DEATH OF A PIONEER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19701, 5 August 1938, Page 7

DEATH OF A PIONEER

ERECTED GISBORNE BRIDGE

A pioneer contractor of the Mana-

watu district, L. Bryant, who erected a bridge in Gisborne 60 years ago, died in Nelson recently. Born in Bristol, England, Mr. Bry-

ant came to the Dominion with his parents as a boy of five. The family at Nelson where Mr. Bryant was later associated with the farming industry. In 1874 he contracted for public works and the following year came to the North Island to follow the same pursuit. One of his first works was the construction of the yailway bridge across the Rangitikei River at Kakariki. In 1876 he was joined by Mr. G. Stephenson, who is still residing in Palmerston North, and when the Kakariki bridge was finished, the two rode on horseback to Gisborne, where they erected- another bridge. The trip to Gisborne took 5J days, and was hard going

for 250 miles. V/hen that work was J finished Mr. Bryant returned to y Palmerston North to tender for the laying out of the Square, which included levelling and fencing. Mr. Stephenson followed him shortly afterwards to be associated in that work as well. Together they did contract work all over the Manawatu from Otaki to Apiti. Mr. Bryant subsequently took up farming in the Manawatu and eventually retired to live in Palmerston North.