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TE AWAMUTU RAILWAY EXTENSION THE OPENING.

This event, which has been loorked forward to by the settlers of the Te Awamutu and the Upper Waipa districts with such lively anxiety, came, off on Thursday. For years past — indeed ever since the settlement of the district, the efforts of the settlers have been hampered by the want of available means of communication with the outside markets. The completion of the railway, by which -means these dis- j advantages will in the future be obviated, was therefore hailed with satisfaction by all, and from this date Te Awamutu will no doubt enter on a period of advancement beyond anything which it has known in the past. The first train run over the line under the control of the Traffic Department left Te Awamutu on Thursday morning ; but the line was not considered formally opened until the arrival of the special, which left Auckland at 7 a. in. the same day. Owing pro.bably in a great measure to the very \ unpropitious state of the weather, very few Auckland people availed themselves of the opportunity thus presented of taking a flying trip to the Waikato, and a number of the carriages were consequently left behind at Mercer. On its arrival at Hamilton there were very few passengers, the officials indeed forming the majority. Among these were Mr Stewart (District Engineer), Mr Macdonald (General Manager), Mr D. M. Beere (Resident Engineer), and Mr Hale, O.E. Among the AuckJ land visitors, some of which joined the train at Hamilton, were Mr S. Jackson, Captain Anderson, and Mr Watt. About a dozen Hamilton people also got on here, and the train proceeded in the direction of Te Awamutu at 12.30 p.m. At Ohaupo a large number of people joined, and shortly afterwards the new line was entered upon. This was found to be in capital order, very little oscillation being noticeable. At Ngaroto several additional passengers were taken on, and shortly afterwards the pretty little township of Te Awamutu came in sight. The weather was beginning to clear, and the visitors were afforded a good view of the surrounding country. At the teuninus a large crowd had been collected to welcome the guests, and great preparations had been made, by a display of evergreens, flags, &c, to make the ceremony as effective as possible. At the north end of the platform a very pretty triumphal arch, constructed of ferns, evergreens, and flowers, and bearing the legend " Welcome Friends," had been placed over the line. Under this the train (which was drawn by two engines, Mr Fallon's, gaily decorated, having met the train at Ohaupo, with Mr Fallon himself in charge) slowly move,d, while the Cavalry Band, looking smart and soldier-like in their new uniforms, played some very spirited selections. The platform was also graced by the presence of a real Highland piper in full costume, and who was apparently the cynosure of all eyes'. Immediately on disembarking the visitors were kindly welcomed by the Committee, headed by the chairman, Mr James Cunningham, and the energetic secretary, Mr J. Farrell, and conducted to the large goods shed, where a plentiful supply of beer, sandwiches, etc., had been prepared and were eagerly partaken of by those to whom the ride through the clear, bracing air had given good appetites. The shed had also beendecorated,and a portion ! laid off to serve the purpose of a root, fruit, and dairy procuce show.

The Show was indeed a remarkably good one. Owing to the shortness of the notice given, the Committee had to work most energetically together to secure that the exhibition should be a good one, and in this they were heartily seconded by the settlers and others who had anything to show. Taken altogether, w© doubt whether a better show of produce could be got up in any part of the province ; for not only were the exhibits of a very superior description, but they were fairly numerous as well. Mr Thomas Hunt, manager for Mr. A. Y. Macdonald, showed some splendid samples of turnips, grown from seed purchased from the well-known seed merchant,Mr U.E. Clark, Cambridge, and succeeded in carrying off the prize of a silver cup, valued at 5 guineas offered by the last named gentleman. In potatoes, Mr C. J. Storey exhibited some splendid samples grown on his farm at Mangapiko. They were specimens of a very large crop, an acre and a-half of yielding nearly twenty tons. The soil was of the very best description, being old grass land, and the whole patch received about 5 cwt of Mexican guano. There can be no better proof than this of the wisdom of manuring good land, which will show much better results comparatively than soil of an inferior description, similarly treated. Mr Parsons showed some splendid specimens of apples grown in his magnificent orchard of Southern seedlings, described, some months ago, by our correspondent " Cincinnatus." The same gentlemen also exhibited a specimen of virgin honey 1 in the comb, taken from one of his Quinby hives, which he has introduced into this colony from America. He had also on view, portions of the frames which are contained in. the box hives,

and upon which the combs are made. Mrs Westney exhibited some very nice-looking dried peaches, and Mrs Maudeno some .of the same kind of fruit preserved in tins. Both were excellent of their kind. In dairy produce there was a very good show. *There were five entries of fresh Uutter, all of which were favorably commented on by the jndge. Mrs Gibsons exhibit, however, was awarded the prize as being less salt than the 'others, which were shown by Mesdames Storey. Mandeno, and Bruce. Mrs Gibson also obtained a prize for salt butter, though it was the only entry, and Mr Henderson of Kihikihi was similarly circumstanced as regards this exhibit of cheese, which was of excellent description. ! Mr Bruce obtained a prize for bacon ham. There was only one sample each of wheat, barley, and oats, and each from its good quality obtained a prize. We must not omit to mention some splendid specimens of bricks from the Te Rahu brick-kiln, exhibited by the manufacturer, Mr North. Several small prizes were also given by the members of the Committee to the natives for the best kit, &c. The following is the prize list : —

