WAITARA'S NEW BRIDGE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 310, 23 May 1913, Page 4

WAITARA'S NEW BRIDGE.

Waitara and district may well be congratulated upon possessing,such a fine, serviceable bridge as that officially opened with so much eclat yesterday afternoon. Waitara has certainly waited a long time for the new bridge, and it was constructed not before its time. One would have preferred to see such an important bridge constructed throughout in the more durable material of ferro-concrete, but considerations of expense put this type of construction out of court. As it is, however, the bridge is substantially built, the foundations, under-structuro and surface are in ferro-concrete. steel being utilised, in other respects, and the bridge should easily outlive even the most juvenile ot its users to-day. The bridge is really not so much a local as a district—indeed at national—work, and we cannot say that the Government was over liberal in its grant towards the cost, which has to be mainly borne by the several local bodies affected. We see no reason why the Government should not provide the whole of the cost of bridges on main arterial highways. Such a charge on the national purse is a fair and reasonable one, at least it is regarded so by other countries that we persuade ourselves are in our wake in almost everything that matters. We believe the time is coming when the Government will have to seriously consider the question of maintaining the whole of the-main arterial roads of the country, just as the slow, conservative countries in Europe have cheerfully done for years with benefit to all concerned. Mention was made during the proceedings yesterday of the necessity for the erection of a bridge over the Mokan river. It is certainly a pressing want, really one of

the greatest wants in the province, and we hope the Government, in framing its Estimates for the current year, will take steps to satisfy it. It is no credit to past Governments that this important link between Taranaki and Auckland has not been forged before. This neglect of the Governments has greatly hampered trade and retarded the development of the whole district. The new Government has an opportunity of remedying the injustice, and we hope it will take advantage of it this session. It is a matter the Taranaki and Auckland members should concentrate their attention upon. If they do so, they can, considering the worthy and necessitous nature of the cause, hardly fail to carry it to fruition. The Waitara Borough Council is to be complimented upon the admirable way in which it carried out yesterday's arrangements, and also for bringing together representatives of the several local bodies of Northern Taranaki. If the latter met oftener, there would, we feel sure, be less misunderstanding and parochialism and more cooperation in many matters making for the advancement of the interests of Taranaki generally.