OPENING OF THE TOWN HALL

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 315, 12 March 1875, Page 2

OPENING OF THE TOWN HALL

On Wednesday evening the grand ..opening was given under the auspices .ofHis Worship the Mayor aiid Councillors. At little before nine p.m. the Town Hall was ready for the company, s-rid presented an exceedingly handsome, appearance. Festoons of eveigreens, interspersed with flags, and banners drooping tastefully amongst the chandeliers, had a very pretty eS'ect. The lighting was very good, showing the hall to be the easiest and best lighted building in the town. The stand of lamps arranged at the back of the Btage materially contributed to the good effect. The Hall, from its square shape, is well adapted for dancing, and has the great advantage of being airy and well ventilated. It was nearly ten o'cl ek before the company began to assemble, and, shortly after, his Worship the Mayor came forward on the stage; and •. said : Ladies and (rentlerrien—lt is a great pleasure to me to mept you here tonight, on such an occasion as the present. The foundation Bton'e of this building in which' we are now assembled was laid last year by Mr. Horace Bastings. It was commenced at a time of great depression, and has been completed under many great difficulties. It.'has-not been indebted t.j foreign workmen in its erection. It was commenced by local zeal ; it has been built bylocal men ; and is now being opened by a local Major. Ladies and gemlemen—l have great pleasure in declaring the Naseby Town Hall formally open.

At the declaration of the Hall being opened,'his Worship was greeted with considerable applause. The orchestra at once struck up approriaie music, and there was a general selection of pa; tners for the first and ensuing dances on the programme—his Worship in due form leading off theopeningmarch. The programme was divided into two. parts —the first of which was kept up with considerable spirit and concluded at, 1.30. In a short time the supper tables werelaid, vvhich were luxuriously furnished by Mr, Pinder, on a scale we have rarely before seen in Naseby, and about 50 sat down to do justice to the highly creditable .efforts shown—his Worship the Mayor presiding, with Cr. Inder acting vice,' assisted-'by Cra. Brookes and lijorring at the cross table. When the more solid viands were disposed o£ ,his.Worship called on those:; assembled :to charge- their glasses to the toast of "The Queen," which was received with all,the honors. The feeling being very general that, in deference to the ladies,, and the late hour, speechyfying should be cut short, a were briefly proposed and responded to. Mr. ISrewuerproposed " The Mayor and Councillors," replied to by the. Mayor ; Mr. i Inder "The Contractors," responded to by Mr. Jacob; Mr. de Lautour "The Mining and Commercial Interests Mr. Bremner "The, Ladies;" Mr. Brookes, "The Press." Mr. Armstrong was called upon for a song, and gave a short stanza, to the amusement of all.

In replying to the tonst of •' The Mayor arid Councillors " his Worship said—ln rising to reply to the toast so kindly received, I can hardly find words in which to thank vou I may say the erection of this budding has been a source of great anxiety to myself and Councillors. iVot being'successful in developing, as we hoped, a brick trade, we determined to initiate concrete as asuitab'e building material in Naßeby. The minor object we had in view has already been obtained, as may be seen by the nearly completed building for the Bank of New South Wales, and the English Church now being erected. I am confident that the wisdom of erecting such a building will, in the course of next, year, become evident—even to those anions our friends who have thought it premature. As helping to permanently fix the locality of Naseby as a leading township in the Plain its value will be very great. We are not here to talk much but to dance, so I will not detain you further than to ask you to remember that the prosperity of Naseby .cannot possibly be of" greater interest to any one more than to myself—taking into consideration my long; residence among you, and the many kindnesses i have experienced at your hands, collectively and individually. I thauk you for yoiii- kind attendance, and your good wishes tonight. « t.'r. Craig capitally replied for " The Ladies," protesting against the inevitable bachelor being selected fur so honorable a task, pointing out that it was the married gentlemen that should know all the excellencies of the fair sex. not the bachelors. The tables were afterwards cleared, and dancing was m-commenced with vigor, and continued until, we believe, about s'X a.m. A most pleasant evening was spent, the only drawback being that those presefi must have felt a little sorry that their pleasure was not shared in by more Mr L. VV. Busch is to be On so succe a fully cariying out the first may<r.l ball in Naseby, at a time when so many are away, and when a reactionary feeling against festivity—from the races having su recently been held—would be expected. The music was good throughout the evening—Master W. Collett, piano ; Mr. Vickery, flute; ; and Mr. I)eaker, violin. i