OPENING OF THE RAILWAY TO DUNEDIN.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 751, 6 September 1878, Page 2

OPENING OF THE RAILWAY TO DUNEDIN.

I CHRISTc'HUROH. September 6. The first through train to Dunedin left this morning at 6 o'clock. A very larg. party was on board, including the Governor, members of both Houses of the L.< gislature, the Mayors and City Councillors of Christcliurcli and Duiedin, representatives of many other ptiblii bodies, and the Dvmodin Railway Brass Band was-also of the party. They awokthe echoes of the streets before 6 o'clock. The train was piloted by Mr. W. Conyers, Commissioner of Railways. ASHBURTON. September 6. The first through train, with the ViceRegal and Parliamentary party, readied here at five minutes past 8 this morning I His Excellency was received at the railj way station by the Mayor and Town ! Councillors. The Town Clerk read a pithy address of welcome and congratulations. His Excellency replied as follows: " Mr. Mayor and gen leuitn, I thauk yur. for your address, and for the expressions of loyalty and good will which it contains I cordially join you in hoping that the great work, whose completion we are celebrating to-day, may add to the prosperity and happiness of tbe country. Time and tide wait for no man ; neither will the railway, hence, brevity is necessary on this occasion. Gentlemen, I cordially thank you for your welcome." His Ex-: eellency was then driven to the Town Hall, where the company breakfasted. The morning was beautifully fine, and the town looked gay with flags and a-rches. At half-past 8 the train left the station eft route for Dunedin. TIMARU. September 6. The train conveying the Governor and suite, members of Parliament, and other distinguished visitors arrived here at a quarter past 10 this morning, the Volunteers firing a royal salute. They were received by the Mayor, Borough Councillors, Harbor Board, and Chamber of

Commerce, The Town Olerk read an address congratulatory on the union of Duiipdin and Christchurch by rail. His Excellency replied, trusting that ttiia would be an increase in the prosperity of both Provincial districts and New Zealand also. At the back of the station a guard of honor was drawn up in line on either side of the steps, the Volunteers being under the command of Captain Hamei'sley and Lieut. Wardle, and the Cadets under the commuid of Captain Jackson. The Governor and suite were driven in a carriage and four greys to Meikle.'s Gro=venor Hotel, where refreshments were provided. Af'er staying there about ten minutes, the party returned in the carriage to the Railway Station, the train departing at 10.35 for Oamaru. The town displayed a large amount of bunting, conspicuous amongst which was a white flag on rop of the chimney shaft at Bruce's mill, 135 feet high. At the foot of Georgestreet a triumphal arch was erected, with the word "Welcome" on either side at the top of the arch, while on each-side crimson bannerets were suspended, bearing the words " Success to Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce," and also "New Zealand Progresss. Canterbury and Utago united." Under these were two splendid specimens of fern trees, and four smaller bannerets were suspended from poles. The railway platform was cleared of all but those invited, and cocoa-nut matting was laid down. At 10 a.m. the firing of the royal salute by the volunteers and cadets announced the approach of the party. A salute was also tired on the departure of the train. Near the arch the members of the fire brigade, .vith their engine, took up their position. Great disappointment is expressed at the suortness of the visit. THE PARTY AT OAMARU.' From »n early hour this morning people have been busily employed preparing for one of the greatest events that hns ever occurred in this Colony—the openingljbf railway communication between the two first Provincial capitals to be connected by the iron road. Every train that arrived brought its fair complement of visitors, and long before the arrival of the special from Christchurch the town was thronged with people from all directions, from Christchurch to Dunediu, all anxious to witness at least some portion of the interesting ceremonies .■I- ;itcted with so great an event in the • Sony's history, rf Some attempts at decoration and display were made, but with a r'ew exceptions they were not satisfactory. This result is, perhaps, attributable to the fact that most of the residents in own did not deem it necessary to make elaborate displays, seeing that the stay of the party in Oamaru was limited to so short a time. There was a fair show of flags in various directions, the Bail way Station and Breakwater of course being most noticeable places, the very small number of vessels at the Breakwater displaying their bunting. The Railway Station was also decorated with green boughs, &c. A railing was along either sidn of the station to'prevent people ruahing on to the platform, admission to which was by ticket. A temporary platform was placed between the passenger station and the goods shed, on which the address from the Municipal Corporation was presented. Some time before the special train arrived the Volunteers mustered on the vacant spaGe the Northern Hotel. There was a very good turn out of the two companies, which were under the command of Captain

