THE DREDGE LAUNCH.

Evening Star, Issue 4257, 18 October 1876, Page 2

THE DREDGE LAUNCH.

THE LUNCH was laid iu one of the new sheds at the Rattray street wharf. About 200 ladies and gentlemen sat down to it; Mr Jones (of Wain’s Hotel) catering. The shed was beautifully decorated with flags and evergreens. Tho Mayor of Dunedin (Mr C. S. Reeves) occupied the ebair, and tho Mayor of Port Chalmers (Mr A. M'Kinuon) the vice-chair. The usual loyal toasts having been duly honored. The Chaiemah, after intimating that the absence of the Superintendent was owing to indisposition, proposed “ Success to the Vulcan and her builders,” and in doing so said.- We have amongst us shipbuilders that are able to compete with tho shipbuilders of Great Britain, iu producing powerful machinery such as we have assisted at the launch of to-day.—(Applause.) The Vulcan has been planned entirely by Mr M’Queen, which is something that not only Mr M'Queen himself may feel proud of, but we b«re, in this new country, may also teel proud that we have amongst ua men having the ability to construct such a powerful piece of machinery as this dredge will, no doubt, prove herself to be. I think I may state, without fear of contradiction, that not only will this dredge be the most powerful in the Australian Colonies, hut also, the most powerful dredge south ot tho line. And wheu wo flud that we have amongst us those who are able to construct this dredge, we may indeed fool that we are in n fair state ot advancement to prosperity, and that our manufactures are now advraoiaff mbit rapidly. It aha will perform area

_ i n iimiiimniMuauifaftM *K° “ Jipectsd to ta able to perform. It iTvi j!* amply Bttfflclent fer the requirements or 2? ln tte course of a few years—l Would say not more than three years from the time this dredge commences to work—you will have the I?! 8 ? ni, 0 1 B hips now frequenting the wharves of Port Chalmers lying alongside the wharves of Dunearn. Then I will consider that we have a now era in the prosperity of the Province, and that the labors of the Harbor Board have not bee'i in vain. —(Applanse.) .. in replying, expressed the hope that the succsi sful launch of that day would be the forerunner of many similar successes, and that thoso present would live to see Dunedin harbor the Clyde of the South. So far as it had gone in iron shipbuilding, Dunedin took the lead of New Zealand, and the load of the Australian Colonies. In fact, compared with the Australian Colonies, there was no shipbuilding done as in New Zealand. The steamers built by their and other firms here had turned out very successful, and he hoped to see Borne o! the largest steamers for the intercolonial trade built in Dunedin. He looked upon the iron ttade as'one of the principal supports of prosperity 111 While we had that trade well iepreseated here, why spend money in sending Home for Bhips ? If the shipping trade was brisk it made the

City prosperous and everyone connected with it prosperous also. He hoped in the course of a few years, when the dredge got properly at work, to see large ships trading at the wharves around the City and when the large steamers came to Dunedin, and wauled repairs in the iron trade, the Dunedin ironmasters Would be able to do all they required. Mr Tewslet, in responding to the toast of “ The Harbor Board," said: The Board is in such a position that nothing but downright stupidity can prevent it going forward in the future. The Board, as it is constituted at present, will in a few months have passed away, and its members will have given piace to better men. I venture to hope that within three or four years at the utmost wo will see thelargest ships coming up to Dunedin. I am sure that there is nothing to prevent such a consummation if unity prevails. Some of you will laugh when I talk about unity in the Harbor Board. But with unity, determination, and good judgment there is nothing to hinder the largest vessels being brought up within the next three years. If the members of the new Board followed the plan suggested by Mr Eeid, and leave wharves and docks out of the question in the meantime, and direct their attention to making the channel, and sq avoid any danger of the work being brought to a standstill, not more than three years will have elapsed before we will see the largest ships lying almost at onr doors, with all the advantages which must follow therefrom. It is a matter of self-interest for us to see the ships at our doors and the trade and commerce of Dunedin flourishing, and I feel that the work of the Harbor Board is one of the greatest means to produce that end. I hepe that in the future the Corporation and the Harbor Board will work hand in hand, for their object is a common and mutual one, and that in future there will be no bickering or strife between them, but that both will act 'conjointly to make this not only the Clyde, but the Thames of I(ew Zealand, Very few know what a friend we have had in Mr Beid. At all times, and at all seasons, he has been our steady and constant friend. He is one of our foremost men, and a credit not only to Otago but to New Zealand. And it should re well understood how constant, steady, and thorough a friend he has bean to the Harbor Board. Mr Cargill responded to the toast of “ The Trade and Commerce of Otago,” and said: As Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, I have to add a word of congratulation os to the important work this day. It marks in a very expressive manner the progress which has been made by us as a manufacturing and progressive people. lam not one of the Eioneers of this community—that is, I did not come ere until some ten years after it was established, but I have seen the advance of all that gives us so much cause for congratulation. Some nineteen years ago, Captain Nichols, of the Gil Bias, brought his vessel up to the town of Dunedin. Abont a year after that I was very much pleased to oome up here in the second square-rigged vessel that cams to the town, very much to the delight of the inhabitants of this town. Then a few months afterwards we foond at the jetty, which is now covered up with the reclaimed land, a small schooner of abont nine or ten tons, as the only trading vessel in this harbor. In Port Chalmers we found the brig Thomas and Henry and the brig Content. No steamer ever visited the port in those days. In those days, a great deal of the present surface of the town did not exist. The town was then in a state of nature, and there was not one yard of metal laid in the Province of Otago. It appears to me, looking back upon the past nineteen years and onr rapid advancement, as a very short time. I look back upon it as if it were yesterday. Last year we exported 52,000 bales of wool, we have now loading in our harbor a fleet of vessels not to be surpassed in any part of lie world. We have steam vessels also. We now have metal roads, and we are opening up the country with railways to places which were useless from the want of means to carry on the traffic. These mark a most extraordinary degree of progress. When we look upon the signs of progress and advancement, the things which fill me with hope and _ pride are those large crowds of people coming from our steam factories when the hell rings every day at five o’clock. If we succeed In getting firmly established amongst ns factories of that sort, we shall be justly entitled to hold what we at present assume to hold—the leading place in these industries in this part of the world. In the launch of this dredge we have an event of very great importance indeed. For myself, I have not the slightest doubt that the completion of that vessel will bear comparison with what we have previously seen done in her. The men who have constructed the hull will bring out the engines, and the machinery of the dredge will he in keeping with what has been already done. The enterprise of the firm and those who have been connected with it deserve onr warmest wishes and hopes that their labors will be marked with success, and bring still more credit upon themselves and upon the City.— (Applause). Mr J . L. Gillies returned thanks for the officers of the Board, and remarked that fifteen years ago he pointed out the necessity for dredging the harbor, and was a member of the Provincial Government in 1862 that determined to bring out the late Mr Balfour. Since then he had never lost sight of the matter. The next two or three years would see whether their object would be accomplished, when he should be pleased to resign the work into ether hands. But he was determined to see it done.

With the toast of “Tho Chairman,” the proceedings concluded.