HAURAKI BRIDGE OPENED

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5274, 14 May 1928, Page 2

HAURAKI BRIDGE OPENED

THE HIGHWAY LINKED.

PREMIER PERFORMS CEREMONY.

UNWELCOME RAIN.

The Hauraki bridge over the Waihou River on the Thames-Auckland highway was opened for traffic on Friday last by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. Heavy rain marred the function and necessitated a curtailment of the ceremony. Thames people had assembled in force, and a large number of Hauraki Plains residents were present at the, brjdge when the official party arrived at 11 a.m. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Mrs Coates and their two daughters, and the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams. Included in the official parity were the local members df Parliament and members a|id executive officers of the local bodies of the district.

The ceremony was held at the Kopu end of the bridge-, where a small platform had been erected for the speak-, crs. The people gathered' on t'he bridge and approaches, and on the riverbank alongside tie bridge.

Owing to the rain the number of speeches was curtailed' as much as possible. In introducing the Prime Minister and the Minister for Public Works 'Mr H. Lowe, chairman of the Thames County Council said that neither of the honourable gentlemen needed an introduction to the people of, the district, as they were very well known. Tracing the history of the, bridge proposal, Mr Lowe recalled that 18 years ago he had waited upon the Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister, for Pub; lie Works in the Liberal Goveirniment. The request for a bridge had been turned down as unwarranted. Later the Thames Borough Council had approached the Thames County Council on the matter, but the latter, was. unsympathetic. After -much argument on the proposed site, and much dtelay, a Government engineer was appointed to select a site. He chose the present site, but this was not acceptable to the Thames County Council. Two Royal Commissions sat on the question, but,as the Thames CoJunty did not favotl”' the project nothing was done for. nine years.

Continuing: Mr Lowe stated that when he became chairman of the Thames County Council the ferry was. started, and after some, further delay it was operated continuously. The trouble over the site of the bridge still continued, many proposals being put forward. One section even went so far as to carry a loan poll. Delays continued until Mr J. C. Miller, chairman of the newly formed' Hauraki Plains County Council, and Mr E. N. Miller, the then Mayor of Thames, brought the three local bodies, to a" amicable understanding. From then on. all was plain sailing, and the Public Wor,ks Department undertook the construction and completed the bridge in very good ti me.

The Prime Minister was greeted with cheers, when he mounted the platform to speak. He thanked the people for their welcome, and said that he would study the convenience of the people and make ‘his remarks very brief. The occasion, he said, was an, important one, making another milestone in thei progress of the district. A lot was heard throughout the country against the amount of State borrowing. but he would remind the people that a definite policy was being followed, and the effect of the main highways policy was now being seen. If the trouble was taken to trace the effect of. this policy it would ,be found that so far it had worked out satisfactorily, and. hes was confident that it would continue to do so. The Hauraki Bridge was a link on the main highway, and was part of the effect of following the highway’s policy. Borrowing by the State for such works was justified, and he had. sufficient faith in the country to continue borrowing with the purpose, of .making provision for the future millions. Borrowing was, justified, as it would make development, which would make it possible to pay the interest. Continuing, Mr Coates paid a tribute to the local bodies in the district who had buried thejr differences to enable the river’to be bridged. He hoped that the bridge would ba of service fo the locality and bring about a better understanding and team work. The Premier then gave the' signal, and the opening span was opened and closed. Mr Coates then called on tha Mayoress of Thames, Mrs W. Bongard, to cut the ribbon, which was held by Mrs E. L. Walton, wife of the Hauraki Plains County chairman, and Mrs H. Lowe, wife of tile Thames County chairman.

The Prime Minister then declared the bridge open, and called for cheers for, the Mayoress, and also for the engineers who had constructed the bridge. Cheers ‘were also given for Mr Coates, Mrs Coates, the Minister for Public Works, and for Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P. for the district.

The r,ain having temporarily stopped, the Minister for Public Works, the Hon, K. S. Williams, responded to the insistent appeal fo speak. He offered' his congr.atulatfons to the district in having secured a- link with the ■highways Of the Dominfon, and pointed out that as he was : coming along from Thames he had seen a rainbow with its ends on the bridge and the Hauraki Plains. As it was said that a bag of gold would be found at the foot of a rainbow, he was sure that thei bridge would assist the prosperity of the whole district. He eulogised the work of the officers of the Public Works Department am} all those- who had been eunployed on the bridge construction.

Tiie official party and several other, cars then crossed the bridge anid proceeded as far as. the old feirry road, afterwards returning to Thames. The newy metalled road was of insufficient width to enable two cars topasf? without one wheel being in the mini. Several ears became stuck, but there were many willing’helpers.