NEW MANGERE BRIDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15932, 1 June 1915, Page 5

NEW MANGERE BRIDGE.

OPENED BY THE PREMIER.

A WORK FOR "ALL TIME." COMPLIMENTARY SI'KKCHKS. Thk forma! opening of the new reinforced concrete Mangere Bridge took plate yfstfi day afternoon, the ceremony being performed by the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. W. 1". Massey. in the presence of ;i large gathering of residents of Maiig ■!'•' and Onehunga and the surrounding ~i-trictK. trictK. Amongst those present, in additi m to the Prime Minister and Mrs. Masse; . were the Minister for Railways, the linn W. H. Harries. tip. Hon. S.Thorne Ceor-e M.L.C.. the Hon F. W. Lang. Me»i> Arthur M. Myers, C. J. Parr. F. Maud.r ,1. S. Dickson. A. K. Glover. D. H. (.'nthrie. and Dr. Newman. M.P.'s. Mr. A. .1. Kutrieaii. Deputy-Mayor "i Auck- ! land, Mr. Robert Hums, president of tinJ Auckland t'hamher of Commerce. Mr. ■! Rowe, Mayor of Onehunga, Mr. ■). Atkn son. Mayor of Otahuliu. and many nth*: representatives i.f local bodies. Apologia were received for the unavoidable absen- .■ lof the Mayor of Auckland. Mr. ,1 H Ir.unson, the clta : -man ot the Auckland i Harbour Board, and others. The ceremonv of declaring the bridge open took place at 2.50 p.in near the, centre of the bridge, where a platform was erected. The chairman of tic Mangere Road Board, Mr. H. R. Mackenzie, pre sided, and in his opening remarks he welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Massey. He re ferred to the fact that the bridge bad been completed in 11 months from the tonthat the first pile was driven bv Mr. Massev, and said that the quality of ill • work.'as well as the expedition with which it had been carried out. was a credit 11 the engineer and designer, Mr. R. F. Moore, and the contractor. Mr. lieorge Xicol. The bridge was the finest and widest of its kind in New Zealand, anil was designed to carry a much heavier loai per square foot than the King's Wharf in Auckland. It was a bridge that should last for all time, and with its width of 50ft it should always be \\ ; d? enough for all requirements. It was also a bridge of which the Prime Minister, as an old Mangere resident, should, in common with the rest of the Mangere settlers, feel proud. (Applause.) The construction of the bridge had also (lone a great deal of good in keeping many men employed since Hie outbreak* of the war. He expressed regret that unavoidable circumstances had prevented the approaches from also being completed for that day's ceremony. Opening of the Bridge. Mr. Massey, who was received with loud applause, expressed his pleasure as one who was "at home" in Mangere in I performing this particular function. He said that when he drove the first pile 11 j months ago he did not think that he world have had the pleasure of declaring the I bridge open in so short a time. He con- ! gratulated the Mangere Road Board, the I engineer, the contractor, and all others ' concerned on the completion of such a fine ' bridge, which was not merely a local ."Hit a national work. (H« hear.l It would, no doubt, lead many more people to make, their home at Mangere. The policy of the I Government was to provide all parts cf the Dominion, and especially the back I blocks, with roads and bridges so as to 8 enable the productivity of the country— the exports of which increased in three t years from £17,000,000 to over £27,000,000 ' I —to be still further developed- (Ape!plause.) a | Mr. Mackenzie, on behalf of the Road ,» I Board, presented Mr. Massey with a hand- ! some silver salver, the inscription on which e included a' plan of the bridge. The pre--0 ( sentation was greeted with cheers and , applause. i Mr. Mackenzie then presented Mrs. I Massey with a pair of silver scissors, with j which she severed the rißßon which was stretched across the bridge. Amidst cheers and applause, Mr. Massey then declared the bridge open for traffic, and after the ribbon had been cut into many pieces and distributed as mementoes this part of the day's proceedings terminated. Toasts and Speeches.

The ceremony at -the bridge ' was followed by a gathering Tramway Company's tea kiosk at Qnefiumja, where, several toasts were lio«onred>.?&. Mackenzie presiding. -i§ - «^*-''li^%v The toasts of "The King" and.of "Great Britain and Her Allies,'*. flatter being proposed by Mr. 0. J. Parr, M'P.. in a stirring patriotic speech, were- loyally and enthusiastically drunk. »Prim? Minister replied to the second toast in a vigorous speech, which is reported elsewhere. The toast of " Parliament" was given by Mr. Robert Burns, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and responded to by Messrs. D. H. Guthrie, M.P. for Oroua, and Arthur M. Myers, M.P. for Auckland East..

The toast of "The/Pioneers of Mangere" was proposed by the Hon. F. W. Lang, who spoke of tho good pioneering work that had been done by these old settlors, not only at Mangere, but in the Waikato, where they had assisted in the work of settlement after the close of the war.. They should be proud of these old pioneers, as well a; l of those of their descendants who were now fighting for the Empire. The toast was received with cheers, and drunk with musical honours. Mr. W. Westney. out- of the oldent residents of Mangere, replied. Mr. J. Rowe, Mayftr of Onehunca. proposed "The Engineer and Contractor," and in doing so r.a<d a high tribute to 'he excellent manner in which Mr. Moore and Mr. Nico! lad carried out their work. He said ".hat rhen the authorities •' Wellington v<n> i " by himsel: that '•ridge cov.'i !»>.,< ructed for tho jLn.., • that it 1' i* v' v , .:e was not be!'leV'. The basis ■;■■ .■ irhich the contributions of the various public bodies were assessed was the cost of a 30ft bridge, but the Mangere Road Board had r.dded a furthe 20ft to the width at, its own expense. (Applause.) All that was required now to make a complete work was the i nprovement of the road from Auckland to Onehunga. Mr. Moore, in his reply, said that hi the result of past experience in this claps >i work he had been able to effect economies and improvements, as well ."■; shortening the time required for the completion of the work He acknowledged the good work of Mr. Nicol, as well as the services of the foreman, Mr, Goodman, and of the clerk of works, Mr. McLaren, i i ii Mr. Nieol. in his. reply, said Hint the section system, under which the bridge ' had bean built, bad enabled it to h<finished probably 1? months earlier thai: could otherwise have '.con the case. Estimate Not Exceeded. The mast of the Mangere Read Bu.n I was proposed by Mr. A. J- Kntru-an. Deputv-Mavor of Au.kb'nd. Mr. Ma«kenzie, i" replying, s.-id that ih*;!»!•<• quoted for the bridge was £25000. ... .hiding the engineers fees, and 't "art been completed for tin, sum wit' ■■»• a nenny of extras. Mr. M. \. Kirl..'!!.). -i.so responded. The toast o: the- " Pr<>:i>. ' p.o,iose. i.v the Hon. W. H. Herriw, «as also 1.---cured, and the gathering dispersed after the drinking of the bealt'.. < 1 tho chairman which was proposed by the I rime Minister. Mr. Massey also, on behalf of tlf engineer, Mr. Moure, presents V? Mackenzie with a <»<=■■• of pipes and milker's uiitfit Mr. JL'ke.ttw made a wi.wible acknowledgement.