A SLOW JOB.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 5 September 1927, Page 2

A SLOW JOB.

SYDNEY’S BIG NEW BRIDGE

WAITING FOR MATERIAL.

Progress on the big bridge which Sydney is building across its wonderful harbour cannot S* called rapid. Mr. Lockie Gannon, the well-known Auckland civil engineer, who has just returned from a trip to Sydney, said lie could not notice any difference in the appearance of the bridge .since his. last visit four months ago. Demolition work on the North Shore end had been completed, and the preliminary work on both sides of the harbour had been completed. T3ie approaches were practically done, and the steel work was now at the water’s edge'. In other words, the bridge had' reached the shore line, and the big task of crossing the- water was now before the builders. Asked what was the cause of the delay, Mr. Gannon said there seemed, to be difficulty in getting material. Orders for the steel work had been delayed, and another cause was the frequent strikes. It was difficult to see why there should be so much trouble with the labour, as the men were well paid, but the fact remained that frequent strikes had impeded progress. Only the other day there was another hold-up. Speaking generally of affairs in Sydney, Mr. Gannon- said business did not appear to be too brisk. There was a dea-dne-ss in the air. Money was tight, the banks being indisposed to lend under the present- state' of affairs in the political world. Another factor in the origin of the depression was the prolonged drought. For the eight weeks- he had been in Sydney, Mr. Gannon had not seen a- drop of rain. Apparently people did not expect much change in business until the result of the Paril amentary elections was known. They would- take place- next October. From what he could- learn, the present Labour Government was not viewed with much confidence- by the financial people.