ANOTHER AIRING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20183, 27 June 1928, Page 6

ANOTHER AIRING

RIDGWAY STREET EXTENSION DEPARTMENT’S TERMS ACCEPTED. Thq Ridgway Street extension proposal was brought out and given another airing at last evening’s meeting of the City Council, and after a crossfire of discussion it was decided to accept the Railway Department’s terms in regard to the erection of the overhead bridge. The latest communication from the Railway Department stated that the Department was greeable to the single span in the. meantime but would require an undertaking from the City Council tnat the Ccuncil would provide the whole cost, of an additional span should such be required in the future. Also it was agreed that the City Council would grant free of cost to the Department the additional land for tha future double track as specially defined. The feeling of the Council as expressed in a recent letter to the Department was that the Council was not prepared to commit future councils to the additional cost of the duplication of the overhead bridge. The Mayor (Mr W. J. Rogers) expressed the opinion that the council had been very generous with the Department, but he thought that a sub-com-mittee should wait on the district engineer and ask that the Department waive its condition regarding the duplication of the bridge, span. Cr. A. E. Halligan moved that the matter be referred to the works committee. Cr. W. M. Falconer moved as an amendment that the Department’s terms be accepted ana the Council go on with the project. The matter had been held up long enough and there was no possibility of the extra span being required.

Cr. C. H. Burnett said that there were thousands of pounds waiting to be spent on the street as soon as the question was decided. Cr. Halligan: Who will find the money?

Cr. Burnett: Private people are waiting to develop their properties and erect buildings.

Cr. H. G. Horsley said he would strenuously oppose the extension as at present planned. The sharp right-hand corner proposed was a most foolish construction.

The Mayor said they had to be quite honest with themselves. He agreed with Cr. Horsley. If they were going to put the bridge across they should go on with the diverted road. “I hope you will get down to a working basis,” said the Mayor.

Cr. Falconer: I wish my motion to go forward.

The Mayor: Make no error; this thing can be blocked even if you decide to go ahead with the bridge tomorrow. It can be held up on the matter of the diverted road. I think wa should make a meve towards getting the bridge turned a bit and made more suitable. He thought they could dismiss the idea of trains on the new route.

Cr. Falconer said he could not see with the Mayor. The think had been held up long enough. The Maydr: Get down to a working basis and you will have the job completed as quickly as if it were tackled piece-meal. The matter should be referred to the works committee. Cr. Falconer’s amendment that the Department’s terms be accepted was finally carried.