THE TOWN BRIDGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 221, 18 September 1934, Page 4

THE TOWN BRIDGE

COST OF MAINTAINING IT LOCAL bodies want a change An old Act of Parliament governs the allocation of responsibility lor the upkeep of the Wanganui Town Bridge, and the contributing local bodies are the Wauganui City Council, the Wanganui and Waitotara County Councils md the Wanganui Harbour Board--1 his measure was brought into force nany years ago and well suited condilions as they were then, when the Wanganui County embraced the Wailotaia and Waimarino Counties. In recent years changes which greatly lessened the area of the Wanganu* County and also curtailed shipping activity in the river above the bridge, have rendered the old Act obsolete and an effort is to be made to have it amended tu permit the setting up of a commission to reallocate responsibilities for maintenance. The subject arose at yesterday’s meeting ui the Wanganui Harbour Board in the shape of an account from the Wanganui City Council amounting to over £lOO, represented as the board’s share of upkeep based on 113 feet of a total length of 602 feet. The Act sets forth that the board is liable for the maintenance of a central, moveable, span, which is 113 feef long. The managing secretary (Mr. W. J. Gardner), stated that the annual shares of the charges on the bridge amounted to £136 from the Harbour Board, £257 from the Wanganui County, £3 10s from the Waitotara County and £328 from the City Council. A motion was carried supporting an amendment to the Act which would permit a revision of the degree of responsibility of each local body.