THE OPENING OF THE BATON BRIDGE.

As was reported ih the Press Ifi_t week the bridge across the Motueka river leading into the Baton Valley waß to have beeil officially upeHed last Saturday, and the settlers ih the vicinity had made considerable preparations for tbe ceremony, and had invited all the members of the County Council; the. County Eng'irieef and other friends to jbe pi. eienfc at lunch aud to assist tit tiie ceremony. Unfortunately Saturday waa a pouring, wet day, and opening was postponed till Tuesday, which turned, out bright and beautiful; ahd a {great niimber of aettierd from Dovedale, Woodstock^ Baton, Stafl- ; ley Brook, Motueka Valiey and Tad- [ mor gathered together at the new bridge to "celebrate the. decasioa. It had been hoped that Mr McKenzie, M.H.R.-, would, have been . present, but he wired regretting that he was unable td leave Wellington just now. Then Mr Best, Chairman of the Council was to officiate, but owing to the postponement from Saturdays and another meeting he had to attend, he too was unable to be present. Mr G. Macmahon, Councillor for the Motupiko Riding, was then called on to-*giv.e the opening address. He congratulated the residents of the Baton on the. completion of the beautiful and substantial structure . they Saw .before them. He gave a , short review of the difficulties and I delays in connection with the build- | ing of the bridge, and the trials a_d dangers that the SCttlerS bad to endure with the primitive means for . getting their stock and produce , across the river from tbe commence- ;• ment of the settlement till now. He , said he was very pleased to be present and see such a pleasant gathering, and he was sure they, oneand [ all most heartily congratulated tbe whole district, and particularly the Baton portion* on the completion of a bridge that was rt credit to the Engineer, the builder, and^all eon* i tierned; He said he saw Mr and Mrs Mytten iii their conveyance close at . hand and he thought nothing could , be more fitting than that-they should | be the first to have the honour of [ driving across this bridge after its official opening. Miss Evelyn Macmahon then stepped forward, and , with a pair of scissors cut the ribbon that was stretched across the end of i the bridge, when Mr and Mrs Mytten . drove over to the aocompaniment of , three ringing cheers from the as--5 senibly. , Mr Mytten Spoke of the splendi I bridge that they had and the im- } mense boon that it would be to all those on the western side of the rive* 3 especially who had waited long and ! patiently for the coming of this day, • which would be long and kindly remembered as one of the most iml portant in the history of the Baton. I He heartily thanked Mr McKenzie* j. the General Government, the County 7 Council, tbe Engineer and all who had assisted in giving them that fine |. structure. He very much regretted . that there should be even one (aaeh . as the writer in the "Colonist", shzning himself "Bolter") in the ; district who was so narrow-minded r and small and selfish that because he did. not get any direct benefit him- , self should try to malign those who . tried to assist others. , Mr McCarthy said it gave him i great pleasure to be present, and be , congratulated the district on the fine bridge, which he thought was a , credit to every one and was in the , right place whatever might be said to the contrary. He also reprobated ; the writer in the "Colonist" and ; took great exception to the way he wrote of the Baton farms, which he (Mr McCarthy) considered with the , settlers on them, compared fa you r- \ ably with any other bettlement of its J size anywhere. The settlers were comfortable and had good homes and . certainly deserved the bridge just opened, and he believed that in the t not very distant future they would ■ ■ see a railway running to Motueka , and a railway station near the bridge. Mr Noble Win, who was received i with oheers, said he hai known the . Baton for forty years. It might be : said that he was very young then, but as a boy he remembered being up there about forty years ago, and had witnessed the trials and hard • . ships that the settlers had to endure without bridge or road or any con- ! venienoe, and although he was not .direotly interested in the Baton, he always had a kindly feeling for tbe settlers there, whom he believed to be the most hospitable people it was possible to conceive, and be was delighted to be present at the opening* ceremony of the bridge, and wished them every success and congatulations. Mr Austin, the builder of the bridge, thanked all the speakors for the many complimentary things said about the way he and his assistants had done the work. The visitors were treated to a most sumptuous lunch provided in a large booth in Mr Myttens paddock, whioh every one enjoyed. Everything went off pleasantly, and the general opinion was that it was a very pleasant, gathering and quite a success. All tbe speakers regretted that the whole of the County members were not present. ______________■— _B__l