THE HUTT BRIDGE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 36, 30 September 1871, Page 3

THE HUTT BRIDGE.

Preparations on a grand scale were made during the latter end of last week in order to make the proceedings on the occasion of the driving of the first pile of the new bridge go off with as much eclat as possible. Invitations had been issued to a number that proved extremely inconvenient in many ways during the carrying out of the proceedings of the day, but that was a fault to which exception could be taken in only one instance, namely, the injudicious over-crowding of the luncheon room, for which far too many invitations had been issued. Traps in number had been detailed for the conveyance of those who intended to be present, and about eleven o'clock

THE START Was effected from Hatfield's Royal Hotel. The journey of our representative was anything but a pleasant one. Six persons cramped into a box not as many feet long, and so narrow as to necessitate the exercise of considerable discretion in disposing of the nether limbs, the delight being enhanced by the inmates being conscious of the fact that one of the springs of the vehicle was broken. The pleasures of the journey were varied by clouds of dust, sometimes caused by the rising of a slight puff of wind, bub mostly by the clatter of horses' heels, for we were passed by everything on the road, and early in the journey, made up our minds to reach the Hutt about the last, although we had started in time to be tolerably early on the scene. However, even this vexatious and tedious delay on the road had its advantages, for by the time of

THE ARRIVAL Of our conveyance at its destination the proceedings were about to commence, so that we were saved the disagreeable experiences of those who went up by the highflyers, who were hanging about in groups, not knowing how to dispose of the intervening time. Ladies and gentlemen were wandering about endeavoring, without result, to find something of interest amidst the surroundings of the place. There were two spots which seemed to become recognised rallying points—the site of " the first pile" and a portion of the road contiguousto Valentine's; andaboutboth places]were congregated members of Parliament, bedouins, gentlemen Maoris, overloaded with belltoppers and gold chains, and suffering from all the discomforts of small boots (large nines) ; men-of-war officers, stable boys, and a few intelligent " countrymen" of the district, forming a motley crowd, hanging about in silent gaze, not knowing what they did. Close to the pile-driving machine, on a piece of open ground, were drawn up THE VOLUNTEERS, Consisting of the Hutt No. 1 Company, under Captain Speedy ; No. 2 (the Sir George Grey's) under Captain Yalentine; and the Wai-nui-o-mata Company, under Captain Speedy, the Hutt band being in attendance. At the rear of these companies, the artillery had taken up their position for the purpose of firing the salute, Captain Pearce being in command. At half-past twelve o'clock the carriage of HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR Arrived on the ground, and after the consequent flurry and bustle of preparation in arranging a small procession had been overcome, his Excellency led the way down the bank to the pile driving machine, accompanied by Mrs Fitzherbert, his Honor the. Superintendent, with Lady Bowen, following, the rear being brought up by the leading ladies and gentlemen of the province, members of the Legislative Council, and members of the House of Representatives. As the party passed, the Volunteers presented arms, and the band struck up the Anthem. The workmen having got everything in readiness for the event which had been instrumental in attracting such a numerous gathering, the monkey was swung, and his Excellency having pulled the rope attached, declared the

DRIVING OE THE FIRST PILE To have been successfully conpleted. Immediately on the fall of the monkey the Artillery fired a salute of twenty-one guns, a proceeding wliich, however commenaable as an acknowledgment of loyalty or royalty, was exceedingly aggravating to those in the proximity of '' the pile" from the fact that the guns had been planted with such beautiful precision that the smoke of every discharge came directly in the line of " the party." Some of the ladies were much annoyed, but Lady Bowen stood it " like a man." Indeed, in the presence of Captain Moresby, of the Basilisk, for any one to have flinched would have been to show the white feather. At the conclusion of the firing the following speech was delivered by

His Excellency : Ladies and gentlemen, or rather on an occasion like the present, when I find myself surrounded by my countrymen of all classes and occupations, let mesay — Friends all; for " rank is but the guinea stamp," a«d " a man's a man for a' that," or rather as Baker's Hill may one day rival the rich goldfields of Otago and Auckland, I should better quote, " the rank is but the guinea stamp, a man's the gotvd for a' that." I may say that it gives me much pleasure to be present among you here to-day for the purpose of driving the first pile of the Hutt bridge on behalf of the Superintendent of Wellington. His Honor has placed me in a somewhat difficult position. I have just driven home a pile, or rather, aa I have just heard one of the

