SYDNEY BRIDGE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 19 March 1932, Page 5

SYDNEY BRIDGE

OPENED TO-DAY VAST CROWDS. Press Association Electric Telegraph Gopyiaght (Received Saturday, 1.0 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The great- day for which the people of Sydney have waited a decade in patient hope dawned with the weather perfect, being cool, with a cloudless sky. Indeed, there were citizens of Sydney nearly' a century ago with visions of a bridge spanning the waters of Fort Jackson to bring the city and North Shore areas into closer touch. The difficulty of financing such a venture, however, was an obstacle which the pioneers found too much for them. When the war had accustomed people to think in millions, the dreamers gave place to practical realists, and the scientist and engineer evolved the means of creating a structure which would link the two sides of the harbour, while permitting ships to follow their lawful occasions, carrying the life stream of the people —their commerce —to and fro. To-day, in the presence of many thousands of spectators gathered fiom every State and from lands beyond the sea, the. hopes of years were consummated, and “The Bridge” (there is only one bridge in people’s minds these days) was publicly opened for traffic. The day having been proclaimed a public holiday', and an additional attraction being the Royal Show, the city r is thronged by record crowds. The opening ceremony took place at the southern approach, or city side of the bridge, overlooking Observatory Park. At 10 a.m., the Governor (Sir Phillip Game) delivered the opening address. Ho read a. message from His Majesty the King, and then, pressing a button on the dais, unveiled a tablet naming the bridge “The Sydney ITaibour Bridge.” The Premier, Mr .T. T. Lang, then declared the bridge open for traffic, and unveiled a commemorative tablet. Speeches followed by the Minister of Works (the Hon. M. A. Davidson), the Lord Mayor of Sydney (Mr Walder), the Mayor of North Sydney (Mr Primrose), the Parliamentary rcpicsentatives of the districts served by the bridge, the chief engineer of the bridge (Dr. Bradfield), and representatives of the builders, Messrs Donuan Long (Messrs Kitson, deputy-chairman, and Ennis, director of construction). In the presence of the Governor and. the official party, the Premier then cut the ribbon stretched across the entrance to the bridge proper, to the accompaniment of bands playing national airs, a salute of twenty-one guns from a battery' in one of the parks, and the acclamations of the assembled multitudes on the neighbouring foreshores on both sides of the harbour, and on. every headland from which even a distant view of the scene was obtainable. Combined aerial nn<} aquatic displays •occupied the spectators’ attention. A squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force ’planes, which had been waiting at a. great altitude above Parramatta River, picked up the signal and swooped down towards the crown of the bridge arch, whence they flew away again in a thrilling manoeuvre. Simultaneously, a huge fleet, of motor launches and similar craft manoeuvred on the harbour and under the bridge. Before the ceremony at the southern approach was finished, a schoolboy, the last of a relay of boys from an outback township, delivered at the dais a congratulatory message, from country schools.' This was read to cheering thousands, who, if they did not hear the words, at least sensed the tenor of the message and gave it a cordial reception. The official party then crossed the bridge to the north side, where the Mayor of North Sydney cut the ribbon to signalise the opening of the thoroughfare into the Northern Suburbs. The scissors used by the Premier at the southern end were presented by the bridge builders, but those used at the ■northern end were the same as those used recently at a similar ceremony at Killvankull Bridge, New York, and had been sent by the Mayor of New York as a goodwill offering. The balance of to-day’s programme comprises a land pageant of an historical character, a number of floats carrying tableaux illustrative of the evolution of Australian settlement, history, and national industries of all sorts, making an impressive display. These were headed by marching school children and returned soldiers. Simultaneously a marine procession, led by a number of ocean liners, with the Maloja in the van, passed under tl.e •bridge. A harbour regatta and various sports will occupy the afternoon, and to-night the bridge and city front will be illuminated.

HEARD IN MASTERTON.

The relay of the broadcast from Sydney was plainly heard in Mastgrton. The ceremony opened in beautiful weather. The announcer at the observation window in Sydney was heard on relay from 2YA, Wellington. He described the ceremony to-day as a wonderful one. On the harbour a dense mass of small craft intermingled with spectacular barges, representing tableaux of Captain Cook and aboriginals, early settlers, decorated, with gum trees, rocks, etc., and the Quarries barge, depicting St. James’ Church. The microphone at the. observation window relayed the music played by the massed bands as the Premier (Mr Lang) took up his position on the dais. He was received with great applause, and then read the King’s message of congratulation to the people of Australia. After the ceremony a fleet of aeroplanes, in mass formation, circled the bridge, making a magnificent sight, the whole mass of people rising to thenfeet in intense excitement. The citj is bedecked with flags, and every woman and child carried one. At this .stage of the announcement, the 2YA ceased operations, owing to a

breakdown. flight abandoned. WELLINGTON, Friday. The Wellington representative for Greater Australasian Films received' a cablegram to-day to the effect that the proposed flight across the Tasman after the Sydney Bridge opening has been cancelled. —(P.A.)