FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16484, 25 February 1914, Page 7

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

(From the “Lyttelton Times” of Tuesday, February 23, ISG4.)

Launch of a Steamer.—On Saturday afternoon, Mr Reece’s new steamer was launched from Corsair Bay. On the occasion a large concourse of people had assembled at three o’clock, the time appointed for christening the vessel. Tlio Gazelle steamer also brought a largo party of friends. Mrs Reece performed the rite of naming the vessel, by breaking a bottle of wine over the bows; the ceremony over, a signal was given that all was ready, which was followed by a smart blow from the axe of the carpenter in charge of the launching tackle, and the Moa glided smartly down the ways into the water, amidst the cheers of those on board and on shore.

From our Auckland Correspondent.— It is a very trying thing to wait day after day for news of the war, while things are almost at a standstill with business and trade until something definite takes place. And this is exactly the position in which the Auckland public have been placed for at least a week. Every available man of the first-class militia and of the volunteer forces has been out on “ active service,” as it is called with a horrible irony, which adds somewhat to the unpleasantness of being dragged away from a man’s business cr trade, and placed to broil in a blazing sun within a white clay redoubt for some weeks, blinded with dust and poisoned, as a rule, with swamp-water of the most virulent kind by day, and by the bites of. blood-thirsty mosquitoes by : night. Of course, they never see a Maori, or the ghost of one, ns none have.been 1 known for months within a goodlnany miles of:.their farthest station. All] this goes on in expectation of a grand operation at the front, which obstin-J atoly refuses to come off. j