Sir George Grey's Speech AT THE Railway Demonstration at Hamilton.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3183, 2 May 1879, Page 2

Sir George Grey's Speech AT THE Railway Demonstration at Hamilton.

[BY TELEaBAPH.]

(feom oxte special coskespondbnt.)

NorXß.UA.wxa.ii', Thursday .evening.'

The following is Sir George Grey's speech at the turning of the first Bod ®f the railway, after the; presentationoorf r an address :-— .' ' ; .'■'.''''.'.''].'. ■, '.';. '.'.]-,

I return you my sincere thanks for the address which you have been so good as to present to me. I can assure you that it is to me probably as great a pleasure as to yourselves that bo great a work has been inaugurated to-day. Myself and my colleagues—one of whom stands by me here, a New Zealander himself, and whom it must delight you all to see serving his country at so young an age, and giving promise of what the New Zealander race hereafter will be—l say for myself and for my colleagues we are determined to do our very utmost, by all the means in our power, to ~ add to the prosperity and advancement of New Zealand. That public works can pay, will now no longer be doubted; I suppose you are all aware that some railways in the Middle Island are already paying what would be in England regarded as a sufficient rate of interest upon the capital invested in their construction. It can,, therefore, no longer be doubted that railroads in this country will find a sufficient return to pay interest on the money expended oh their construction. The first railroads made were necessarily constructed where the population was. Abundant population had ihe largest number of votes, and clearly the first expenditure on works of this kind had to be made where the greatest number we s to be benefited by their construction. But now that the, railway system had been so largely extended in those parts of the colony where the population is large, we come to a totally different state of things now in constructing railways through the country to open up districts which the young men who are now growing up may speedily fill, and I have no doubt whatever that greater profits will be realised from these railways than from those constructed in thickly populated districts, as in these district! the public have large tracts of land to sell to whioh great value will be giren by the railways which are being made. I think you all will agree with me that the policy which has been so productive of great benefits to the country should bo zealously followed up, and that those who have, not yet experienced the benefit of the public monies to which they have so largely contributed, should now in their turn have the country which.they occupy filled with worki of the same character which have been constructed in other parts of New Zealand. >;'. "i

It is a very wet day, and I could not say more if I had to occupy your time for an hour, and I can only repeat for myself and colleagues that we are determined to give effect to what we believe to be the welfare of the people and that of the country. You may rest assured that so far as "rests upon us, no single effort will be spared to push .New Zealand rapidly ahead in the great career upon which she has undoubtedly entered'; and I say further unto you. that, having seen what one New Zealander can do in. office* train as many of your young men as you can to come forward, and let' them die in carrying on to the highest possible pitch that country which has given them birth.