OPENING OF A NEW LINE OF RAILWAY IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2213, 30 March 1881, Page 2

OPENING OF A NEW LINE OF RAILWAY IN CHRISTCHURCH.

A ceremony which, though unassuming in its character, is yet fraught with, important results as markiug another era in the onward ;'progrces of this great and flourishing provincial district, took itlaoe this afternoon. We have bad as faithful chroniclers from time to time to record events which showed the march of civilisation amongst us. Where only a few short years ago was but a wilderness are now to be found the highest types of civilisation. We have our direct telegrams every morning from Europe; wo are enabled to go by train from Christchurch to the most southern extremity of the colony j and now yet another link has been added to that great chain of civilisation which binds us to the older cities of Europe. It has boon the plsasing duty of our contemporariei to record with a flourish of words, which the greatness #; the occasion called forth, cor the enterprise ehown by several of our worthy fcllowcitizcns in building additions to their already palatial places of business, anon describing with wonderful accuracy the making of the child-beloved lolly, or the bell-topper of the period. But to-day wo have a loftier theme. The greatest civilisor the world has ever seen has been the railroad. The ruling of the face of the earth in any part of the globe with those two parallel lines of steel has meant civilisation, advance, and prosperity. Wo have seen what it has done here, and what it has done, and is doing, in America and elsewhere, and it is, therefore, with the greatest possible pleasure that we to-day record the opening of a section—though small —of this great civilising agent. The ceremony, it is true, lacked the presence of a Minister of tho Crown, but as Englishmen under all circumstances feel it incumbent upon them to celebrate similar occasions by drinking success to tho undertaking, the absence of such important functionaries was, perhaps, not so much felt. However that may bo, the opening of the "Press' F rail way wi* to-day declared to be an accomplished fact. If. has grown up silently in the midst of tho busy hum of men, in one of our streets where merchants most do congregate, yet outwardly no sign has been made of the great work progressing. Still the work has been completed, and to-day the formal ceremony—not, by the way, anything like formal—of opening it took place. At 2 p.m. a number of invited guests being present, the first trip was taken along the line.

The Chairman of the Company, Mr C. A Pritchard, having declared the railway open, said—ln declaring this railway open, I deaire to make a few observations. As public journalists, it has hitherto been our duty to chronicle from time to time the celebration of the opening of many improved methods of communication, from the turning of the first sod of a railway to the driving in of the last spike of the undertaking. All our previous experiences have been of a Jarg;', and generally of a public character, but the one which I have now invited you here to celebrate is of purely a private nature. It is no lees an important work than the opening of the “ Press ” Railway. I believe this is the first instance in which a lino of railway has been opened in the centre of so important a city as that of Christchurch without the bray of trumpets or the boat of drum. The modesty which is characteristic of Editors generally, and of our own in particular, has caused him to abelaiu from publishing an anticipatory notification of the great work w’?ich wo hare just completed, and his bashful silence in this matter affords a refreshing contrast to the fanfaronade with which similar undertakings are ushered forth to the world. I believe our railway possesses ono high distinguishing characteristic, that of being the only one in the colony which has stood aloof, and has not pestered the Government for u grant in aid of its useful work. It is true that the line will be restricted to the use of tnoro the exigencies c£ whose busiaoss may require its aid, but it is none the lees an undertaking which reflects credit on its promoters, and affords an example to our fellow colonists to bestir and help themselves, agreeably to the old adage of “ the Gods helping thoM who help themselves.” Doubtless the “divine William ” shadowed forth this and similar undertakings when he penned the immortal lino of “ Enterprises of great pith and moment,” and I think wo may confidently say that the bard, with prophetic instinct, had us then in his “ mind’s eye.” I have now much pleasure in declaring the “ Press ” Railway open for traffic. The company then dispersed.