TAIHAPE NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 November 1950, Page 3

TAIHAPE NEWS

RANGITIKEI COUNTRY BRIDGE LOAN The Rangitiked County Council proposes to raise a loan of 150,000 for the replacement of bridges in the county. The loan will carry a subsidy of fl for fl from the Government, and it is proposed that the work be carried out over a period of five years. The proposal to raise the loan will be submitted to ratepayers on November 18. Cr. V. S. Smith, at a meeting of ratepayers at Utiku, urged ratepayers to vote for the loan and pointed out that roads without bridges were useless Many of the county bridges were in urgent need of repair or replacement. Several of the bridges had outlived their period of stability. They had been erected 50 to 55 years ago, pitsawn totara being used at a moderate cost. The totara was becoming brittle with age, and renewal w a s an urgent necessity. The swing bridges, generally, were in good condition, said Cr. Smith, who mentioned some of the bridges requiring replacement, including three bridges over the Moawhango River. The question was raised about the two bridges at Utiku, on which there are special rates. Cr. Smith explained that the special rate on the swing bridge at Utiku was 136 17s 2d per annum, expiring in 1958. Only nine ratepayers were paying over fl on this bridge. The special rate applied only to those who had the benefit of the bridge. As there were two other bridges (at Ohotu) within two miles of the swing bridge at Utiku, he failed to see how any injustice was perpetrated. However, he would try to induce the council to absorb it in the general fund.

Regarding the Toi Toi bridge, Cr. Smith told the meeting the special rates on this bridge amounted to 1105 per annum, also expiring in 1958. The rate was spread over the rating area from the Toi Toi bridge to Mr Dalgety's property on the Kawhatau. This suspension bridge was of light construction, and was built to service the properties in the area indicated. Unfortunately, owing to the exceptionally high quality of the Kawhatau River metal, there was a heavy demand, and heavy lorries loaded with metal used the bridge a great deal. Consequently the bridge was carrying the heaviest traffic in the northern end of the county with the exception of the highways bridges. Also it provided an alternative route to State highways, and the special rate could well be a charge ,on the general fund or account. Mr Smith impressed upon tlie meeting that it was imperative that the bridges’ loan proposal should be passed at all costs, as some of the bridges would not last much longer and roads without bridges were of not of much use. It the loan were carried, it would mean that with the Government subsidy, a total sum of 1100,000 would be available for urgently needed replacement of bridges in the county.

The rising cost of bridges was mentioned by Cr. V. Smith. He instanced cases in the Hawke’s Bay County where the cost of a ferro-concrete bridge in 1934 was £l3 14s a foot, the cost had risen to £l5 a foot, while a year later it was double that amount. The cost In 1947 was £BO a foot, and it had risen considerably since then, explained Cr Smith. CAR CRASHES THROUGH FENCE. A car crashed through the fence near the Kiwi Road overhead bridge at Taihape recently and came to rest near the gre station. The driver (a resident of Taoroa) escaped serious injury. The car was damaged slightly. It is understood that it backed through the fence.

ROTARY CLUB “LADIES’ NIGHT.” The Taihape Rotary Club held a “ladies’ night’’ in the Drill Hail this week, the time being spent in dancing, interspersed with social items. Vocal numbers were contributed by Mrs A. M. Gordon and Mr R. D. Macßae, the accompaniments being played by Mrs F. Howie. The sergeant-at-arms session was conducted by Messrs L. McMillan and H. E. Barwood. The latter struck a novel and popular note by rhyming the "charges’’ against various Rotarians and imposing “ruthless fines.’’ Proceeds from the function, amountiing to £ll ss, will be devoted to the Taihape Play Centre. The president of the Rotary Club, Mr Viv Smith, welcomed the ladies and visitors. The music for the dancing was provided by Miss June Hayman’s archestra. MUSIC festival.

A music festival was held in the Taihape Town Hall on Wednesday, when items by four massed choirs was a feature of the occasion. Taihape and Mangaweka women’s choirs, together with the Taihape and Ohakune District High School choirs took part in the singing. The programme lasted about two hours and was staged under the auspices of the Regional Council of Adult Education. The organiser was Miss Haddon-Jones. The attendance ot the public was most disappointing. SCHOOL CROSS-COUNTRY RUN. The cross-country run for senior pupils of the primary department of the Taihape District High School, held this week, resulted as follows:—E. Lawrence (30sec.), 1; T. Thompson (3 min.), 2; J. Wehipeihana (scr.), 3 and fastest time. The winner, E. Lawrence, received a cup donated by the headmaster, Mr C. A. Young. The medal donated by Mr D. Bond for the fastest time, was presented to J. Wehipeihana . STREET IMPROVEMENTS. Good progress is being made with the street improvements in the form of concrete footpaths, channelling and kerbing involving an expenditure of approximately £12,800. Four contracts have been let to Messrs H. E. Barwood and Son, and it is expected that contract No. 2 will be completed next week. Workmen are at present laying down concrete paths and kerbing and channelling? in Goldfinch Street, and the completion of improvements to this street will make the completion of the second contract. GENERAL NEWS. Several members of the Taihape Gun Club will compete in the open shoot to be held at Marton tomorrow. Because of lack of patronage, the bus service between Taihape and Moawhango conducted by N.Z.R. Road Services has been cancelled as from last Wednesday. The twilight sports arranged for Thursday by the Taihape Amateur Athletic Club were cancelled because of wet weather. It is hoped to open flic season next Thursday. GOLF CLOSING. The mixed foursomes competition arranged by the Taihape Golf Club for