WAIWAKAIHO BRIDGE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 15, 5 June 1914, Page 6

WAIWAKAIHO BRIDGE

KR-iiTING THE SCOUR. RICPAIIiS I'LlClA'aV NEEDMIX The inspector for the Tar.maki Counfv Council (Mr. 1!. W. Bond)- recently reported that the pier on Ihe Waitara side of the. Waiwakaibo bridge was sinking and cracking, owing to ! he excessive :'coiiv of the water, lie also reported that a number of culvert:? in the same riding (the Waitara Riding) needed replacing, and it was decided that the Council should adjourn iiHti! yesterday, and then visit the various places and go into the matter fully. At the adjourned meeting yesterday there were present: Cr. J. RrnWn (chairman), and Crs. J. 11. Hill, B- MeAlhim. M. Hopson, J. Andrews. R. Stevens, and C. Andrews. The inspector, reporting on an inspection o? the culverts of the Waitara riding, said that the Mangati culvert on the Devon line was very bad. Several of the wooden slabs at'the top had. fallen in. Anew one would cost £7O. The Mangaone culvert on Henwood road was an old wooden structure and should be renewed as soon as possible. It would cost £7O in concrete. The Mangaone culvert on the Egmont road by the railway crossing was in a bad state. He recommended a new one in concrete as sooii as possible at a cost of £7O. As these culverts on the Mangaone stream were running about full of water on account of the stream being overgrown with willows, it would be difficult to put them in on the same level. He estimated the cost of repairs to the Waiwakaiho bridge at £402 for a pier and £SO for two groynes. This, with the culverts proposed, made a total of £827 10s. The inspector's proposals were for either the repair or replacement of the pier on the Waitara side of the river, and the erection of two groynes, one above the railway bridge, and one between the railway bridge and the traflic bridge, both on the Waitara side of the river. It was explained that the Borough Council would have to pay a quarter of the cost of the' repairs. [ The chairman stated that the total revenue from the Waitara riding last year was about £I7OO, and it was overdrawn £ 1652. Cr. J. Andrews advocated a loan. It was only fair that posterity should pay some of the cost. i The chairman said that the borough engineer had agreed to Mr. Bond's scheme, with certain modifications. j Cr. Hill said that the Railway Department must be approached before a groyne was put in above their bridge. 1 The chairman agreed. As a matter 'of fact, the Railway Department should contribute to the cost. I Cr. Hill .strongly urged that the s>d- ■ vice of an expert engineer be taken before the matter went any further. The Conn: il'.s past experiences should teach there, the wisdom of that. I Cr. Billing said that some of the trouble was caused by the dam built across the river by the Borough Council at the waterworks. Cr. McAllum asked what the bridge had cost since its erection. The chairman said about £2OOO. Cr. McAllum supported Cr. Hill. Until an expert had been consulted, lie would not vote for any motion. Cr. Hill: The Waitara riding has gone back ever since the weir was erected. Cr. Stevens said that the weir which Messrs Sladden & Palmer had advocated would probably have met the case. The bridge was sound, except for the scour. 1 The chairman said that something bac kever since the weir was envied. must be done to do away with the recurring expenditure. The scour was affecting the shore pier. and. he was certain that a fresh crack had appeared in it since he had last seen it. - Cr. Billing said that an engineer must be consulted. ; The chairman and several councillors referred to the difficulty in obtaining an expert. I Cr. J. Andrews sa'.-rgcsted that it lie left to the chairr.ia.i to interview the Railway Department, ;: ad in t!'.:; meantime have the groynes 1 vected. ! Several councillors agreed, j Cr. Hopson said the groyne below the ■ railway bridge epuld be erected without 1 any danger to that bridge. I Mr. Bond agreed. 1 The chairman pointed out the danger 'that the groynes might eause the eroj :;ion of properties on the. other side of ;the river, and the Council would then ,'bo li;.ble for having diverted the course I of the stream. Cr. Andrews suggested that the chairjman could, if necessary, call a special I meeting of the Council after he had j made his investigations. Reference was made to the successful work done by the Hutt River Board under somowlut similar circumstances, and Cr. Stevens suggested that the chairman might consult that Board's engineer. After considerable general discussion it was decided that the chairman write to the Minister for Railways asking that the Department's engineer should confer with him on the danger to the railway bridge and the county traffic bridge, and that he furnish a special report on what lis best to be done to protect the county traffic bridge. Further, that the chair|nian be empowered to take what inunojdiate action he deems necessary. Copies I of this resolution will be sent, to Messrs Hine, Okey and Wilson, M.l'.'s, with a request for their co-operation. WAYS AXD MEANS.

Considerable more or less conversational diseuss'on then took place '>n the i(itcsti»n of ways and j:ic:ii:s. Or. Hill advocated a loan, rather than an increase in rates. Cr. C. Andrews advocated toll-gates on the bridge. It was not fair that the ratepayers should hear tlie whole linrden. Cr. John Andrews: They are not pora liar, although they are undoubtedly i.he i fairest way of raising the money, and they .should never have been taken oil' j in my opinion. The people, however, ! would prefer a loan. I Cr. 0. Andrews suggested that the iratepayers in the Waitara riding' be j asked to choose between a loan or tollI gates. j Cr. Hill: Is'it proposed to raise the whole £BOO by rate? The chairman: Yes. A rate of" : ;' ; d in the £ might do it. An increased rate or a loan is in my opinion the best course. Cr. llopsoii suggested th:it the ineiiij hers for the Waitara riding- cumuli j their ratepayer:-, in the meantime. I The. chairman again advocated an ! increased rate. The matters could not be met out of ordinary revenue. Cr. C. Andrews said he would be agreeable, if the rate were arranged so as to extend over, say three years, instead of finding all the money in one year. Finally the chairman moved that the rate in the Waitara riding be increased by V,d. This was carried unanimously . The chairman then gave, formal notice to move at next meeting that general

rates he struck as follow,': ~Moa riding, l'/„d; Mangoi'ci, l%d': Waitara (late Kgmont road distri'tJ, 2 1 /„d; (late Wailara. VVoi- district;, l ; ;.;,d; (')mata, l-y,d; Okato date Oaknra road district), l%d; and the ha'anre of the ridini' I'Ad.