PROPOSED NEW BRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15999, 30 May 1924, Page 10

PROPOSED NEW BRIDGE.

COUNTY COUNCIL'S OPPOSITION. STRUCTURE NOT A NECESSITY. (By Telegraph—Special to Times). THAMES, Thursday. • The Borough and County Councils sat in conference yesterday afternoon to consider a proposal to erect a new bridge according to the proposal of a local firm. At first the county seemed favourable to expend the amount estimated—about £IOO0 —on the proposal, and they sjtated they had made a new contract for pushing on with their portion of the direct road, which meant an extra outlay of £BOO. The chairman asked the Mayor if, in the event of the county agreeing to spending another £IOOO towards the bridge would the borough let the county out of any future maintenance on that structure.

The Mayor (Mr Rhodes) asked that the question of future maintenance be left over until such was needed.

The county then went into committee for an hour, and on resuming the chairman informed the borough that he would not entertain the proposal, considering that only one bridge was necessary. The bridge now being erected by the Public Works Department on the direct route was guaranteed to be finished in six or seven weeks, and he was sure the county's portion of the new road would also be finished at the same time. The county, therefore, considered the extra expenditure on the second bridge unnecessary.

The Mayor pointed out that the estimated maintenance of the borough's portion of the new road, which has been finished some time, if carrying heavy traffic during the wet season, was £BOO, and the. county would find it difficult to keep traffic going on such a road as the county contemplated making in the time. This means that the Thames will be cut off for road traffic southwards for possibly seven weeks, even if fine weather prevails. Workmen are endeavouring to make a ford on the old bridge site.