HOW WE OPENED THE RAILWAY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 225, 13 September 1878, Page 2

HOW WE OPENED THE RAILWAY.

(by our vagabond reporter.

When I say the railway, I mean th° through line from Christchurch to Dunedin" when I say we, I mean His Excellency the Governor, several members of the Fourth Estate, including your humble servant, a perfect coruscation of Mayors, and several members of the General Assembly. The first through train was to leave on Friday, the 6th inst., but the festivities at the Christchurch end commenced the day before that. On Wednesday .His Excellenc} T arrived in H.M.S. Nymphe. He was received on landing by his Worship the Mayor of Lyttelton, who presented an address. A special train then conveyed the visitors to Christchurch, where a guard of honor was drawn up to receive them. His Excellency and suite were then conveyed in a four-in-hand drag to the Club, where quarters had been prepared for them. On Thursday, the Governor opened, or reopened, the Christchurch Museum. He was received at the entrance by W. Montgomery, Esq., M.H.R., and several of the College authorities. The usual congratulatory speeches were made on each side. It really appears impossible to say anything new on these occasions. During the afternoon, the Railway Amateur Band arrived from Dunedin, and paraded the streets discoursing dulcet strains in a very creditable manner. The Taupo and Hinemoa had arrived from Wellington the same afternoon, bringing the Attorney-General, the Hon. J. T. Fisher, the Hon Hoani Nahe (a " colored " member of the Ministry), and about sixty members of both Houses of the Legislature. These two vessels had an exciting race from Wellington. Both were in excellent trim, and the officers of each anxious to do their level best. The result was that the Hinemoa beat her rival by ten minutes, doing the distance in 14 hours 35 minutes.

I In the evening the Mayor of Christj church gave a spread-—beg pardon, banquet—in the Provincial Council Chambers. Among those bidden to the feast were— the Governor, the captain and officers of the Nymphe, those members of the Ministry who had attended His Excellency, the Mayor and Council of Dunedin, the Mayors of—well, think of all the places you have ever heard of that possess such appendages, and then you will be short of the mark. Shortly before the appointed time your V. R., anxious to furnish the readers of the Akaroa Mail with some particulars of the proceedings, presented himself modestly at one of the jealously guarded portals. Before he could make known his I business, he was informed by the janitor in that suave manner which distinguishes the true Briton when dressed in a little brief authority, that "yer can't come in here." On intimating his business he was further told " you'd better see one of the stooards." Pressmen are in the habit of overcoming any natural diffidence they may possess, and, suffice it- to say that by dint of putting my innate modesty in my pocket, and facing innumerable difficulties, I at length found myself one of the occupants of a gallery overlooking the gay and festive scene. Two of the occupants of this gallery had. come by invitation from Dunedin to report the proceedings. It was after seven when they arrived. In spite of their invitations, they were troatad with the same scant courtesy as that meted out to your V. R. A Scotch proverb informs us that " a hungry man is an angry man," and, under the circumatancet;, it is little to be wondered at that they did

