post a notice that the bridge is closed to all traflic.