A GREAT NEW BRIDGE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 530, 10 June 1909, Page 2

A GREAT NEW BRIDGE.

OVER THE MANAWATU. OPENED BY. LOIID PLUNKET. IB! Tpi.liy LUI'U—M-r.ei *I. ttmujist'ortnKMT.f Palmcrston, June 9. Yesterday representatives of all tho dift< trict local bodies, together with a largo number of tho general public, gathered at Asbliurst, when tho formal opening of the Manawatu Gorge Bridge was to toko place; Hia Excellency, upon whom tho formal portion of .tho proceedings devolved, arrived by tho morning train from Wellington, accompanied by Captain Shannon. A.D.C. Ho motored from Palmerston to Ashliurst, whero ho was met by Mr, G. G. Wheeler (Chairman of tho Oroua County Council) and other members of that body. The other local bodies represented woro the Palmerston, Woodvillo, and Fejlding Borough Councils, aufl tho Kairanga, Pohangina, and Pahiatua County Oooncils.. . : There was but little, tirno available for tbo ceremony owing to the desire of his Excellency and the members of the House present (Messrs. D- Buiek, M.P. for Palmerston, Guthrie, M.P-., for Oroua, and Hardy, M.P. for Sclwyn) to rettirn to Wollingtoti by tho afternoon express.. As soon,, thereforo, as his Excellency arrived, ho was escorted to tho-bridge, when lie severed the red, white and blue ribbon stretched across it with a silver knife, presented by th<? Oroua Council. - 1

-Having formally declared the bridge open, his Excellency said that ho had no doubt that, at the present moment, tho thoughts of the people of New Zealand were mainly directed to the present position of internal affairs, and tbo united determination <?f this Dominion to take its proper place in tho Empire's defenco. As to the bridge, be-felt that it was unnecessary. to refer to the conditions under which it had been built, or. the excellent manner of its erection, still it was very satisfactory to note, as shown by latest _ reports, tho uumber of men engagoa ill roading this oountry. There were at work at tho present mo-' ment, on reading, fully 424 C men—ptactjeally double that of two years ago, and, if ho included all public works, there, woro no fewer than 8860 men engaged.. Ho was very proud to havo tlio opportunity of discharging the present ceremony of opening on? of,the most important works which tie country had oarrieu out, and he congratulated the Orpua Coujity Council upon tbo .very apparent stability and dimensions of its work, It was a work that would apparently last for several generationsj and lie again congratulated''them upon their decision to do their'work Well. (Cheers.) His Excellency having been presented with a buttonholo of violets by Miss Eileen. Vincent, daughter of Councillor Vincent, a move was made across the bridge (the Ashhurst Band leading tho way) to a luncheon marquee, where, after lunch, a Bmall toast-list was hououred.

. After the usual loyal toast of "Tho King" had been drunk, tho chairman (Mr. Wheeler) proposed tjio toast of "His Excellency." MrWheeler stated that tho Dominion had alVways been exceptionally ■ fortunate in his Majesty's representatives, but never more so than at present,' Roference was made to tho fact that, he (the chairman) had beeppresent .and saw his Excellency lay the foundation-stone of tho new Collegiate School at' Wanganui, ( and now, to-day, his Excellency had opened a bridge, the last connecting link between tho two coasts, Jlo could not forget, either, the great, interdst taken by his Excellency in agricultural matters in this, country, in doing which lie followed' in the footsteps of his relative, Sir Horace Plunket, who had done so much- for tho small farmers in the Old Country, (Applause.) . .' • , ■ Responding, his Excellency, who was received wjth loud applause, thanked the'chairman for his kindly referonces to the help afforded to small farmers of the Old Country by Sir' Horace Plniiket,. with whom he felt proud and fortunate to be connected In hia great work. His Excellency oontinuod that .he had already remarked upon the broader, aspects -bridge-just- opened*, which ho had believed was going to be pf great advantage to the whole neighbourhood. Ho had, however, found that he was entirely mistaken—(laughter)—for, since then, he had been making some inquiries. Ho had a&ked how sooiv the road—the natural corollary of the bridge—was to bo ready, and he found no interest taken in it at all. No one knew what steps were to bo, taken •to have . it cleared and opened, and it was now quits apparent the road was ; of no importance: at all. 1 However, speaking seriously, he hoped that all the local bodies interested would unite in bringing pressure to finish lho road as soon as (Hoar, hoar.) • Per-, sonally, ho took a very great interest in tho ' completion of, tho road, lor, during tho past | eighteen months- he had had to drag over the 1 Fahiatua track, and ho would he glad to get on level ground again. ' His Excellency pointed out ono feature in connection with the road that he, hoped the County Councils would take cognisance of, That was tho necessity for compelling slow; and careful driving on the' part of. motorists. He was jiu entliusiastio motorist, and ho recognised that tho, road, which was sure, to become a highway for cars, was a dangerous ono for tho publio unless careful and sk>w driving was iusistod upon, (Applause.), The toast of "Parliament'' was proposed by the Mayor of Paluierßton. ■ . i .1. Responding, Mr. Guthrie, M.P. for Oroua, spoke in complimentary terms of the construction and nature of tho bridge that had just been built at a cost of £20,000. - He mentioned that Mr.' Massey, who took a keen interest in tho affairs of local bodies, greatly regretted that,ho was not able to be present. Tho speaker proceeded to point out tho importance' of ,tl|e bridge as a connecting linls between the- two coasts, and also referred to. the. loss of trade . consequent upou tho destruction of tho last bridge, and. the timo that had elapsed in replacing it. Ho considered that the present road, which wag practically "no man's land," should bo taken by Government. (Applause.) Mr, D. Buick, M.P. for Palmebtori, - endorsed the statements made with regard to the importance of tho bridge as the link be-, tween two of tho richest districts in tho Dominion. The road and bridge were essentially arterial, and their influence was just as much felt in Hawke'B Bay and in Taranaltj as in tho surrounding district. Ho considered that arterial roads should be supported from tho consolidated funds, and would support such a proposal. Mr, J, H. Yincent proposed tho health of. ex-mcmbcrs, and, in doing so, referred to the valuable help the country had received from Messrs. Letnbridgo, Stevons, Wood, and tho late Mr. O'Meara.

Mr. Hardy j M.P., gave tlio toast "Local Bodies," winch was responded to by Messrs. Hodgkmp (Chairman of the Pahiatua County Council) and Pcarco (Oroua County Council). The healths of tho contractor (Mr. O'Connor) and the resident engineer were also proposed, as well as that of: tho chairman.