The Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1880. THE BRIDGE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 65, 24 November 1880, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1880. THE BRIDGE.

"We ought to insist upon having our rights." "It would be absurd to do work for the Government." These were the two main arguments adduced at the recent meeting at Normanby, against any effort being made by the settlers themselves towards inaugurating a work, which is undoubtedly needed both by the new settlers on the Plains, who will require timber, stores, &c, and also by the people in and near Normanby, who hope to supply the timber and a portion of the stores, and to make a profit out of the trade. It is no doubt true that, in a comparatively newly-settled district, there is nothing so difficult to procure as hard cash. For the first five years at least of a settler's life, his land is always crying out, " Give ; give." It is a struggle for the majority to make both ends meet; and, under such circumstances; a proposal to levy any kind of a direct tax, payable in money only, is not likely to meet with much support, for the simple reason that it is impossible to squeeze money out of empty purses. Nevertheless, mere sturdy begging' l°y people ttlio need some work don© at their own doors for their own especial benefit, is neither praiseworthy nor honorable. The so-called right to a bridge over the river is a very shadowy one. Buyers of land at the recent sale would doubtless have bid much higher for land near Normanby, if the bridge had been actually there, or even promised within> a certain specified tune. But the deputation which interviewed the Native Minister a few weeks ago were told, and the telegram read* to the meeting the other night contained, the same story, viz., the Government hope to erect the bridge as soon as they have a little more money; until then, whenever that may be, there will be no bridge erected. Obviously, the natural thing for people to do, who are in a hurry for such a work, is to say, "We are prepared to contribute a portion of the cost, on condition that the work be at once proceeded with."

We regret to say that both the Hawera, and the Normanby settlers showed a de- 1 cided inclination to imitate the importu- ' nate widow of Scripture, • and to see whether, by reason of then* importunity, they might obtain a new sort of justice in the form of a bridge for the use of themselves and their new neighbors, without sacrificing anything, except a little dignity. Although we certainly deplore the lamentable absence of public spirit and of selfveliance which apparently prevailed at the meeting, a little delay may prove serviceable. At present, nobody knows what the bridge is likely to cost. A rough guess put it at from .£SOO to iS6OO ; but, so far as appeared at the meeting, no one seemed to know whether it was a 'forty, a sixty, or an eighty-foot span, i When the plans and specifications ordered by Mr. Bryco have been prepared, those I who are anxious to help the project forward, will be able to judge whether there is any likelihood of their being able to i attempt it "with a reasonable prospect of success. We have already indicated the difficulty which there is in obtaining money subscriptions among a number of struggling settlers ; but we believe that if subscriptions in kind could be collected, the real liberality, which is undoubtedly characteristic of New Zealand settlers as a whole, would at once show itself. If, for instance, the settlers on both sides of the river were to make up their minds to say to the Government, — " We are prepared to supply you the timber for the bridge gratis, rathe* than bay© fcbe work delayed for another six mdnths," — then the chances are that those settlers who could not give money, would subscribe either haulage, or timber, or labor,.

and the work would be at once taken in hand. Help yourselves, and the gods will help you, is as true now as ever, even though the gods are, as in this ease, represented by the Government.

We have much pleasure in referring those who are interested in this matter to a very sensible letter dealing with the subject, from a correspondent signing himself " Republican"