The Train Excursion.

Manawatu Herald, 21 February 1895, Page 2

The Train Excursion.

The offer to run a train for the further education of school children was fully taken advantage of by the scholars of the Foxton State School and their relations, on Tuesday. The result will be a surprise to .the Department and has satisfaolforUy proved (for which we have long contended) that oheap trains trill Pay* . ... . '?:■■

The train used by the excursionist! „ was the ordinary train tpPalnwrtton and back, with a special from |he latter town to Woodville. No tniu ; has ever left Foxton so filled^ v : theie were seven carriages, one * long double bogie, and a covered . truck. A further proof of the numbers ia found in the feet 480 tickets were sold, all within, a day. The sight was a pretty one, both young and old being, well* dressed and happy looking.-'

The train was run under the auspices oi the Foxton School Committee, the Department merely placing the train at their disposal at the special rates, bu^e£yingf|he gale of the tickets and tUe aav^Usingif tb« trip wholly in their Viands; That the business dooe by the Committee

"wasfarboybndtheeJtpeotatlon of the Department ie shown by their only supplying BSO tickets, and much extra work was thus thrust upon the Ohairmafr ill writing onfc " excess " tickets for the other 80 required. We mentjon these facts as upon another occassion we shall have flomethitig fnrthet to suggest on this ..matte*. ; ; . M . The Chairman of the Committee wisely atiyisedthe Mayors of Palineraii^aH; W°°dVille °[ ™ c - P ro " posgcMntoarsion, and they ifiotit kindly did their best to help the excursionists along. When the train arrived at Palmerston, the Town Clerk, Mr Keeling, Crs Woods and Sutton and : Mr Pirani, M.H.R., met the party, ami to Mr Thynne, as Chairman of the? Committee, expressed, first the regret that the Mayor being away was thus unable to be present but .that Or Woods was acting in his stead, -and then the pleasure it gave i "the'Borough-€ouneil and the people of fcalmerston to Welcome the party as Visitors, regretting that the stop, (only half-an-hour) precluded their being.able to do much; They . how- ••■' ever very considerately provided an amount of ginger-beer which was \fcfe4foughly enjoyed by all, or very nsarly all. The barrels appeared '■ like 'the widow's cruise of oil, for notwithstanding the continual calls the tap never failed at the call of time. It was a most refreshing sight to witness the bußiness-like manner Mr Pirani and Or Sutton stood at their— taps. Mr Thynne - on behalf of the excursionists expressed bis thanks for the courtesy shdWih "All aboard" and a start Was made in the " special " for Woodville and air the station the party was met by Mr Haggen the Mayor of WoodvHle, Mr Sowry the Chairman of the ' School Committee and other friends and a brass band. It being almost aii- impossibility to marshal the ' forces ;the band advanced and following it went the Mayor of Woodville 'with- the Mayor of Foxton on his right hand and the Chairman of the Foxton School Committee on his left, and the excursionists following. From the station the march was •"made to the principal street in the town and then to the Drill shed, where the scholars of the Woodville School greeted the visitors with cheers. Mr Haggen offered a few pleasant words of greeting which Mr Williams acknowledged, and then Mr Haggen bade all enter the building and have their lunch. The .■courtesy of the Woodville t inhabitants was very much appreciated as the day was exceedingly hot, but the Prill shed being a very large building, ample accommodation was found for the very large numbers of guests. 3?hes Mayor had a never failing supply of boiling water, tea and sugar, cups and saucers, and a number of ladies most ably helped v in preparing the tea and washing the onjps. The Mayor and Mr Sowry never tired in their hospitality, for after carrying round tea, they were laden with clothes baskets filled with apples, and later on were surrounded with youngsters scrambling for lollies. Near the shed a splendid boat-swing had been erected for their visitors amusement, and cricket was played with the school teams, Foxton coming out first. .The Mayor of Woodville, and Mr Sowry and the school children went to. the station to bid the visitors good-bye, and on the platform Mr Thynne, addressing the Mayor said that he desired on behalf of the children and their parents to thank Mr Haggen, and the inhabitants of Woodville, and Mr Sowry for the extremely hospitable manner they had been treated on this their first Visit to Woodville. He called for three cheers for the Mayor which were most heartily given. Mr Haggen said he had felt it a pleasure to meet so many friends and the only regret felt by himself and. townsmen was that the notice of the visit was so short that they had been unable to do more. The Woodville people were coming down to Foxton on Saturday so that he looked forward to the pleasure of soon meeting them again. (Cheers.) Mr Williams proposed a hearty Vote of thanks to the ladies who had presided at the tea tables and generally assisted the efforts of the Mayor. Again three hearty cheers peeled 1 forth. A start for home was then made and cheers and counter-cheers were raised and handkerchiefs waved as the train moved off. Our report is long* but not long: enough, very much more could be »&. The day's onting was enjoyed by one and all, the heat of the day was trying but it was outdone by the warmth of the welcome extended. No mishap, no hitch of any kind occurred and Foxton was reached at t 6.50 p.m.