NEW BRIDGE OVER WAITARA RIVER AT TIKORANGI.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue VIII, 14 August 1897, Page 230

NEW BRIDGE OVER WAITARA RIVER AT TIKORANGI.

OPENING OF BRIDGE BY THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS. TIKORANGI is a district lying south-east of Waitara, and is bounded by the river on its west side. The land is all in cultivation, and shows a very fertile soil. Good wide roads have been made, and well-fenced farms laid out and sub-divided into paddocks. The land is somewhat broken, and there is a hill on which a block-house was erected during the war, from which a commanding view of the country is obtained. From the hill looking westerly glimpses of the winding of Waitara River may be seen ; in fact, visitors to the district always ascend the hill inorder to obtain a good view of the settlement. Settlers when returning to their homes from New Plymouth have hitherto had to go by way of the Waitara, so for years they have cherished the idea that a bridge would some day be built, by which the distance to their farms would be considerably shortened. Many years ago the Provincial Council promised that a bridgeshould be erected, but the promise was never carried out. Since the provinces were abolished the settlers have from time to time

appealed tothegeneralGovernment, but without success ; till at last the present Ministry, being impressed with the justice of the settlers’ petition, and finding that the people were prepared to build the approaches themselves, decided to erect the long-promised bridge over the river. Several attempts were made to place a bridge on piers over the river, but the floods more than once destroyed the work ; then it was decided to erect a suspension bridge, which work has just been accomplished at a cost of about £7OO, the Land Department undertaking the supervision of the work. Thursday, July 15th, was fixed upon as the day for the bridge to be opened, and the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Minister of Public Works, was asked to perform the ceremony. The weather on that day happened to be most unfavourable ; nevertheless, a large number of people from all parts of the district made their way to the u-pot to assist on such an eventful occasion. The settlers in the vicinity of the bridge had made preparations for a picnic on a large scale, but as the weather interfered with their project use had to be made of the Tikorangi Boating Club Shed, which was prettily decorated with ferns and evergreens, and in it the luncheon was laid. Shortly after noon the outside visitors began to arrive, amongst whom were the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Mr F.

Lawry, M.H.R.. Mr W. Symes, M.H.R., Mr H. Brown, M.H.R., the Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr J. B. Roy), Mr J. Strancheon, Chief Surveyor of the Taranaki district, Mr G. P. Robinson, Crown Lands Ranger, Colonel Stapp, Mr E. M. Smith, Mr Horneman, Mr H. Okey, Chairman of the Taranaki Connty Council, besides several members of the various other local bodies, and settlers from all parts of the district. At about 2 o'clock the Minister of Public Works, accompanied by the members of his party, went and inspected the bridge, after which an adjournment was made to the boatshed for luncheon, the wants of the visitors being well attended by a committee of ladies, consisting of Mesdames Armstrong, Panl, Sarten, Foreman, Cole, Jupp, and Knight, assisted by the Misses Armstrong, Sarten, Foreman and others. A bullock was to have been roasted for the occasion, but as the weather was not favourable, the carcase had been ent up into joints and cooked in the usual way by the settlers. At about 3 o’clock, the weather having cleared and the sun coming out, it was decided to commence the ceremony of opening the bridge, and a move was made by the people in that direction. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones then addressed the assemblage, in which be congratulated the Tikorangi settlers on now being able to

get to their homes from New Plymouth without having to go a long way round by way of Waitara. They had got their long-promised bridge at last, but it had not been obtained without much difficulty. When Mr E. M. Smith first entered Parliament he most energetically advocated the settlers’ petition, and impressed on the Ministry that the Tikorangi bridge was very urgently required. The Government made enquiries, and finding the settlers were prepared to built the approaches to the structure, consented to help those who were ready to help themselves, and accordingly voted some or /'4OO for the work. Difficulties were encountered in the course of the erection of the bridge, so finding one with piers would not answer, it was finally decided to put a suspension bridge across the river. The work had been carried out by the Land Department, and he (Mr Hall Jones) had no hesitation in saying that the design was good and the workmanship excellent. Mr Hall-Jones having referred in a conplimentary manner to Mr Levi Sarten, who had for years used all his efforts to get the river bridged at Tikorangi, then amidst great cheering declared the bridge opened for traffic. Mr Sarten then called for three cheers for the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones, which was heartily responded to, and was followed by cheers for Mr Sarten and the ladies who

had entertained the visitors; and Mr E. M. Smith for his exertions in the matter. Several other gentlemen addressed those present, and after three more cheers for the ladies who had provided the Inncheon, the proceedings terminated and the people gradually dispersed to their homes. In the evening there was a ball in the Tikorangi Hall, which was well attended, and settlers kept up the festivities of the eventful day till an early hour the following morning. The suspension bridge erected over the Waitara river at Tikorangi is 210 feet long, the length of span between the piers being 200 feet. The width of the bridge is 14 feet, the roadway being 11 feet. The approaches to the bridge have been made by the settlers, who have voluntarily supplied the labour. Mr H. George was the contractor, and the price the work being carried out to the satisfaction of everyone. The illustrations we give were taken by Mr D". E. A. Jones, of the ‘ New Plymouth Photo Company,’ under considerable disadvantages, owing to the wet weather, and a strong wind blowing at the time. One of the pictures gives an excellent view of the bridge and the scenery at the back. The other was taken at the time the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones was declaring the bridge opened.