OPENING OF THE BRIDGE AT KAKANUI MOUTH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3252, 9 July 1872, Page 2

OPENING OF THE BRIDGE AT KAKANUI MOUTH.

• On Friday Lost the bridge over tlie Ka~ kanui, opposite the Meat PreservingCompany's works, was opened foraiaUy by His Honour the Superintendent. The structure, which is solidly built of native timber, and wide enough to admit dray traffic, is nearly 200 yards in length, andL promises to bo. a great public convenience. It was erected by. the associated Rood. Boardß.. subsidised liberally by the Company, in addition to.the Government ~ subsidy, and cost a little over £2IKKt A considerable crowd had assembled and. walked across the bridge, which waa decorated with a display of bunting. Or* reaching the centre, on returning, the company halted, when Dr Webster, the member for the district, addressed B'w Honour, and after giving the statistics connected with the undertaking, presented him with a copy of the plans and drawings. His Honour then expressed* his satisfaction at being present on tmch. an axispicioua occasion, to inaugurate «k important a structure, earned eaocessfully through by the^soH-jreliant efforts of the district. Ho alluded to the number of bridges . in th* Province, amounting to 08, ijOßfang W. £27,000 downwards, and stated that it was moat creditable to ail coaceroe*.

that they had completed their enterprise for co moderate'a sum. After a few further remarks, lie declared the bridge •duly opened for traffic Throe cheers were then given for His Honour, and three cheers for Mr Moody and the ''Company. Mr Coxhead, the photosTapner, was in attendance, and succeeded in getting a negative of tint scene. Mr 'Moody afterwards en tertained a large party to dinner in honour of the occasion. There were present -the-Superintendent, Hon. John McLean, M.L.C., Dr Webster, M.P.C., Mr Bathgate, M.H.8., Mr Steward, M.H.8.,-Rev. Mr Kyley, Mr M&caulay, Totara, Mr C. Tescheinaker, and several members of the road boards, - and the engineer of the bridge, Mr John Hardy.

At half-past seven the company proceeded to the now Athenaeum, where a krg<s party had Assembled. Mr Moody took "the chair, and uaid they had met to open their Athenaeum, which was to include a library and reading-room, and bad been erected at a cost of £'200, one-half of which was subscribed by the workmen and their friends, and the other half supplemented by the Meat Preserving Company. Mia Honour the Superintendent then gay« a brief bui suitable opening address, and was followed by Mr Bathgale, Rev. Mr Ryley, Mr Steward, Hon. Mr M'Lcan, and Captain Matheson. After an hour's speechifying, a concert took place, ably sustained by instrumental ■music from Oamaru, and a number of ■songs from resident amateurs, assisted by their Oamaru friends. The enjoyment of the audience, testified by the enthusiasm of their encores, was intense. About eleven o'clock the concert closed, by a vote of thanks to the performers, and three ringing cheers for the chairman, Mr Moody. A ball then followed, and was kept up with much animation till an early hour next morning. The whole proceedings passed off remarkably well, and those present seemed much pleased nt having their efforts countenanced by a visit from the Superintendent. Since last year the progress of the place has been most remarkable. In addition to the rows of workmen's houses, there are now two churches, two good hotels, a draper's shop, a .grocer's, a baker's, a clothier's, v jeweller's, and other establishments. TJjc boat Korvice in the vicinity is well managed, and the trade of the port in increasing daily. There is no ono who remembers the silent wilderness the place was throe years ago but must be gratified by Booing the rapid material advancement which has taken place.