Morton, of the Artillery. By 12 o'clock h large concourse of people had assembled \t the Railway Station. The Volunteers, with the exception of a detachment of the Artillery who were to fire the salute, >vere drawn up in line near the temporary platform. The firing by the Artillery of the first of the salute testified the fact that the train with the Governor and oarty was ar proaching. At a few minutes ifter the appointed time—half-past 12 ■'clock—the train arrived. It was one of .;reat length, and was drawn by one of he American engines. Altogether it wrought about 300 passengers, including die Governor and suite, members of Pariament, Mayors and Corporations of Wellington, Nelson, Greymouth, Ch'rist;iiurch, Dunedin, Timaru, and other ulact'S, besides a large bevy of ladies. As Ilia Excellency alighted from the carriage ae was greeted with cheers, the Artillery tiring the salute, the gii'ird of honor presenting arms, and the Dunedin Railway Bind playing the National Anthem. His Excellency having been welcomed by his vVorship the Mayor, the following adiress, read'by the Town Clerk, was pre-

ented to the Governor : To His Excellency the Honorable George Augustus Constantine Marquis of Normanby, Karl of MusgTave, K.G.C.M.G., &c., Governor of New Zealand and Vice-Admiral of the same. .May it please your Excellency,— We, the Mayor and Municipal Council of the Town of Oamaru, in the name and on behalf of the citizens, :ordial!y greet your Excellency on the occasion of this, your sscund visit to this town. We desire to assure 3-our Excellency of our warm sentiment of lo3'alty to Her Majesty the Queen, of tvhom we receive you as the representative, and of our attachment to her thr- ne and person. We hail the visit of your Excellency on this auspicious occasion as signalising the completion of the AmberleyDunedin p .rt:on of the Great Trunk Railway of the Middle Island, which, by rendering the means of communication easy between the cities of the North and -•iouth, must tend greatly to the progress of th'S part of New Zealand, as well as to the comfort and convenience of the travelling public, and we hope that the scheme of the present Government, for a wide extension of the railway system of the Colony, will be carried out, and that at no distant date all its various settlements will l.e linked together by the iron road. We are, your Excellency's most obedient humble servants, (Signed by the Mayor and thewholoof the Councillors. His Excellency in reply said : Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen—l receive with nl'-nsure the assurance of y"Ui' loyalty to Her Majesty. If. is very gratifying to me t':at on this the occasion of my second visit to'Oamaru I should have the pleasing duty to perform of opening this conuec--1 ion between Canterbury and Dunedin. [ feel confident that this extension of the railway will be the means of greatly increasing the prosperity of your district. I rejoice to think that it has fallen to my lot, during my term of office in this Colony to have the privilege of thus commemorating the close of the first act-of the .great Public Works policy. I trust from year to year that not only the prosperity of this portion of the Colony, but of the whole Colony, will progress as rapidly as it has hitherto done. If it does so, I am sure it will equal the hopes and expectations of even the most sanguine of its inhabitants. Three cheers were then given to the Governor, on the call of the Mayor, and the party having resumed their seats, the train proceeded to the Breakwater. On arriving there they proceeded on to the new wharf. Mr. Sumpter, Chairman of the Harbor Board, briefly welcomed his Excellency,

and thanked Mm for having paid a visit of inspection to the works. He said it was but a few years since his Excellency had stood upon a portion of the Breakwater, and he was confident_that the progress sitice made would meet with his Excellency's approval, the breakwater proper having been greatly lengthened and the inner wharf entirely constructed since that time. He felt sure that his Exc-llency would be pleased to learn that the Harbor Works had been not only a great success, but had proved an immense boon to the town and district. It was also a matter for congratulation that the work had been designed and carried out by a New Zealand engineer and New Zealaud contractors, and he believed he was correct in saying that it was one of the most stable works of the kind in the Southern Hemisphere ; in fact, that it would bear favorable comparison with works of a similar nature in any part of the world. While in other places concrete works superintended by eminent engineers had been seriously injured, this had been carried out so far without one mishap or casualty, and it had been proved oapable of withstanding the heaviest of seas that visit the coast. His Excellency and the distinguished visitors would be gratified to learn that through the aid offered by Parliament they had been able to accomplish a great wm-k, and that any further assistance •efforded by Parliament would be carefully and judiciously applied in completing what had been so well begun. The Secretary (Mr. T. Forrester) then read the following address :

