Opening of the Campbelltown Bridge.

Manawatu Herald, 27 May 1893, Page 2

Opening of the Campbelltown Bridge.

! ■ ■- , . i The wet weather sadly interfered f with the comfort of the visitors, The Standard reports that though il had been determined to hold the i » luncheon in the Campbelltown Hall > should the weather be wet, as the . morning, .was, bright and clear, . a move- was thade for the bridge,

where tables were laid and everything done to make those attending the ceremony comfortable. Unfortunately, about 10.80 a.m. a terrific downpour of rain came on, and al» though tarpaulins had been placed over the structure, the water came right through it,.. Jjusjb. before noon the rain cleared off and everything was got4n readiness fpr -the luncheon. Mr V. Or Ransom, chairman of the Manawatu County. ...CowicU,-. read two apologies, one from Mr J. G. Wilson and one .from the Chairman of the Manawatu Road Board, bcth pleading prior engagements as an excuse for their absence. Mr Ransom said that from 1884 attempts had been made to have a bridge erected near where the one they were standing on was, but it was not until the Loans to Local Bodies Act was passed that the necessary funds could be obtained. At the first attempt under, that Act the poll was lbstj bi\t ; h.e Jtvas glad to be able to tella different laje about the second. The bridged completed communica-tionub.etwfeeja-two important districts .thelvalley of the Oroua there fmust ;ije v 2§0;000' acres of as fine -idtiid' "las.. .tb.ere'-Ti|cas in the country, while on the other side there must ]be 30,000 acres of; rich, agricultural land. In ten years more he felt sure the traffic across the bridge would be a revelation. He then asked Miss Margaret Hammond to^drive the last spike. Miss Hammond performed the duty in capital style, driving the spike home in quick time, amidst cheers,, after which fc Ransom declared the bridge 'open- for traffic. An adjournment was then made to the tables, where a capital luncheon was provided by the ladies all ■over- the district, every delicacy one could think of being supplied, while hot tea, for which those present were particularly grateful, was dispensed with a liberal hand. Unfortunately the rain again came down in torrents and continued throughout the whole of the speechmaking. * After the usual loyal toasts had been proposed by the Chairman, Mr V. C. Ransom. Mr H. Sanson, £enr., proposed the toast of " Parliament," coupled with the 'name, of Mr Fred Pirani, to which Mr Pirani replied. Mr R. B" McKenzie proposed the toast of the " Local Bodies "remarking that he had had some experience on them, almost since he was a boy, and that told him that those who performed the most onerous part of the> work k^cksr pthan halfpence, but" whci\tli^y .sdwyresults such as that bridge was for their exertions they felt fully f j recompensed. Those not taking a share of the work hardly knew what the members had to put up with. .• *' Vj * Mr Ransom replied ' on' befiaif , of the local bodies, >and referred to the favorable position occupied by the Manawatu. C.ounfcy ..Cpjun,cil, which had a large over-draft ttiree , or years ago, and .that" ? had «nptf *iouly been wiped off, but 'the 'CbVmeii was able to spend from £1000 to £1500 a year in keeping its rpads' and bridges in order. 'r L ; ' ] ! ' • ' \> Mr TV; TayloV briefly ■ proposed ' ' The Farming 'Industry. 1 ' ; ; He referred to the importance to tKe^untry of such a prosperous"^ iiltiWstry. Mr T. McKenzie •responded' -'and remarked that he" Md jusFpnß'^hing to say, and that was tnaV^Ye^oither body of men in the colony had some organisation •in-ie^skei^Q-f fcQ~Mpho)d their I 'rights, with* the^exeep^on of the farmer. Mr H. Hammond; ii£ comsli&entary terms, proposed the health of the engineer, -Mr 0; Bray, and the contractor, Mr McKenzie. These gentlemen having replied, Mi* J. Costall, in v a humorou&spefich , proposed '•'• The';jj|die's;'' ! lo^Wnich Mr Thompson responded. „■ Mr Knight; propdsecl "We Press," to which the repye&entatijraSj urasent responded." ' 0; ' ,^* '' v ," i |- The m'oceedirigs fthe"n J termfa&ted. There were no intoxicating liquors used at the lun^e'ol^l'^ l 0 fl * Hi The Comniittee, to. whom so much praise is'due^fo,r s t^' I cap"ital p?f&rations made tor tjie'.^ffair, .composed Messrs V. C.R^i.hs'bmrH; HyraHbnd, W. Taylor, T. and D. D. McEenzie, , Lapenjbyi/ jGi; ; Andei^qmy^nold, Bishop, H. Sanson| sen., JohttlJan- , son, W. Davies,. Staff, Tucker, (Just, J. Jarvi.s,..Cl^rk, Cpqp ( e^, jf jvfDostali, i sen., Tomkins, Clark and' Nicholas.