New Highway Bridge Opened at Matawhero

After more than 2½ years in the making, the new Matawhero highway bridge over the Waipaoa River was officially opened on May 18 by the Minister for Works, Mr W. S. Goosman.

It was a notable milestone in the progress of the district, and an essential part of a scheme designed to remove the threat of flooding from the rich Poverty Bay flats — a scheme which involves the realignment and control of the Waipaoa River, and the reconstruction and improvement of highways in the neighbourhood of the bridge. In addition, the bridge carries telegraph cables and the new 21-inch water supply pipeline serving the city of Gisborne.

It was also a notable day for Mr Goosman. As Minister for Works, minister in charge of soil conservation and river control, and chairman of the National Roads Board, he had a three-fold interest in the event.

In the week before the opening, workmen of the Rope Construction Company, the builders, of the City Council engineering staff, and of the Post and Telegraph Department, along with men from the Ministry of Works, laboured to complete the project in time for the ceremony.

The bridge was decorated with flags and bunting for the occasion. A large crowd began to assemble about 1.30, and numbered many hundreds when the ribbon was cut by the minister at 3 o'clock.

At the same moment, bulldozers began to tear up the old highway across the "cut", half-amile downstream.