THE WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 142, 3 May 1879, Page 2

THE WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Cutting op the First Sod. Ngaruawahia, May 1. The Ministerial party arrived at Hamilton at 10.30. The Premier went and inspected the bridge which is now being erected over the Waikato, and which will be a great convenience to the whole district. At 1 o’clock an excellent lunch was served at Pearce’s Hotel. Rain began to fall shortly after noon, and the Premier, learning that there were several hundred school children at the place, wished to go on at once. Lunch was, however, partaken of, but the chairman (Mr Gwynne) stated that there would be no speeches The Mayors of Auckl md and Thames were present. The latter apologised for the absence of the County Chairman. The sod was turned in a paddock on the Claude’s farm, on the east side of the Waikato river. The Deputy-Mayor read here the address to Sir G. Grey. The Premier returned sincere thanks foi the address, saying— I return you sincere thanks for the address which you have been so good as to present to me. I can assure you that it it is to me probably a greater pleasure than yourselves that so great a work has been made this day. Myself and my colleagues, one of whom stands by me here, a New Zealander himself, and one whom it must delight you all to see serving his country at so young an age, giving promise of what the New Zealand race hereafter will be, I say myself and my colleagues are determined to do our utmost my all means to aid the prosperity and advancement of New Zealand. (Cheers ) That public works will pay can no longer be doubted. I suppose that you are all aware that some railroads in the Middle Island are already paying what would be in' England as a sufficient rate of interest upon the capital invested in their construction. Therefore theie can n© longer be any doubt that rail ways in this country will earn a sufficient return to pay the interest on the money which had been expended in their construction. The first railways were necessarily built or constructed in those parts of New Zealand in which there was the greatest population and had the greatest number of .rates ; and clearly it was just that the first great expenditure upon works of this kind should be made where there were the greatest number of individuals to be bene fited by them. But now that the railroads have been largely completed, or so very nearly completed in those parts of the country where the population is so large, we come to a different state of things. We are now constructing railways to a town and district which the rising population of this country may speedily fill, and I have no doubt whatever, that a greater profit will be realised from these mil ways than from those which have been constructed in the thickly populated districts, because in the new districts of the country the public have large tracts of land to sell, to which a great value will be given by the railways which are being made _ to them. (Cheers.) I think you afl will agree with me, that a policy which has been introduced productive of so great a benefit to the country, should be followed zealously up, and that the people who have not yet experienced the benefit of the expenditure of public money, to which they have largely contributed, should in their turn have the country which they occupy filled with works of the same kind which have been constructed in other parts of New Zealand. (Cheers) It is a very wet day and 1 really could not say more to you if I were to occupy you for an hour, than to simply repeat that myself and my colleagues are determined to glee effect to what we believe to be the will of the people—that their country should advance as rapidly as possible to the position of a nation. (Cheers.) You may rely upon it thrt it shall be our constant endeavor,

and rest assured that we will, in so far as rests upon us, fail in no single effort which will push New Zealand rapidly ahead in that great career upon which she have undoubdetly entered ; and I say this further to you, that having seen what one New Zealander can do in office, get as many of your young men as you can to come forward, and thus aid in carrying on to the highest possible pitch that country which has given them birth. (Cheers). The Ministers then left by train for Ngaruawahia, where they will remain till to-morrow During the day a message was received by Sir George Grey from Tawhaio, stating that le could not understand why there should be any question as to inviting Sir George Grey to the meeting, since it had been previously arranged that he should go-