OPENING OF THE SOUTHBRIDGE LINE.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 339, 14 July 1875, Page 3

OPENING OF THE SOUTHBRIDGE LINE.

Another of the branch railways of the province—that opening up the rich agricultural and dairy farming district of Ellesmere —was yesterday formally opened for traffic to Southbridge, a distance of thirty miles from Christchurch. The line had previously been opened from Racecourse Junction to Ellesmere, a station on the river Selwyn. The portion of the line now opened comprises stations at Doyleston, Leeston, and Southbridge. The first train ran through at 6.45 a.m, on which were Mr Lawson (traffic manager), Mr J. G. Warner (railway engineer), and others, and the line was found to be in excellent order. By the hour at which this the pioneer train reached Southbridge, the residents were on the look out, and heartily greeted those who arrived by it. At 10.30 a.m. a special train conveying his Honor the Superintendent, the members Of the Executive, and other gentlemen invited to the luncheon, together with a large number of passengers, left the Christchurch station, and after a run of about two hours and a half, including stoppages at the way stations, where a large number of persons joined the train, arrived at Southbridge. The township was quite gay—flags, ever greens, and flowers being displayed in every direction, whilst at the Town Hall the bazaar for the organ fund was in full swing. The platform was crowded to excess with people who welcomed his Honor the Superintendent with three ringing cheers, the committee having wisely dispensed with the presentation of any address. After the train bad deposited its load, the school children, by the kindness of the railway officials, were treated to a ride to Leeston and back, which, it is needless to say, they thoroughly enjoyed. The visitors having viewed the many attractions at the bazaar, and parted with as much surplus cash as could be extracted from them by the fair stallkeepers in the short space of ten minutes, a general move was made towards the goods shed, where the luncheon was laid. The committee and their energetic secretary, Mr Lewis, deserve every credit for the admirable way in which everything was arranged. The room was nicely decorated with flags, evergreens, &c, and some well executed mottoes, this latter portion being the work of Mr R. B. Willis. The spread was capital, reflecting every credit on the purveyor, Mr Osborne, who discharged the very arduous duty of caterer most efficiently. About 4CO sat down, all being comfortably seated and plenty of room for all. The chair was occupied by Mr E. J. Lee, chairman of the celebration committee. The vice-chairs were occupied by Messrs Aaron Frankish, J.P., 0. T. Bridge, J.P., R. Gilliat, J. Gammack, D. Moorhead, John Rennie, W. Graham, A. P. O’Callaghan, R. B. Wihis> and T. D. Acland. Grace was said by Rev Mr Cree.. After the good things which Mr Osborne had provided had been done justice to, The chairman said he desired, before proceeding to the serious business of the day, to take that opportunity, on behalf of the committee, of welcoming most heartily all the friends he saw around him that day, and to congratulate the residents of the district on the fulfilment of their hopes in the opening of the Southbridge Railway. He desired to thank his Honor and the Executives past and present, for having brought this boon home to them. He felt sure all the residents in the districts through which the line had to pass, would agree with him that it was a boon long looked for and desired, but they had been privileged to see the accomplishment of it, I Cheers. J He would not detain them longer, but give them the health of the “ Queen,” and he could only hope that they would always give this toast the place of precedence at their gatherings in New Zealand. [Cheers.] Band—“ National Anthem.” The chairman then gave the health of the “ Prince and Princess of Wales and the Royal Family.” Band—“ God bless the Prince of Wales.” The chairman then gave the health of “ His Excellency the Governor, the Marquis of Normanby.” Band —“ Red, white, and blue.” The chairman then rose and proposed the next toast, which was that of His Honor the Superintendent. [Cheers.] As his Honor was a modest man he would not enlarge upon his many good qualtities before his face, but would simply ask them to drink his Honor’s health with enthusiasm, which he felt sure they would do. [Loud cheers.] The toast was drank amid loud and continued cheering, the band playing “ For he’s a jolly good fellow.” His Honor who, on rising, was received with loud cheers, said he thanked them for

the cordial welcome he had received that day. He had been present at many dinners, and had had to talk much, blithe had never received such a hearty welcome as he had that day received from that assemblage. Dining was a thoroughly English custom on such occasions as this, in connection with Agricultural Shows, &c, and he had a keen recollection of the manner in which the railway through this district had been spoken of at their show dinners at Leeston, It had been said that anticipation was greater than reality, and he thought the reason why they were met that day in such large numbers was that they had left behind the old days of slow travelling—[laughter, and cries of “Oh, oh!”]—well, all he could say, was that if they had been able to say some years ago that they could get to Southbridge in the. time they had done that day, they would have been more than satisfied. [Hear, hear.] Now that they had got railways they were only just taking the first step in advance in the race of civilisation, and by bringing into communication with the capital the district of Southbridge, it ceased from that day to be an outlying district. [Cheers.] Looking at the fact that the district was not doing what it should do, that it did not carry nearly the number of people it should do, he regarded the opening up of the district by means of the railway as a means to an end of achieving a great future, not only for the district, but the province generally. In England they had a population of something like 400 to the square mile, while here they had hardly four to the square mile, which he hoped to see now materially increased. They had a splendid district, one of the finest in the colony, and he looked confidently for the result. He was more than pleased to be there that day, he was delighted, and he must say that their cordial welcome and hearty reception of him was far beyond what he deserved at their hands. [“No, no.”] He had endeavored to do his duty, and to push ahead not rashly but with caution, and to make steady, solid progress. [ Cheers.] He thanked them for the way 5 n which they had drunk his health. His Honor resumed his seat amid loud cheers. The chairman then called upon Mr E. Jollie, M.P.C. for the district, to propose the next toast. Mr Jollie, who was received with loud cheers, proposed the “ General Assembly and Legislative Council of New Zealand.” There might be a difference of opinion as to the policy of that Assembly, but there was no doubt that they were entitled to the thanks of that meeting for carrying out the great work they had that day met to celebrate, lb had been initiated by the present Superintendent, who had done all in his power to forward the line, but still it was the present General Government and Assembly that they were entitled to thank for its completion. He would couple with the toast the names of Mr W. Reeves, M.H.R., and Hon J. T, Peacock. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm.

