The Waikato Times. SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1879. 'THAMES WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1070, 3 May 1879, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1879. 'THAMES WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious or BoUticaL Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by inflirono^ and anbribed by gain.

TURNING THE SOD. The first sod at the Waikato end of the Thames- Waikato Railway, was turned by Ihe Hon. the Premier on Thursday, and though the weather wasanythivigbntpropitiousthesteady rain that fell in no way damped the enthusiasm of the inhabitant* and visitors. According to arrangements marie over night between the Ministerial party, then at Ngarnawahia, ,and the Reception Committee in Hamilton, the specialjtrain with » Ministers, visitors, and suite, arrived punctually at the Hamilton station at half past ten o'clock, and were met by the acting 'Mayor, Richard Gwynn'e, Esq, Dr. Waddingten, chairman of the Reception Committee, and other members of the Commitfee and Borough Council. With the Hon. Sir George- Grey and the Hon. Mr Sheehan were ulso Mr Moss, M.H.R., Mr McMinn, M.H.R., and Mr A. V. Macdonald, General Manager ot the Railway. A special carriage, in which the Acting Mayor went down to the station, had been provided for, Ministers and »a full programme arranged by the Committee for the reception at the station and for the return to Hamilton. This programme, however, was entirely upset by the conduct of one member of the Reception Committee, who took upon himself the reception of Sir George Grey, got him into his own conveyance, and to the chagrin of all present, drove off with him to Hamilton, leaviug the rest of the Ministerial party, the Acting Mayor and the committee, to come on in what order they chose. . Unfortunately also the programme was still further broken through, and, in order to enable, the Mayors of Auckland and Thames time to arrive by the midday train, Sir George was requested a3 a special favour to allow the lunch to take place at 1 p.m. instead of at half-past eleven, and the ceremony after tho lunch instead of before it, as had boen arranged over night and published in this journal. The consequence was that' the outdoor part of the ceremony was left until a. steady vnin had got in at

1 p.m. and the children some 400 in number, who had been goc upon the ground at 11 o'clock were kept waiting till half-past two o'clock when the sod was turuei. At 1 p.m. thirty-five gentlemen including the Ministerial party and i visitors .Eat down to a cipital luncheon at the Commercial Hotel, pioyiaed by the proprietor, Mr W.^ Pea'rce in his lisunl excellent styler which left nothing to be desired.-' The Premier of course occupied the post of honor on the right hand of the acting Mayor, Mr Gwvnne, who had the Hon. "the ''Native Minister -oh his left The vice-chair was occupied by Dr Waddington/ supported by the Mayors of Auckland And' Thames. \ At the .pressing request of Sir George '" Grey,' no toasts were proposed ; rain was thou falling, and he was anxious to adjourn as ':. speedily as possiblo to the ground, a full mile away, where the school children and others; had" been so long waiting; A general moye was made for the east side the river, the occupants of the various carriages harrying away as they well know the waiting fo 'turn fliat wonld take place at the pnnt. One of the last carriages to start, howevor, was that containing the 'Native Minister, and the ceiemony was necessarily delayed until his arrival. The sod was turned on the grass paddock in the rear of the residence on Mr Claude's ferm, and the large barn bad been available all morning as a shelter for the children. In consequence of the rain, still continuing, Sir George Grey decided to receive the address in the barn. The acting Mayor — accompanied by Crs. FJuine, Potter, Knox, .and. l Gardner— -then came forward and read as f< Tows, from a handsomely illuminated address. To Sie Geoege Geey,K.C.B.,— Sie, — Having been deputed by the Mayor of this Borough and the Committee to act on this occasion, it affords me the greatest pleasure, on benalf of the inhabitants of Waikato and this -Borough in particular, in welcoming you on this auspicious oCeasion. The event which has been the means of procuring us this pleasere is fraught with interest, to the whole of New Zealand. It is an earnest of the intention of the Government and tho public to prosecute with , vigor that comprehensive scheme of public works; which has raised us already to the importance and dignity of a nation. It is also a guarantee that the menaces which have existed for many years from hostile tribes will speedly be abolished, and'additional security given to investors and settlers ; and tho Committee, in asking you to turn the first sod at this end of the Waikato and Thames Valey Railway, desire to express to you the great satisfaction which they feel in common with the inhabitants of the district, and to wish you cordially health and prosperity, and also to thank you for your attendance here to-day.-For the Borough of Hamilton and the Railway Rocention Committee R. Gwynne, Deputy Mayor. The acting Mayor then handed to Sir George Grey the address itself, when the Premier replied : , I thank you for the address you hav« been so good as to present to me. "* I can assure you It is to me probably a greater pleasure than, to yourselves that so great a work has been inaugurated tliis day. Myselt 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 Ids 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 very utmost to aid the prosperity and advancement of New Zealand. That railways will pay can now no longer be doubted. They are paying in the Middle Island, and no doubt will pay here also, some railroads in the Middle Island are already paying what would be in Enorland regarded as a sufficient rate of interest upon the capital iuvested in their construction. There can no longer be any doubt the railways in this country will earn a snfficent return to pay the 'interest on the money which has been expended in their construction. Tho first railroads were necessarily constructed in those parts of New Zea'and in which tliero was the great population. The greatest population had necessarily i the greatest number of votes, and clearly it was fair that they should first be made where the greatest number of people would be benefitted. Bnt now a different stage in railway canstrnctiori had been reached. Railways were now beiner constructed to onen up districts which a rising population would speedily fill and no doubt a greater profit will realised from these roads than from these which have been constructed in thickly populated districts — because in the new districts of a country the public have large tracts .of land to sell, t» which a great value will be given by the railroads Which are being made. Shortly, I think ' you will all agree with me that a policy which has been productive of so great benefit to. the country should be followed i zealously up, and that those people who have not yet experienced the benefit of the expenditure of public money to which/ they have largely contributed should now 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 I really could not say more" to 'you if I were to detain you for an hour, than to simply repeat that myself and colleagues are determined to give effect to what they believe to be the will, of the people— that their country should'be raised ai rapidly as possible to a position of nat'oaal importance. (Cheers.) You may rely upon it that it shall be our constant endeavor, and rest assured that we will, in so far as lies with us, fail in no single effort which will pu/di New Zealand rapidly ahead in that great eareer in which she has undoubtedly entered. • And I say this further to you, that,' having seen what one New Zealander can do in office, train, as many of your young men to comef orward, and thus a : d in carryin? on to the highest possible pitch , that country which has given them birth. (Cheers.) All present then repaired to the s. round where the sod was to be turned. A piece of crround about tvo chains square had be3ti marked off with ropes and the. enclosure decorated with flags. The Premier, attended by the committee, many of the visitors and others, then entered tho enclosure and placing the sod in the barrow wheeled it a few feet and turned it over, amidst, loud cheers, then turned and bowed to the assemblage. Three cheers were then called for

and given for Sir George Gr*y j aud Mi- Sheeh'in, aod with three more for the visitors, the orowd dispersed. The Ministerial party left Hamilton about 4 ; p.m. per special train fv.r N«,'arua\y#hi« f whei'e thoy re'RßJned oa-^jmrsdliiy.^igh^'leaviag. fhy- steamer Jsßfcerdas;mornrng for 1 ' .Alexandra afc^B o'cl|fefc. t Ac Aiex'aindnithey wiU ; be raefc by "four large; war canoes, £0 takeri highetQbp tjjid riVer and on the place of the meefc- ! ing-.