It was in February, 1910, that the first active step was taken towards having a bridge built, the Bruce and Taieri County Councils then meeting in conference to discuss the position. Since then those concerned have been quietly working, with the result that the bridge is now an assured thing, and another six months should see it opened for traffic.
The estimated cost of the bridge is 5000, and of this amount the two local bodies concerned - the Bruce County Council and the Taieri County Council - contributed 1666 and 833 respectively, the Government paying the rest. The length of the bridge will be close upon 700ft, with a width of 12ft, and a maximum height in the two middle spans of 14ft, to enable the largest boats plying on the river to pass beneath.
There will be 16 spans, and the piles will be of reinforced concrete, all locally made. The steel reinforcements were rolled at the Burnside works, the broken rock came from Logan's Point, the sand from Green Island, and the cement from the Milburn Lime and Cement Works. All the understructure will be of reinforced concrete and the superstructure will be constructed of Australia Jarrah - the only imported material to be used in the bridge. All the ironwork is being made by Messrs Stevenson and Cook, of Port Chalmers.
• The Mount Cook motor service which last season ran to Pembroke, on Lake Wanaka, is to be extended (says a Timaru message) to Queenstown. The first car will go through on the 22nd. The Hon. T.
Mackenzie will make use of the return car to visit Mount Cook. The trip from Fairlie or Mount Cook to Queenstown will occupy two days.The route is said to be varied and picturesque, and well worth doing. The service will be a weekly one.
Mount Cook has attracted many visitors this season, four and five cars sometimes being required from Fairlie.
• Fishing for trout in the pool below Dr King's house at Karitane, Mr George Marshall, a well-known Dunedin angler, hooked a large fish, and after playing it for an hour and a quarter managed to bring it to land.
It was then seen that the catch was a conger eel, over 4ft in length, and on it being placed on the scale its weight was found to be 25lb. To land such a weighty and strong fish with a rod and tackle reflects no small credit on the skill of the angler and on the reliability of the tackle used.
• The Labour Department reports plenty of work offering. The department at the present time could (says our Wellington correspondent) place something like 150 farm hands and ploughmen, vacancies for many of whom have been on the books since December last. The department is not getting the assistance it looked for in filling these vacancies. In connection with the immigrants from Home, it says that a large number if them invariably express a desire to go to Auckland, even though work was offered them in Wellington city and district, an impression having got abroad in the Old Country that Auckland is the leading city of the Dominion from the point of view of labour activity. - ODT, 16.1.1912.