workmen near me call it, a " stump ;" and I am very much afraid his Honor the Superintendent wishes to turn me into a stump orator. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think ycu all may be congratulated on the prospect of the speedy completion of a great public work—l mean the Hufct bridge ; and I wish to pay a tribute to the workmen whom I see around me, who will erect here a structure, the success and the credit of which will depend no less on the heads that contrive than on the hands that execute. In a colony like this workmen have opportunities of advancing themselves even more than at home to positions of eminence, and why should they not emulate the noble examples of Stevenson, Arkwright, and others who have risen from the ranks of the working classes. I hope that the thousands of -workmen who will shortly be employed on those great public works soon to be commenced throughout the colony will make for themselves happy homes on the broad and fertile lands which will be thereby thrown open to them for settlement ; when we will no longer hear the sound of discontent; and when the fabric of material prosperity will be supported by that great social bulwark, the education of the people of the country. Tho colonising measuros approved by the late Parliament are appropriately followed by the Education Bill now before the present, and if the intentions of the Government receive a hearty response from the people of the country, contentment and happiness must overspread the whole of this great colony. Three.cheers were then given for the Queen, three for the Q-overnor, three for Lady Bowen, three for the Superintendent, and three for Captain Moresby and the Royal Navy. At the conclusion of the cheering the party reformed in the order in which they had arrived at the scene, and as soon as they began to move off the volunteers presented arms, the band playing the Anthem. THE LUNCHEON. In the Masonic Hall had been prepared the luncheon. To Mr Yalentine is due a considerable amount of credit for having provided what it is customary to call " a sumptuous repast." Enconiums were passed upon the good quality and arrangements of the table, but many were the complaints of those who had received invitations, but were unable to procure admittance ; many influential gentlemen from other provinces, whom it was desirable should obtain seats, being crowded out. About three hundred persons sat down at the first table, fully one-half of that number being ladies. His Honor the Superintendent occupied the chair, having his Excellency the Governor, Mr Stafford, Mrs Fitzherbert, and other ladies on his right; while on the left were Lady Bowen, Mrs Fox, and Mr Fox. Mr Bunny occupied the vice-chair, immediately facing the Superintendent; His Worship the Mayor and Captain Pearce occupying those on the left and right respectively. The Superintendent occupied the chair, and proposed the first toast. His Honor the Supeeintendent : The first toast I have to propose is a toast that is proposed wherever Englishwomen or Englishmen meet together, because we are essentially a loyal people. It matters not that we have emigrated some 16,000 miles ; we have not forgotten the traditions of our forefathers. I shall eay no more; nor is it necessary. The one word I am about to propose to you supersedes the necessity of anything being added to it—" The Queen." The toast was followed by three enthusiastic cheers. After a little breathing time, the next toast was proposed. His Honor the Superintendent: The toast which I am about to propose to you, ladies and gentlemen, is known officially as the toast of the day. You will already have anticipated, I am sure, the toast that I am about to propose, and I have to labor, therefore, under the great disadvantage of having my thoughts, as it were, appropriated before I have uttered them myself. I nevertheless, under that great disadvantage, shall, in the most obstinate spirit, proceed in making my brief oration. When we consider that in a humble village of New Zealand, such as the one in which we are assembled to-day, we are honored by the presence of the representative of her Majesty, together with that of Lady Bowen; I say when we consider that we are, after all, a mere village a struggling village and that the highest dignitary in the land, the Governor of the country and his lady, and other distinguished ladies, whose beauty —well, I shall not speak of beauty, for we must all bow down to that in adoration; and when we are honored by a representative of that body whose strength is best known on divisions (cheers) ; and representatives of both branches of the legislature of the colony ; when, I say, we poor humble villagers in this valley of New Zealand find ourselves to-day so much honored, I am sure you (will all sympathise with me very much when I tell you that I am utterly unable to make a speech. (Laughter.) la reality sometimes it does happen that in humble villages in all parts of the •world, not only in tales in novels, where such an event forms an interesting feature to the reader (laughter), but in practical life they are honored in a similar manner, though it is frequently in a merely literal and superficial sense j when I tell you, ladies and gentlemen, of the kind way, the courteous w,ay, the ready way, in which the application which I had the honor to make to the Governor to preside on this occasion—to perform that ceremony which he has so ably performed — and which will stamp him for ever and anon as a stump orator of the highest order (great laughter) ; when I tell you that at considerable personal inconvenience, at short notice, and in the frankest manner—for I was not met by mere excuses of pressure of business and the inconveniences it would entail—had the Governor of the colony declared his willingness to be present with ub to-day he has conferred upon us a great honor, and among

