BRIDGE OPENING CEREMONY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 140, 4 June 1908, Page 4

BRIDGE OPENING CEREMONY.

A ISOO.N TO SETTLERS. Favored by line weather tin: settlers' picnic al th« new Stony llivi-r bridge on tlu- larriiigton roadycslcrilay was most successful. Tliu picnic was arranged iu connection with I lie ollicial opening of tlir bridge l,y Mr. 11. i>Ui-\, -\LP. Tluti' was a large allcndance of settlers from all along 1 In- coast, and several visitor, attended Irum New I'lvmouth. Tin' I'oiiiinitli'c liail evidently worked hard so iliat tin- function should •live soini' indication of tin- settlers' rejoicing, and tin- ceremony passed oil' with «rcul eclat. Tile handsome newbridge, which is certainly in marked contrast to the roads which give access to it, was gaily decorated with the llajfs Of all nations, relieved here and there by tree-ferns and foliage. When the town folks arrived the settlers were enjoying an ul fresco lunch upon the fringe of the thick native bush, but at i p.m. a move was made towards the bridge, across which was stretched a ribbon "tricolor—red, White, and bine. Mr. It. (.'a.ssie, who dim-led the cercinonv, read apologies from Messr-. t;. Tisch. Mayor of .\ew Plymouth, li. T. Murrav, 'District Roads Engineer, \V. -I. K'lin, editor of the Herald, ami T. C. List, proprietor of the "l).iiiv News, tie then called upon M. ii. oTvey, M.l'., lo open the bridge. Mr. Okoy expressed his plea-lire al living invited to open the bridge, iiu.-i----ness in connection with which h:id been one of the lirst inatiers in which he had interested himself as a member of Parliament, lie said that when I lie

bridge was first asked for the site was on the line of the surveyed road, and the estimated cost of spanning the river there was so great that the application was hopeless. So Messis. Gill and Cassie fuund this site, lower down the river, where a smaller bridge would do. Air .Murray visited the spot, and now they had this splendid structure. The opening of this bridge would be of great benefit to the settlers ill the i ediatc neigbborl I. but not. to them onlv, for this would lie the outlet for all the trallic from the Nowall road lands and the native lands at the back of Parihaka, which he had succeeded in persuading the authorities to have opened for settlement, shortly. Mr Okey remarked that the expendilure of public moneys ill works Of this description was in the best interests of the Dominion. If there were lo be a fair in the price of their produce they must have increased facilities of production so as to increase the output. When Mr. .Murray estimated the cost of the bridge at '.td.jll, few people thought it could be done for the money, but as a L matter of fact it was done for -I-US. [which showed that the Government's [ resident engineer in Taranaki was a mail in whom they could place every

rntilidencc, for his head was evidently "screwed on the right, wny." Now it liad lieen urged, when he was a candidate, for (Parliament, that the election of an Opposition member would mean that no Government grants could Ik; obtained for this dislricl. lie didn't think that a worse insinuation against a Ministry could lie made, for no Ministry could last if it indulged in those tactics. The statements were made, of course, by Onvernment supporter-, and did more harm than good to their cause. ' lie had more confidence in the Ministry, it seemed, than many Ministerialist'*, lie took it that his success in getting moneys was due to the fa--t that lie asked only in necessitous ca„os. Now. Cl 7-27 had liven secured for this road alone, so it didn't seem that the settlers here were being starved on account of his shade of politics, did it" This bridge would save ;i miles 711 chains in going to Okato from the I'pper I'uniho road, j miles 111 chainfrom Upper Newall, !l miles from I. pper Kaluii. II miles from the Upper Ihaia. and 70 chains from Opnnake. In concluding. Mr. Okey pointed out that in the past year there had la'cn a record expenditure of government moneys on the larrington roiid, and lie appealed to the electors to lenieinln'r, at the no\t elections, -those who carried them over the river." Air. Okey then invited Mrs. Oill to perforin the opening ceremony, remarking that tin's lady hail for years lived across the river, journeying to and fro liv means of a wile rope suspension bridge.

The ribands were severed, and Hie bridge declared open. Mis. (till being presented with the s.-is-ois which cut the wav. Cl rs'wcre "iveii (or Mr-. (iill and Mr. Okey. Air. Cas-ie then'referred to the as-i-t----anie rendered to the setflers in this matter by Messrs. Newton King and I!. ('. Hughes, memliers of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Hughes replied. He said that nine months ago he was in that locality with Mr. King, and saw the terrifying old suspension bridge. And now there was this fine bridge, with its garlands and flags. It was "like n bit of fairyland.'' He had always been much interested in bringing this district into closer touch with New l'lvmouth. giving to the settlers the full hem-til "i the harbor facilities and to New Plymouth tile advantages of lieing really a trade centre, lie had been connected with the New l'lymouth-to-Opunaku tramway scheme, which was blocked by the (lovcrunienl.

-Mr. James liurgess. representing the Egntont (.'minty Council, referred to tho fact Unit for yours upon yours the local . bodies and branches of the Farmers ! ninii in the district had limi urging the (illVornniollt 10 Opl'll lip till' Curnngtonrnad. Hut at the last. I'arliain.'iitnry election they tnok the best and most cll'oetivc step in returning Mr. nkey us lli.ir member. Tli<> completion .if tin" CarriiigLon-road would ridii'vc llii' pio-onl main and bye-roads of an immense amoiiul. of irnflic. especially in shortening tin- journey front live road to bye-road at the upper ends, lie i.niark.-il that evidently the clerkof the weather had a wise conception I of the importance of ollicial openings, lor it rained upon the opening of the New I'lyuioiith I'o.t (llliee the oilier day. Init a line day smiled upon ilu> opening of this most iinporlant structure. Fi-ogress in the country, lie .said, was all-important to the towns, in whose streets would grass lie growing if the fanners ceased to produce it. lie congratulated the settlers upon this tirst important, step in the opening of the Carriiiglon-road through to Opunake. .Mr. ('. Andrews, representing ln ,. Taranaki County Council, promised hiassistance to the settlers in having (h-Carringtou-road melalled if lie were ■•till a councillor when Ihe road was handed over to the Council, .Most of the speakers warinlv eulogized the work of the contractor. Mi I'. M. Crayling, who was then called iijhjii for a s]icech. He nioiinled the iio.s, thanked the speakers, and declared he would "rather build another bridge [than make ii speech," and disappeared i in the crowd. .Mr. .1. S. Fox, on behalf of the Okato people, eongratulated the settlers upon having secured the bridge. -Mr. F. (Mil. secretarv- to the committee, returned thanks" for 'he -alvo of cheer, accorded to the promoter- id this very successful function. .Afternoon tea was then ..eivcl. h-.-.-pilalilv being dispensed in line stvle In the ladies. The committee in charge of the airaiigeiuents comprised Messrs. W. am) ,L. Ourlwlt, .1. S. Fox, JSrophv Jtm,., C. ..ill, 1!. Cassie, and V. Hill (secretarv), assisted bv it willing set of ladies. ' , The bridge is a Trait, tru-s bridge. »t rough, buill of rim it and slri-ii_.'llioncu with iron rods. Tin- deck i., :>;il f r „„, I lie water, and the .uper-l incline lliff . a!."ie thai. The. span is 7tift. and the rondwav Mil clear. The work nf ereclioll was supervised, on behalf of the ' District lioads F.ngi -r. by .Mr, K. |). ' 'in-swill. hispecior under the Uoad. Do- ' pailineni. and I lie plan, prepared bv [ Mr. ( . 11. Law n. ' ",