BOROUGH BAIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 85, 11 August 1877, Page 2

BOROUGH BAIL.

The Borough Inauguration Ball, the preparation for which has formed one of the excitements of theilast fortnight, duly took place m the Public Hall on Thursday night. During the whole t-of Thursday, the building was a scene of active preparation and the throng of visitors, decorators and purveyors that - formed a constant stfeam or ingress and egress must have been suggestive to even the most casual observer of the something that was to be. By even-tide the ordinarily dignified sombre looking edifice had been metamorphosed. It was dressed out m its gayest and best and brought into perfect harmony with the scene of jollity shortly to be ushered m. The interior walls 'were tastefully festooned and garlanded with indigenous evergreens. On the' wall over the dais was printed m flowers the motto "Advance Palmerston, 11 and skirting the prominade was the more usual and utile device — a plentitude of well-cushioned seats. Before nine o'clock the guests commenced to arrive, and shortly after the proceedings commenced there were about 150 persons present. Between nine and tea o'clock his Worship ,the Mayor opened the ball, having for his 'partner Mrs Macarthur of Feilding, Mr Halcombe the while, following withj;he Mayoress. Then, m very unmistakeable measures "There was a sound of revelry by night," Which iwas kept up- with unflagging zeal until six o'clock the . next morning. The opening dance was one. arranged for the occasion, but m other respects the programme was observed. the suppeb: ■ The, supper, which was supplied by Mr W. Doards of -tho Princess Hotel, -

was m quality all that could be desired, and was served at about 2.30 a.m. After sufficient time had been allowed the guests to discuss the substantial as well as the multitudinous delicacies spread out for their delectation, the Chairman, A. F. Halcombe, Esq., m a few appropriate remarks, proposed the usual loyal toasts, " The Queen," and " His Excellency the Marquis of Nor--1 manby." These having been honored most loyally- — The Chaibhan said it was now his pleasurable duty to refer tcT the event — the inauguration of that form of local self-government — which they had, -met to commemorate that evening. It "was certainly a most desirable end to have accomplished m so short a time. He | xras that . night forcibly reminded of a | peziod only a iew short years ago when | m travelling f rora Foxton to Palmerston he had met with a lady looking over a 1 gate. As he drew near she expressed disappointment at seeing him. She said " Why, I thought you were a woman! I expected to see a woman to-day." He understood that lady to say that she Had not seen, one of her own sex for ■ nearly two years; such was the unsettled nature of ..the country at that ■^time. .But now .when we look around us' we -see comfortable residences, fine public buildings such as the one they i were occupying that evening, and signs of improvement everywhere; and he thought that- these things' were matters for congratulation. He was sorry that m efforts to obtaiu local self-govern-ment a sort of antagonism was frequently arroused; This ought not to be. One part ofa district ought to rejoice m the prosperity of another part. He felt' sure that Palmerston. could not progress without assisting - the -other towns m the district, and they could -not progress without >. benefitting Palmerston. The toast he was about to propose was that of the new Borough, but as he did not know how -he could call upon the Borough to respond he would pin with it the name of one 1 whom by their .unanimous vote, they had placed at the > head of Borough affairs. It was a , notable fact that all had. declined to contest the Mayoralty with Mr Snelson, declaring that they considered him the fittest person • to occupy that position.' Prom his own of Mr Snelson, he knew that his aim and object had been to advance the, interests of Palmerston, and to assist struggling individuals. He would" too include dn the toast' the name of the lady whom the Mayor was fortunate enough to. call his wife.. toast having been received with , enthusiastic applause — , The Mayor said he desired to thank i them very on behalf of Mrs i Snelson and himself for the cordial I manner m which they had received I the toast just proposed. He could say t,hat ength of time he had worked m connection with public Bodies " m the district. He had first served as a warden m the Highways Board and was afterwards elected as Chairman of that body. Since then he had been returned at the head of the poll to the County Council; and now that Palmerston had been i declared a Municipality he had been unanimously elected as the first-- Mayor of the Borough. It was a s satis faction to him to look back upon these several events m his history, and he could not but accept the events of the past few days as a further confirmation of. the confidence which had been from time to time placed m him. His heart was m the advancement of the place. He knew that Palmerston was a wonder to outsiders. They ask, what makes the place progress so ? Some hlave sai,d that it is the public works, but he said, not. There is wealth " m the place itself. There are large tracts of valuable timber country, and good rich land. The public works had certainly given trade m the place an impetus, but it was to the people themselves — their Scandinavian brethren, with whom they had always been united — and the resources of the district that its present prosperity .was mainly due. Their iinity was m a great measure the secret of: their success. It is true they had received -assistance from outsiders, notably from their worthy Chairman, who had always been ready to assist m any -undertaking for the benefit of, the district at large. He would < now • call ' upon them to drink a bumper to the " Health of Mr Halcombei" The toast having been honoured m bumpers of champagne — Mr Halcombe said, m responding to the toast of his health, that an unexpected honour had been paid to him. He thought they had already received ample guarantee from him of his wilto further the interests of the whole Manawatu district. He had been identified with the district from' -its commencement, and his whole interests were m it. He had plodded through the road from Poxton to Palmerston m all its stages, through mud and water, .on the tramway, and since by rail. In so much was he identified with the district that m the Provincial Council of Wellington he went by the name of " Manawatu." He was glad to see the present sighs of progress, and it realized what he had said years ago. Pour years ago an attempt had been made to bring a locomotive to Palmerston, but unfortunately that locomotive wouldn't _"gee." He had then said that Palmerston would become m time the lower Manawatu. He would now venture upon this prophecy that ere long Palmerston would he the port for the whole of the Manawatu district. It would have a line of rail running along by the hills to "\JTellihgton, and the event -they had met to commemorate • that night was but an earnest of futuregood. Palmerston was yet m -its infancy. It would become an important place, receiving the produce from thousands of , acres 'of magnificent agricultural land. He cordially symp-

athized with the efforts of the community to gain for themselves- local self-government. He would now call upon Mr Linton to propose the next toast. Mr Linton said he remembered many of the incidents referred to by Mr Halcombe. He remembered meeting that gentlemanwhen he (Mr Linton) was on his way to JPalmerston. He had felt somewhat disheartened at the rough appearance of the. country he saw around him, bat Mr Salcomhe'had told him ! that he was going to a good country,, and he had found Jiis words to be correct. He was one of the first settlers, andhe believed his .wife was the second female to arrive m Palmerstpri. He now had much, pleasure m proposing the health of " Our Guests," an«f was only sorry that there were not more present. This toast was warmly received, and ably responded to, after which* Mr Abrahams proposed the health, of the Councillors, to which Mr Linton responded. ■'" . .V •■ .; . Mr Kkockbb proposed " The Ladies," basing his remarks on his well-known phrase— "This is too much bliss." Mr Smyth returned thanks m appropriate terms.;; ;^ ; - ■