not feel in the tyost amiable mood towards all concerned. Why is there this too general a disposition to treat gentlemen of the Press as if they wore suspicious characters and nad an eye to the spoons? Talkists Jike to see themselves in print, and yet they seem to consider those who give their utterances shape and publicity as unworthy of the commonest civility. However, I imagine the Mayor and Councillors of Christchurch ihUst have fel'k rather small wlW.they got' to/ find the Press tlrerfe ringing Withthe treatment received by its* representatives. One, writer summed up ihe whold by slaying .:—i "The Press has been _tarvea, gagged-and insulted,'\ \;;/\ \/\^''Vv7 Among my numerous virtues, early rising does not hold a prominent place, but on the following morning that necessity which knows no law..caused..me,..to leave my' couch at some unearthly hour,- apparently about midnight. I think they said it was five o'clock in the morning. However, virtue is its own reward, and I! was rewarded by witnessing a complete novelty, viz., a" glorious sunrise. Punctually at six o'clock the special train carrying H. E., your V. R., and other notabilities glided out of the station, receiving on its departure a faint cheer from a few stragglers who had assembled to witness its departure, the effect of which was somewhat marred by the howls of disappointment and anguish. emitted by those who were inevitably " too late,", and who might be seen making frantic, but unavailing, efforts to squeeze through the inexorable iron bars which guarded the portals. Several vagabond reporters, with your own, formed a party in one of the carriages; there was Mac of the Squeezer, Rush of the Thunderer, Paddy Murphy, correspondent of the Saturnine Review, and others' of the' same kidney. For a man who.can combine business with pleasure commend me to what is profanely called a Press hack. Perhaps be has been hard at work till the small hours—no matter, he comes up smiling- ready for more work, and ready also to extract the greatest amount of pleasure out of surrounding circumstances. All the arrangements for the trip were excellent. The carriages were comfortably filled, but there " was room enough for all." So now, having deposited great coats, travelling bags, &c, in their proper receptacles, having divested ourselves of hats, and assumed the easy smoking or travelling cap, let us look around. What is that, music ? Yes, indeed, and good part singing too. No "drunken sailor" chorus. "We find that in the next carriage are located a number of the Dunedin Glee Club. They are singing with great taste and effect, " It is our opening day," and with some instrumental accompaniment too. What ? It cannot be—and yet it is—positively they have an harmonium in the carriage I Soon a couple of card tables are improvised, and those who care for such vanities are deep in the mysteries of whist and euchre. Talk about the tedium and monotony of a long journey by rail 1 Why, what with music, cards, pleasant chaff, and more or less witty badinage, th© time flies more quickly than the train. Mark Tapley would have gone melancholy mad, there was positively " no credit in being jolly."

I have forgotten to allude to our engine. This was one of the American locomotives, belonging to tho railway, and intended for the fast through truffle. They are enormously powerful, and at the same time finished as exquisitely as a model intended to form a drawing-room ornament. Two hours of a pleasant run brought us to Ashburton. Here a bran new Mayor and Council awaited our arrival, and the inevitable Town Clerk reod the address to Vice-royalty. Vice-royalty having responded in a few " highly appropriate and graceful sentences" (I am indebted for the phrase to one of my more experienced brethren of the quill), an adjournment was made to the Town Hall, where a substantial breakfast had been provided for the presumedly hungry visitors by the hospitable townspeople. Considering that it had to be dono against time, a fair amount of eating and drinking was got through, and in half an hour wo wore off again. A married couple with an interesting infantile specimen of humanity who had occupied seats in our carriage managed to get left behind here, if is needless to remark that we grieved for the loss of their societ), but somehow we managed to support our misfortune stoically, and in a short time hilarity once more reigned. Jones of tho "Buster," having made a foraging excursion to the guard's van, returns with a bottle of champagne, and it is interesting to note what an immense favorite he at once becomes, Rush reminding him pathetically that " he has lived a great many years in tho same town with him."

The next stoppage we make is at Timaru, where another address is inflicted on the Governor. The street leading from the railway station was decorated with a very tasteful triumphal arch. A drag with four horses was provided to convey His Excellency to the Grosvenor, where " refreshments" were provided for him and suite. Of course into such saored precints it was forbidden for your V. R. to intrude, but 1 can imagine the Govei nor, as he " quaffed his cup of good old sack. &c.," while the aides-de-camp probably.called for B. and S., and the Hon the Attorney-General disgusted the waiters by demanding "lemonade straight." Your V. It., while modestly refreshing exhausted nature in the company of two or three Mayors by quaffing a "deep-sinker." is suddenly alarmed by the trombone-like fog-signal, miscalled whistle, of our locomotive, and hurries off to tho station. On starting, we find that the Hon. J. Hall and other notabilities have been left behind. The inexorable fiat has gone forth from the railway authorities-—" wait for nobody," and we are off. Memo, for future Vagabond Reporters and others— Always stick close to the Governor or other big man of tho day ; they can't leave him behind. As the criminal said to the crowd who were struggling about the cart that was bearing him to Tyburn—"No need to be in such a hurry, they can't begin without me!" Our next station is Oamaru. Here a more imposing demonstration awaits us than we have seen hitherto. Volunteers are drawn up in force, a band plays the National Anthem, and the • Artillery fires a salute, as His Excellency steps from his carriage to be reoeived by the Mayor (Major Steward, late M.H.R., and of deceased wife's sister notoriety) and Town Council. After the reception of the uaual address, the train proceeds onward to the Breakwater, where another address is delivered by the Harbor Board, and the Governor is requested to name a new pier the Normanby. (The gentleman making tho request said Normandy,* but we believe

