SYDNEY'S BRIDGE

Hokitika Guardian, 19 March 1932, Page 5

SYDNEY'S BRIDGE

ACROSS THE HARBOUR

(Australian Press Association.)

(Received this day at noon.) * SYDNEY, March 19

The great day for which the people of Sydney have waited a decade in patient hope dawned. The weather is perfect and cool with a cloudless sky.

Indeed there were citizens of Sydney nearly a century ago with visions of a bridge spanning the. waters of Pori. 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 from every State and from lands beyond the sea the hopes of years were consum mated, 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 pub lie holiday, and an additional attraction being the Royal Show, the City is thronged by record crowds.

The 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.

He read a message from His Majesty the King, and then pressing a button on the dais, unveiled a tablet naming I the bridge The Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Premier, Mr J T. Bang, 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 representa-

tives of the districts served by the bridge, the Chief Engineer of the Bridge (Hr. Bradfield) and representatives of the builders, Messrs Borman Long (Messrs Ivitson, deputy -chairman, and Ehhis. directoi 1 of cohstfuetioh). . Tn 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 and aquatic displays occupied the spectators’ attention, A squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force planes, which had been uniting at a groat altitude above Paramatta River, picked up the signal and swooped down towards the crown of the bridge arch, when they flew a wav again in a thrilling manoeuvre. Simul-

taneously a huge fleet of motor launches and similar craft manoeuvred on the

harbour and under the bridge, Reforo the ceremony at the southern approach was finished a schoolboy, the last of a relay of boys from an outback tojvnship, 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 tire 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

OFFICIALLY OPENED TO-DAY

CITY AND NORTH SHORp JOINED

NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN

MR WtLLIfS’ INFORMATION,

NEW YORK TRIBUTE

NEW YORK, March 16

the bridge builders, but those used at tpe 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-dav's piogramme comprises a land pageant of an historical character, a number of floats carrying tableaux illustrative of the evolution of Australian settlement, history, industry and national activities, of all sorts, making an impressive display. These were beaded by marching school children and returned soldiers. Simultaneously a marine procession Jed by a number of ocean fibers, with the Maloja in the - vail, passed under the bridge. A harbour regatta and various sports will occupy the afternoon, and to-night the bridge and city front will be illuminated.

NO INTERVENTION

NEW GUARD & MR LANG.

SYDNEY, March 19,

■ The question oil everybody's lips today, and during the past week, has been .“Will the New Guard carry out its threat to prevent Mr Lang from opening the- bridge?” Colonel Eric Campbell, leader of the New Guard has been exceedingly reticent during the past few days, and issued an official announcement to-night" as follows: “The council of the New Guard having carefully considered -the whole position, is determined that no action should be taken in connection with the bridge opening ceremony. This decision is largely influenced by important developments now pending at Canberra.’’

LONDON, March 18

Mr Willis, Agenk-General, obtained his information in regard to the threat against Mr Lang from an unimpeachable source, and he is prepared to stake his life on it. The meeting included a number of persons interested in Australian affairs.

“The person supplied it without my having approached him, and I am unable to disclose his identity,” he says.

In connection with the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Governor Franklin Roosevelt, of New York State, has sent the following mesnge: “On behalf of the people of the State of New York, I felicitate the people of Australia, upon the completion of the great Sydney Harbour Bridge, The citizens of the port of New York can readily share in the high aspirations of this great achievement. We are familiar with the planning, toil, anxiety and vision which are part of such a colossal venture. Dawes Point and' Milson’s Point are, geographically, remote from the people of New York, but the great arch which now spans them is a close and familiar symbol of progress. We rejoice with the people of Australia on the completion of this new landmark of modern civilisation.”