OPENING OF THE VICTORIA CHANNEL AT DUNEDIN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6505, 2 January 1882, Page 5

OPENING OF THE VICTORIA CHANNEL AT DUNEDIN.

The little demonstration to celebrate the opening of the new channel yesterday (says Saturday’s Dunedin Herald), was thoroughly successful, except that the vessel stuck for a few minutes. By the precipitate manner in which a number of the company arrived at the station at the last moment, and the pleasure they expressed at finding breakfast on board the Penguin, it was evident they are not habitual early risers—and perhaps the earliness of the boar accounted for the absence of several notabilities. This was not the' case with Mr M. W. Green,_ M.H.8., though,"who, no doubt pluming himself on saving some distance, went to Felichet Bay ■ station ; and it was observed en pasiant that the hon gentleman’s countenance did not betoken extreme pleasure as the train whirled by without stopping, and he was consequently left out of the ceremony. Tho steamer seemed to do an inordinate amount of twisting, turning, and manoeuvring between leaving the Port wharf and getting into the straight for the channel—this occupying 40 minutes ; but, of course, a vessel coming in from the Heads would escape all that. When she did get into the channel, however, every countenance, except possibly one ■ or two belonging to Port residents, wore a look of serene satisfaction and calm triumph, and all was going as merry as a mariiage bell, when, alas ! about 200yds below Black Jack Point, the peculiar tremor of the vessel said as plainly as words : “ Her nose is in it!” When this was placed, beyond doubt, observant people tuougne mose who, tin then, had looked happy, and the contrary, were now viceversd. Of course, as a considerably deeper veesel than the Penguin bad just come up, the fault not lack of water —it was a oa*e of not keeping the course accurately ; and, besides, it was not nearly high water. Many efforts were made, and the little Iron Age came and tugged at a hawser, but the vessel seemed immoveable. After 20 minutes’ trying, however, the engines were reversed, and she was immediately afloat, and then proudly steamed up to Battray street wharf, to receive the cheers of the assembled crowd. 1 The briny element having been dilated with champagne there was of course a little congratulatory speech making, interspersed with Boederer and biscuits, below j and so absorbed was everybody that the company expressed considerable surprise when they found they were being carried back to the Port again and were almost there. It being mail day some of the business men seemed to regret the loss of the extra hour involved, but accepted the inevitable with good grace. Tho vessel made a splendid run down, and when those who had kept below came on deck they found she had qcietly steamed . nto dock. There was then a stampede under .he heavy shower to the upper railway station, and so ended the event of the day. The run up took an honr, including tho twenty minutes’ “ stick,” and the return trip was made in forty minutes.