Mr Reeves said he hoped the rule of the omission of politics on this occasion would be withdrawn, because he stood in the position of their representative, and they were on the eve of large and important questions being discussed. That day week the Assembly of the colony would meel, and therefore he begged to be allowed to take this opportunity of stating what his intentions were, and what he was going to do [Cheers.l As they were doubtless aware, the question of the abolition of the provinces was going to be brought before the Assembly during its present session. The abolition of the North Island provinces—or rather the expediency of SO doing—had been settled at the previous session, but now it was said that the Government intended to go further, and to introduce a Bill for the abolition of the provinces of the Middle. Island. He did not wish to go into the matter on that occasion, and to discuss it, but he would state what he had before stated, that in his opinion this was a question which should be relegated to the electors, and that before any steps were taken the constituencies of the colony should be consulted. [Cheers.] He (Mr Reeves) had voted in this direction when it was proposed to abolish the Northern Provinces, and how much more stronglywould he vote for this being done when the proposition was to abolish the Middle Island Provinces also. The present Parliament was about to expire, and therefore he thought that this was a question which ought to be reserved for the consideration of the constituencies of the colony. He might be allowed to express the gratification he felt at being present and taking part in the ceremony of that day. He was more so because he had been able, in conjunction with their Superintendent, from the official position in which he had been placed to materially help on the construction of the line. [Cheers.] As Resident Minister of the Middle Island, without doing harm to the interests of other parts of the Colony, he had ordered their plant for these branch railways, which had resulted in their being served quicker than would otherwise have been the case. [Cheers.] He rejoiced that the line had been completed while he was still their representative in the General Assembly, and he thanked them most heartily for the manner in which the toast of the Parliament of the colony had been received, [Cheers.] Hon J. T. Peacock said that as he had not got to meet his constituents, he would not make an election speech, but he desired to return thanks on behalf of the Legislative Council for the way in which they had drank the toast. Mr C. R. Blakiston said that as regarded abolition he felt sure that the province of Canterbury would die hard, as they had at the head of their Executive Council Sir John Oracroft Wilson, whose exploits in India had won for himself the title he now bore. He would now propose to them “ The members of the Executive Council, coupled with the names of Sir J. C. Wilson and Mr Masked.” [Cheers.] The toast was drank amid cheers. Sir J. C. Wilson said he was delighted to be present that day. There were several classes of railway; one the trunk line of railway, which benefitted everybody, and the next was the selfish railway, which benefitted only a few, and an off branch of this was the political railway, constructed for the purpose of catching votes; but with regard to the one now before them, he said this, that the projectors had taken the pick of the country, and had constructed a railway which, he prophesied, would be one of the best paying railways in Canterbury. He thanked them for the cordial manner in which the toast had been received. Mr Masked said that he might perhaps be allowed to say that he considered that Governments were only a middling lot, When

he was out of office, he considered the Government the incarnation of all that was bad, and while in office, the incarnation of all that was good, but he must say that he considered the present Government by far the best Govern ment they had ever had. [Cheers and laughter.] While congratulating Southbridge upon the completion of their railway, he claimed on this festive occasion a meed of sympathy for other districts which had waited for years for their railways, which had been promised them time after time, but which had never yet seen the happy day of their completion. While they were celebrating their own happiness in at last receiving their railway, and thus being brought into closer communication with other parts of the province, he begged a share of their sympathy for those districts which had not yet got their railways. [Cheers ] Mr Reeves rose to propose the next toast. It was that of “ The Provincial Council,” which since its formation had included the names of all the most notable men of the province. It had been said that the Council would have to die, but he agreed with what had been said by a previous speaker, that they would have their services for a long time yet. If they did die they would do so with dignity and decorum. [Loud cheers,] He would couple with his toast the names of the Speaker, Messrs Bluett, J. N. Tosswill, and Jollie. [Cheers.] The toast was drank amid cheers. Mr Tancred returned thanks for the way in which the toast had been drank. He might say that the early celebration of the opening of the railway to Southbridge was due mainly to the efforts of Mr Reeves while Minister for the Middle Island, and he thought they should not forget this. [Cheers,] Mr Jollie also returned thanks. He might say that he believed they all knew that Mr Reeves, Mr Bluett, and himself had worked hard to get the railway they had that day celebrated the opening of. He thanked them for the way in which the toast had been received. Mr Bluett also spoke in response, and stated it as his opinion that the railway through to Southbridge would be one of the best paying lines in the colony. ] Cheers.] His Honor the Superintendent rose to propose the next toast, *• The Road Boards of the Lincoln, Springs, and Ellesmere, coupled with the names of Messrs O’Callaghan, Bridge, and Tosswill.” These bodies had been most useful and evidenced the great advantages arising from local self-govern-ment. Messrs Bridge and O’Callaghan responded to the toast. Mr Bridge proposed the next toast, “ The guests and visitors.” His Worship the Mayor of Christchurch and Mr H. B. Gresson responded to the toast, the former speaking in feeling terms of the profuse and generous hospitality extended to the visitors by the Southbridge residents. The chairman then proposed “ The ladies,” to which Mr W. D. Laursnfce responded. This concluded the toasts, and the visitors left by the 4.15 train for town.