WE A TIWEA TIEQK ;j c Driving :the. First/Pile. [by telegraph.-mnvn correspondent.] Alexandra, Last Night* Mr Bryce and Tawhiao.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1531, 27 April 1882, Page 2

WE A TIWEA TIEQK ;j c

Driving :the . First/Pile. [by telegraph.-mnvn correspondent.] Alexandra, Last Night*

Mr Bryce and Tawhiao.

The new bridge across the Wjf pa, .requested from the Government t iby Tawhiatiy was comnYencett'' this taorning, Tawhiao personally, driving the fyrst pile. Tfie Hon.' Mr Whitaker had 'expressed his mention, ,to ..Tawhiao , of personally taking part in the ceremony, but" recent political surprises have of course rendered/ 2 this v The \ hour not being generally known not nearso many Europeans were present as wtnftil' ; hay " 1 b<Sen "Bad ifc : be6fi- known, but the natives musteredqin force, some 300 being present. The Maori King was accompanied by Me T. .Finch, chairman of the • Alexandra 'Towif «B6ird, with Commissioners Aubin, Asmuss, , pill, and Uook, and other prominent settlers. Mr A. B. VYrightj.th^eagineer^or the Work, and Mv McLean, '^he contractor ,'were also pi'eseufc'. The pile being placed in position under the monkey, three blows were struck 'under Tawliiao's manipulation. At the first, 'he exclaimed, *« This is my bridge } I name it ' Tawhara-kui atua/ " At the 1 second blow he" said, "The railway must come to Alexandra. Pull, pull, pull." 'At the third he exclaimed, "That is all." Messrs McLean and Finch then, provided the needful to drink success to the work, which was done accordingly.,; r \ ; t , :,

Tawhiao's party having returned to the township, Tawhiao received a telegram from Mr Bryce reminding, him that the use of spirituous liquors was being generally ignored as against • the interests of the natives, and for him to discontinue it as much 'as pdsiibie. Tawliiab had just previously ordered an allowance for his followers to be served, to commemorate the event. On receipt of the telegram, he at once informed your co-respondent find others that to-day being something out of the common he thought it no wroug to celebrate it in tlie usual manner of Europeans, by a festival. ' However, he should nofc' issiie beer to his followers as a practice. . ,