this was simply a lapsus lingua.) A young lady stood by holding a bottle of champagne gaily decorated with ribbons. His Excellency took the bottle, and dropped it with the intention of breaking it, but champagne bottles are tough about the under part, and. it glided away uninju/g>_ Chairman, or yrtiateVej* o_iciaHxeKwattp&:ing the bottle, gingferly knocked ;i|SA_a'eck , l)fE, and about half a wineglasa'fijl squirmed,but. Whereupon Mr Chairman, evidently thinking it a pity'that good. lTr|uor "Should be wasted, ■carefully ihsef'ted~_is thumb in the neck of t\ie A ,bottl_. prevented further diminution -pf the precious fluid. Your V.,E. le_t)s_e spot->witti-*| feeling akin to veneration chain-flan. If he have not already madejjis fortune, he assuredly will do so. The next apt,on the programme was"th"3 adjournment to" a large grain store adjacent to* the station, for the purpose of lunch. Some four hundred people here fell to with a will on the excellent vlarids and accompanying liquid refreshment. During the repast the Mayor attempted to propose some toasts, but having four hundred hungry travellers to deal with, who knew that time, tide, and trains wait for no man, bis task was somewhat difficult. A verbatim";' report of the toasts would read something as follows: — The Mayor (amid an accompaniment of the clatter of four; hundred knives and forks, and occasional cries of " waiter," "beer," ".claret," &c, "Gem, —omo — propo—-orks—nudis—para—EEN." Chorus—Rising instantaneously, each with a glass in one hand and a fork in the other—'• E _N," and so on through several toasts, each of which has been recorded as having been proposed 'by his Worship the Mayor, and duly responded .to. So is history made, dear friends, but your V. R. records things as he sees and hears them. At Palmerston, about half-way between Oamaru and Dunedin, another halt was made. Here there was more speechifying, and your V. R. regrets to say, more champagne. From this place to Dunedm, ,the ( line runs through the most romantic scenery. Our progress is- very slow, notwithstanding the fact.that "at Oamaru we had hitched on an additional engine in tho shape of a "Fairlie," or .M Bogie," a double breasted sort of affair, with two funnels. Although we had no stations to call at, we stop several times, the explanation given being that the engines want water. Some of the profane wits opine that possibly the engineers want whisky. At one of these unrehearsed stoppages, we are very near leaving behind a distinguished gentleman, of Indian Mutiny fame. The train had already started, and to see that titled gentleman (who has been younger) shinning up a bush path" to catch it, was a sight not to be forgotton. Ultimately, he was dragged on board by the guard, but he never had a narrower escape, even in his Indian campaigns. " Singing through the forest, Rattling over ridges, Shooting under arches, Rumbling over bridges, , Whizzing through the mountains, Buzzing o'er the vale ; Bless us ! this is pleasant, Riding on the Rail!"

At about half-past six we arrived at Dunedin. Here tho preparations to receive us were something immense. It was positively refreshing to witness the enthusiasm that prevailed. The station was lined with volunteers, an artillery salute was fired, an admirable band burst forth with the grand old National Anthem as soon as His Excellency alighted. A short ex tempore address "was then ■ presented, which His Excellency suitably acknowledged, at the same time stating'• that' he had much pleasure in declaring v the line "open for traffic." The, Governor then got into a carriage and four, and was conveyed to the Fernhill Club. I was going to say " driven," but this was impossible. A dense crowd, variously estimated at from ten to fifteen thousand people blocked the thoroughfare, and it was with considerable difficulty that a passage was cleared for the Vice-regal equipage. Illuminations of the most brilliant and tasteful character blazed from all the surrounding buildings. The electric light made the.gas look yellow and sickly and turned night into day. The illuminations, the gaily decorated shops, the crowd, the heartiness and enthusiasm that everywhere prevailed formed a tout ensemble which by those who were fortunate enough to witness it, can never be forgotten. But your V. R. must hold his hand. The railway has now been opened, and as to the carnival, the trip to Lawrence, the ditto to Mosgiel, the banquet, and the thousand ways in which Dunedin strove to welcome and honor her northern visitors, their description must wait for a future opportunity.