To His Excellency the Honorable George Augustus Constantine, Marquis ef Nornianby, Earl of Musgrave, K.G.C.M.G., Governor of New Zealand, and Vice-Admiral of the same. We, the members of the Oamaru Harbor Board, desire to welcome your Excellency to the scene of our enterprise an this, your second visit to Oamaru. We also desire Iq testify through you our loyalty to the throne and person of Her Gracious Majesty the Queen. It is gratifying to us to be able to point out the enduring nature of the work, which three years ago was opened for traffip in your presence, and to inform your Excellency that, the Breakwater works, which have been in constant progress since that time, have so far resulted in safely to the shipping frequenting our port. We beg to congratulate your Excellency that during your Vice-Regency vast strides have been made in the progress of this country, the occasion of the opening of the through line Duriedin and Christchurch, which, has given us this opportunity of meeting you, bi-ing not the least significant evidence of that progress. . [Signed by the Chairman and members of the Harbor Board.] His Excellency thanked them for the expressions of loyalty to Her Majesty contained in the address. He said it was gratifying to him to see the great progress made in the harbor work since his visit, <md he hoped, and indeed felt sure, that the work would fulfil the most sanguine anticipations of its promoters. The work appeared very substantial, and he believed it would secure safety to the shipping of the port. He then referred in similar terms to those used in bis previous reply to the ocoasion of his present visit, and spoke of the. great benefits which would flow from railway communication. He hoped before long that the portion of the line uecessary to complete communication with Invercargill would shortly be opened, and that it would promote harmony and prosperity to the people. His Excellency, then in compliance with a request from Mr. Sumpter christened the new wharf " Norrnanby wharf," the operation being performed in champagne. The train then returned to the station, and the party proceeded to

THE LUNCHEON which was held in Mr. Smnpter's new store in Humber-atreet, which had been tastefully decorated for the occasion. The room is a spacious one, capable of holding a very large number of people, and no better selection could have been made by the Committee. There were sis long tables, one across the room, and five placed along almost the whole length of the building. The seating accommodation was for 350, for which number preparations were made. A capital cold collation was provided by Mr. F. Earle, the caterer, and of this the guests partook heartily. The Committee had very wisely decided to have everything in readiness for at once proceeding to business, th« whole of the poultry being placed upon dish.es already dissected, while many of the joints were carved. This was done in order to avoid delay, and to prevent the possibility of guests being compelled to leave Oamaru without having partaken of our hospitality ; a,nd it was well that this arrangement had been made, for if everything had been left to be carved sifter sitting down, it would have been impossible to have got half through the business before the time for the train leaving. Another innovation of a noticeable nature was made. There was an utter absence of champagne, tha< sparkling beverage which is supposed to be a necessary adjunct to every public feasting. We fancy that a very large number, at any rate of the guests, acthis change with thankfulness, for there was an abundance of claret, and other beverages of an equally suitable nature. We must compliment Mr. Earle upon the excellent manner in which he carried out the heavy work he had to perform in so short a time. The luncheon provided was a capital one, and the attendance was highly creditable to the caterer and his assistants. The Chair was occupied by the Mayor, and on his right was seated His Excellency the Governor. Mr. Sumpter occupied the vice-Chair. The whole of the proceedings were of the most hurried description, and owing to the continued buzz of conversation carried on it was almost impossible to hear half of the very brief remarks made. The following ■i oasts were proposed and duly honored : —" The Queen, the Prince of Wah>s, and the Royal Family," proposed by the Chairman ; " His Excellency the Governor" (by the Chairman) ; ; " Success and Prosperity to Oamaru," proposed by His Excellency the Governor ; and the " Ministry and Members of Parliament." The proceedings were then brought to an abrupt termination, and a few minuteßjaiterwards, at 1.45 p.m., the special was on its way to Dunedin, three cheers being given as the train moved off. ' '- - -» OTEPOPO. September 6. A large number of the settlers in the Otepopo District assembled at the Railway Station to witness the arrival of the train with the Governor and the other distinguished travellers, but great wa3 the chagrin on every countenance when the train passed the station at the rate of 15 miles an-hour. The station was in holiday attire, having been beautifully decorated with evergreens, and an arch of flags by Mr. Rhodeß (Station master), . assisted by the ganger.