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE. Swedes — First prize, Mr Gibson; second, Mr T. Hunt. Mangolds — First prize, Mr T. Hunt ; second, Mr Gibson. Carrots— First prize, Mr R. Burke; second, Mr North. Purple top turnips — First prize, Mr Weal ; second, Mr E. Parsons. Potatoes — First prize, Mr C. J. Storey ; second, Mr C. J. Storey. Barley — First prize, Mr Bruce Wheat — First prize, Mr John Shoi-t. Oats— First prize, Mr W. T. Thompson.

DAIRY PRODUCE, &C. Fresh butter — First prize, Mrs Gibson ; second, Mrs Storey ; third, Mrs Storey. Salt butter — First prize, Mrs Gibson. Hams and bacon — First prize, Mrs William Bruce. Cheese — First prize, Mr James Henderson.

MISCELLANEOUS. Apples — First aud second prizes, Mr Parsons. Three exhibits. Preserved Fruits. — Dried peaches — Prize, Mrs Westney ; tinned do, prize, Mrs Mandeno. Honey — First prize, Mr E. Parsons. Messrs Gibson, Hunt, Floyd, and others competed in the potato class, but their entries, although excellent par se, were not nearly so good as Mr Storey's. Everybody seemed thoroughly well pleased with the character of the show, and the decisions given by the judges.

The Day. After the show, the visitors betook themselves to the town in various vehicles and on foot, but the nature of the weather precluded the possibility of taking any walks around the neighborhood. The afternoon was, therefore, spent in and about the town, a numoer of visitors going to see the old mission church and the grave-yard. The return train, which left Te Awamutu at 5 p.m., took away all the Auckland and many of the Hamilton and Ohaupo visitors.

The Dinner Took place at half-past 5 o'clock, in the billiard-room of the Central Waikato Hotel. The tables had been arranged in the form of a T, to suit the peculiar form of the room, which was very nicely decorated with evergreens. Covers were laid for about 80, and fully 60 sat down to a most excellent repast, provided in host Lewis' well-known style. The viands were plentiful, and of the best description, and the guests d'd the fullest justice to ail before them. The chair was occupied by Major Jackson, supported on his right by Mr James Stewart, District Engineer, Mr Hales, C.K., and Mr Wainwright ; and on his left by Mr Fallon, the contractor foi the Te Awamutu section, and Mr Fdrrell, secretary of the committee. The vice-chairs were filled by Messrs. Winstone, and James Cunningham. Amongst the guests we noticed Messrs. A. Y. Macdonald, General Manager of the Railway, D.M. Beere,Resident hngineer.Knorp CE. Sloane, .Storey, Pai-som. We&tney, H. Roche, J. R. Roche, Cunningham, Moncriof, Bosanko, Gresham, G. E. Clark, McMinn, "Walton, Hunter, and ino&t of the prinipal settlers in the district The desert having been discussed, The Chairman called foy bumpers to drink the health of " Her Most Gracious Majest the Queen," the toast being received with the liveliest demonstration of loyalty. The toast of "The Governor," was also proposed and duly honored. Mr Vice - chairman Winstone, next called on the company to drink to "The present Ministry." They need not alarm themselves, because he did not intend to talk politics, or to speak on the subject of the Property Tax. It would be out of place on an occasion such as that, to open up a question upon which perhaps no two of those present could be found to agree. They knew, however, that the present Ministry was the offspring of the majority of the House, and would continue to hold office so long as they possessed the confidence of that majority. When they failed to possess such confidence, they would be quickly suppressed. While, however, they retained their present position, it was the duty of the people to accord them a fair support. He would ask them to drink the toast in bumpers. The toast was heartily drank, and the Cavalry Band (which here entered the room), took up a position fronting the Chairman and played, '* For he's a jolly good fellow." Major Jackson said it had fallen to his lot to respond to this toast. He could have wished that the task had been allotted to abler hands — to his friend Mr McMinn, for instance — but he would do his best. He did not intend to enter into politics, for many reasons, one of which was that they would not have much time to spare before the concert began. He would say however that the present Ministry occupied a peculiarly responsible position. They had the ultimate welfare of the colony in their hands, and all he could hope was that they would conduot themselves as well as their friends expect ted. He hoped that nothing they would do, if for the good of the colony at large, would render them unpopular. The people of New Zealand had a very heavy debt to pay off, involving something like £4000 per day for interest, and in the face of this the Government would have to resort to some means for raising funds or reducing the present expenditure. In either case they were sure to get into disrepute. They had a large army of civil servants, but in discharging one of these they came into collision, with perhaps