other things I may mention to you that amongst the duties of a Governor there are many collateral duties that are little thought of by the people, and that he had to take hours that ought to be spent, that might have been spent in more leisurely duty—the duty, the important duty, of preparing an address to be delivered at the meeting of the New Zealand Institute this evening—l repeat that he has conferred on us a very great honor. And Lady Bowen, too, after the fatigues of a journey to our village—what have we to offer her; nothing better than to walk upon the banks of a desolate river. (Laughter.) The greatest beauty we have to show is the gift of Heaven —the bright sunshine. We have no beautiful gardens; nothing to offer in return for such kindness. Yet it is under these circumstances that we have been honored, not only by his Excellency the Governor and Lady Bowen, but by all those ladies and gentlemen who I see around me. But there is something more than that in it that is valuable : it is that feeling of joy we experience when our trouble evokes the gratitute of mankind in all parts of the world, and of womankind too ; not the presence of friends and acquaintances in days of prosperity, but the kind work spoken in the day of adversity, and that is our case to-day ; for, ladies and gentlemen, this is the fourth bridge we are about to erect (great laughter), and we have been honored by such a numerous gathering on this occasion—a brilliant as well as numerous one —that I am afraid tlie provision made will not prove equal to the requirements of the day ; but although we have many shortcomings I hope our lady friends, as well as the mem- ■ bers of the sterner sex, will forgive us for any failings that may have been apparent in this attempt at a village entertainment. But there is still something more. The presence of so many persons around me is particularly significant of a very general interest in the public works about to be inaugurated in all parts of the colony. The day has been in New Zealand when the affairs of a little village would not have elicited the sympathies, not even the passing attention, of those great peoplein power ; but now wo find that the inauguration i of a bridge over our streams is regarded as a I matter of sufficient importance to assemble on the occasion the most influential persons in the state, and that gives one bright hope for the future, because it shows that we are beginning at length to recognise the reality of national life, and that those feelings which formerly assumed the shape of local jealousies are now beginning to stimulate a just and generous stimulation; that even the building of a bridge over our streams is not thought an utterly insignificant matter, but is taken as an indication that we are parts of one great colony. The toast I wisn now to propose is that of " His Excellency the Governor." (Immense cheering.) His Excellency: Mr Superintendent,ladies and gentlemen : I beg to thank you most sincerely for the very hearty manner in which you have responded to the toast which the Superintendent has proposed in such kind and complimentary terms. I assure you that Lady Bowen and I do not consider c>ur attendance at all inconvenient or troublesome. When the Superintendent placed me on the "stump" this morning I thought that, in his own words, I had sufficiently distinguished myself as a stump orator and that I should have no more speaking to do, bat it appears that a great deal of work has been cut out for me to do to-day, both physically, socially, and intellectually ; physically, in the driving of a pile ; socially, in mixing among you here to-day, and very agreeable it is; and, intellectually, in delivering the annual address at the meeting of the New Zealand Institute this evening. The Superintendent said just now that I should become immortal as a stump orator, and now Mr Bathgate, who sits opposite me, tells me that I shall become immortal in another capacity. He tells me that I have come out today in the character of a high priest. Of course gentlemen will at once see that the principal priest of Rome was called pontifex, because he built bridges, and it appears that the bridges ©f Rome were as often swept away by the Tiber as those of the Hutt (great laughter), so that I am, as Mr Bathgate has sa id—according to that classic lore, which is to be expected from a representative of the University City of New Zealand —a pontifex or high priest. The chief priest was called, in Latin, pontifex maximus ; which means the biggest priest of all. (Great laughter.) When I was at Dunedin lately, Mr Macandrew, the Superintendent of that province, whom I don't see around me, but with whom I was talking just before coming in—surely he has not stayed away from the luncheon, the most important part of the day's business—that is very unlike a Scotchman. (Great laughter.) Well he said at a luncheon at the commencement of the railway there, that the Governor was always welcome in Otago because he was the connecting link between the colony and the mother country, and I replied that I was sure they would rejoice that the link was so stout. (Great laughter and cheering.) I heartily congratulate you on the ceremony of this day, and I hope it is only the first of a series of public meetings which will take place at the inauguration of other public works about to be initiated by the Government of the Colony. I can assure you that Lady Bowen and I never consider it any inconvenience to be present on such occasions ; on the contrary, we are always delighted to meet the people on such occasions. I must congratulate you on the fact that while other countries in other parts of the world are wasting their time in destruction and bloodshed we are here pursuing colonising operations. The peaceful triumphs in which we are engaged are conquests not over man but over nature. They are victories not for our time, but for all posterity—not for New Zealand, but for all mankind. Before I sit down I will give you the toast—" Success to the Hutt Bridge."

AN ACCIDENT. Soon after the luncheon room had been filled an accident of a lamentable nature occurred outside. Three apparently very quiet horses were being led up the right of way between the Hall and the hotel when one of them becamereßtive andkicked oneof anumber of boys who were congregated near the hotel. The poor boy's skull was fractured so extensively as to at once lead Dr Wilfcd and Dr Norris, who were on the ground, to the conclusion that the saving of his life was impossible. The boy, the son of a person named Hall, was at once conveyed to his home, on the other side of the river, and we have since learned that he has died from the effect of the fracture. EESUMPTION OP THE LUNCH. No sooner had the first batch of celebrants concluded their labors at the luncheon table than a second rush was made for a place by the hungry ones who had been waiting outside. After a little delay, Mr Bunny took the chair, and having apologised for the want of accommodation, continued the speechmaking, congratulating the colony and the province on the evident turn in the tide in colonising measures by the initiation of public works. Speeches were made by Major Richardson and Mr John Williamson, but were not of sufficient importance to demand reproduction. THE BETUBN. Scrambling having been the order of the day, scrambling for seats became the present consideration, some whose " special" traps had departed utilising the seats of others whose keenness for business had been blunted by pleasure. However, there proved to be plenty of room for all who desired to return to town, and Hatfield's was reached by the majority of the visitors by half-past four, his Excellency having left the Hutt at about half-past three.