remember the time when from where we stand to the Immigrants' Home behind us was one rolling river of turgid water, carrying haystacks, and occasionally cottages, down to the sea, and those who witnessed the flood of 1878 do not wish to see the same thing again. (Laughter.) Since then the work of river improvement has been carried on with such rapidity that 7,000 tons of solid rock forming a wall across the river have been removed from the spot on which we stand, and 43,000 tons removed from the site of the other wall lower down, so that altogether 50,000 tons of solid rock have been taken out of the river. In addition to that the superficial area of the water way, which under the old bridge was 300 square feet, will be increased under the new bridge to 4,000 square feet. According to the testimony of Sir John Coode the work done in connexion with this bridge, the widening of the river to 300 feet, the removal of the rocks, and the making of the new cut, will give us the only possible preventive of future floods. In that way, therefore, as in other ways, the ceremony of to-day marks an important advance, and we may congratulate ourselves upon it. Not long ago we celebrated the iron wedding that it was hoped would knit Victoria and New South Wales more closely together. Now the Mayoress is about to lay the foundation-stone of a bridge in which, by the marriage of stone and iron, we shall have the north and south banks of the river wedded together for all time to come. We shall have the divisions of north and south Melbourne very largely removed, and the spot where we stand may at no distant date be almost the centre of a great and prosperous city. It is looking forward to greater Melbourne, of which we may regard this as the first important work, that I have now the pleasure and privilege of addressing these few words to you to introduce the ceremony which the Lady Mayoress will at once perform.'" (Cheers).
"Mr. D. Munro then read the following address to the Mayoress:—
"'To Mrs. Amelia Henderson Stewart, wife of James Cooper Stewart, Esquire, The Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Melbourne.
"'Dear Madam,—
"'I have pleasure in asking you to perform the gratifying and auspicious ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of this The New Prince's Bridge.
"'The reasons which have led to its erection in lieu of the handsome stone structure which has been removed to give it place (namely, the insufficiency of the latter to the requirements of the increased and constantly increasing population and business of this the capital of Victoria, its suburbs, and the country southward of the Yarra, and the determination to obviate recurrence of injury from floods, and to increase the usefulness and sightliness of the river by widening its waterway, and by deepening and removing obstructions from its bed), are unmistakable proofs of local energy, and progress.
'"Whilst the enterprising spirit of the Government and Parliament of the Colony, the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the City of Melbourne, and the Mayors and Presidents and Councillors of the other contributing Cities, Boroughs, and Shires in planning and providing funds for a structure of such noble dimensions, is evidence of present prosperity, and unlimited faith and confidence in the future of our country.
"'Personally, whilst conscious as none other can be of the weight of the obligation so incurred, I am proud that it has fallen to me to contract, and become responsible, for the carrying out of this important national work; and in asking you to perform the interesting task of laying the foundation-stone, I feel sure that to none can the occasion be of greater pride than to you who were born in this city, and, it is pleasing to remember, on a day of which this is the anniversary, and of which I take opportunity to wish you many happy returns.
"'I beg your acceptance of this trowel for use in, and as a memento of, this ceremony.'[1]
"The trowel presented to the Mayoress was made by Mr. H. Newman, of Melbourne. It is a very fine example of colonial art. The blade is of silver, and bears the arms of the Colony and of the City of Melbourne, together with a well-executed view of the new bridge. The handle is of
- ↑ There is no signature to the document, but it is understood that the expressions are Mr. Munro's.—Ed.
