LAYING THE FIRST STONE OF THE NASEBY SLUDGE CHANNEL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 222, 30 May 1873, Page 5

LAYING THE FIRST STONE OF THE NASEBY SLUDGE CHANNEL.

On Mon lay lasb (th? gener-4 holiday) the weather being all that could be desired, a' large number of the residents of Naseby responded to the invitation of the contractors to visit the works'of the Naseby Sludge Channel, distant about eight miles. Every con- j ceivable means of locomotion was put hi re-.: tjuisifcjoji, .an I-the fair sex took advantage of , the weather and occasion to muster strongly. Nearly 100 men are employed, a' large portion being Chinese, and the neighborhood "of the works consequently presented quite a busy aul animated appearance. Abo lit three , miles of the Channel have been cut, and stone for piLchhig lias been laid down along the line for a considerable length. As soon as the company hal assembled at' the contract ors' sLores, a move was made for ' the works, and especially for'the point which ' was to bo the centre of interest. i The M.vy.">r then a Iroitly placed the stone in position, and declared it to be well and truly lakl. He said it was the first opportu-' nity he had ha I since his election of meeting such a large number of ladies and gentlemen. He had accepted with pleasure the invitation of the contractors to lay the lirst stone of tbis great and useful work—the Naseby Sludge Channel. The construction of this work was absolutely necessary to the advancement of the mining interest in Naseby. It had been long agitated for by the district, and he was proud to Avitness that day that its efforts had so far been crowned with success. Mrs H. W. RuJjlnssojt then steppsd forward and, by breaking a bottle of chain-' pague, -gracefully christened the work "the • Naseby Sludge Channel," amid great cheer-1 ing- : Mr IL W. Rocrxsox said he felt -gj-eat, j pleasure in being present on such an impor- i tant occasion, aud to take part in the proceedings. Ife had no doubt but that the work would benefit the district, and would greatly assist the miners. It had been long thought of, and had 'to"bo coueeived- in the mind before being formed by the hand. From what he knew of the contractors, he believed the work would be completed in a workmanlike manner, and would be well done. It was one of great magnitude, aud he was pleased to see that the' contractors had taken advantage of the prevailing- favor abie weather, by having siicli a large quan tity of stone laid down along the line oi Channel. He declared that the faith of the people of Naseby would be consummated when the work was completed—that population would bo attracted, hither to settle" lis, and that the early completion of , the Channel would be a benefit to others as wel: as to the miners. It was, in his opinion, really necessary that it should be made deeper as it approached Naseby, and he was glad to learn that, from information received by the Naseby Miners' Association—a. bodv that had taken an active interest in this matter—the Government had signiiied their intention to deepen the Channel.—(Cheers.) Three cheers for Mrs Ilobinson and the ladies were given with right good will. Mr Ln-dkr said that, so far, the proceedings had-passed off satisfactorily; but one vei y important matter had been overlooked, and that was the great exertions made by Mr. Macaudrew, the Superinrendent, in a I vising the General Government to construct works ui this reproductive description. He believed that tliese works would not have been sanctioned if it had not been for the efforts made by his Honor, and he thought that consequently his name should be associated' with tho works. • Three cheers, were called for his Honor the Supsrhiten.lcnt, which were lustily and most heartily rogpon. led to. Mr Joir.v Gu'kkn (oncj>f the contractors) . thanked the como my for their presc--n-:e, and the goo I wishes expressed b'v a'l for the early aii-l's'ucc'cs-frd'iornjifiatiou of the work. * ; Thr-je..eh:oro for tiu 'Q'acon concluded the prJO'eociillgs. , ■ ' ' '■' ■• :.•■■ -';,.- |