fifty people. He hoped however that regardless of popular feeling the Govornment would fearle|gly do .what they considered to be for the godd of the country, (applause.) Captain Rutherford proposed the toast of their member, Mr. F.A. Whitaker, and the Parliament of Now Zealand. Ho would not, maito a eptech ; but lie was sure the Waikato members had the interest of the vVaikato thoroughly at heart and that they wore doing all they could for the district. Ho asked them to give a hearty response to the toast. The toast was enthusiastically honored. Band— "For he's a jolly good fellow." Mr McMinn, in responding, said he had once had the pleasure and the honor to represent them in Parliament, and, although it might be considered in the light of a piece of grim irony that he should respond to the toast of his opponent, and the successful candidate in an election which he had contested, he hoped he did not regard their member with other than the most friendly feeling. Mr Whitaker was, he was sure, doing the best he could for them in Wellington. He did not remember a period when things in Parliament were more mixed than at the present time, and this was a strong reason why they should support their member in any course which it seemed proper for him to take. He was in the best position to judge what course he should follow, and so long as he remained worthy of their confidence they should leave him unfettered. He (Mr McMinn) believed that Mr Whitaker was doing his best for the district and would continue to do so. (Hear, hear). He thanked them veiy much for the manner in which they had responded to the toast. Mr Vice-Chairman Cunningham said the toast he had to propose was one which was drunk with enthusiasm in every part of the British dominions. It was "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers. " Most of those present had borne arms at one time or another, and although they had now turned their swords into ploughshares they were not indifferent as regards the subject of the toast. The Army had always done its duty wherever it had been sent. The Navy had always been the pride of Britons, and although they were separated from the mother country by the wide expause of ocean their hearts would continue to beat high at the recital of the deeds of those noble followers of Nelson, Jarvis, and Howe. Regarding the remaining branch of the service, he would say that the Waikato possessed Volunteers second to none in the colony, and they were justly proud of them. He sincerely hoped that the Cavalry would not be called upon to draw thsir swords against the foe, but if such a dire contingency arose he had little fear about the result. (Applause). The toast was drunk in bumpers. Band — « R e a white and blue." Major Jackson responded to the toast. It had, he said, been his good fortune to be associated with both the great arras of the service in the Waikato, for some of them would remember the good service rendered during the war by the Naval Biigade. Wherever they went the blue jackets took their guns with them, and d good account they gave of themselves In regard to the army he might say that had it not been for that thpy would never have been sitting there that night. (Hear, hear.j It was the troops who prepared the way for them — the settlers. Of the Volunteers he did not intend to say much, as he was one himself. But he would say this, that in all parts of the world volunteers had done good service. He need only instance the case of the Cape and Canada. He hoped, however, that their Volunteers would never have occasion to cross weapons again with their Maori friends over the border. One of their number, a great chief, would have been their guest that evening-, but was prevented by sickness. He read the following translation of a letter received from Rewi :— " Puniu, 30th June. " Friend the Major, — Salutations to you. My heart is very dark, on accouut of my body being weak ; for which reason I am unable to fulfil the invitation that I got to go to Te Awamutu to listen to the talk ; also to be at the dinner at the opening of the railway and to sco othei sports that w'll be at the same gathering. But, however, it does >ot matter, as we will see our friend when I am better able to meet them. Friend, put this into English that our friends may spo it. "Na Manga." He thought the time was past for quarrelling with their neighbors— for they were then eighbors —and very nice neighbors some of them were They would perhaps like them better if they showed a disposition to open up more of their lauds. (Laughter.) He hoped the Volunteers would always be found doing- their duty. He thanked them very much i'or drinking their health. (Applause.) The Chairman proposed the toast of " The District Engineer, Mr .Stewart, the General Manager, Mr Macdonald, and the Engineering and railway staffs." Like the Government, these gentlemen had a very difficult duty + .o perform. There was only one way in which a railway could be taken, and there were often fifty ways in which people would like it to go. They had a duty to perform to the public, and he believed they did it to the best of their ability. Mr Macdonald had always done his best to further the interests, of the settlers, and the whole of the staff had always beon found by him (the Chairman), to be most civil and obliging. As a community they were indebted to the railway staff. The toast was duly honored, the Band playing " For he's a jolly good fellow." Mr. Stewart responded. He said his name had been very kindly mentioned and he thanked them very much for it. The chairman hit the right nail on the head when he said the Engineers could not please everyone. They, however, tried to work for the interest of the country at large, the greatest good to the greatest number, though they were not always successful in getting individuals to believe this. He had been very ablyseconded in his work by his assistants .ad by the contractor. This was not the first railway contract, Mr. Fallon had undertaken and he hoped it would not be the last. (Applause). He had always found Mr. Fallon ready to carry out his work no matter what difficulties he might have to encounter. They all knejv something of the nature of the difficulties connected with the section the opening of which they were met together to celebrate, but next to the contractor himself he was perhaps the only person who knew their extent. No doubt Mr. Fallon had a very feeling recollection of what these diffi--culties were. He again thanked them very much for the honour they had done him. Mr A. Y. Macdonald also responded. He said it gave him great satisfaction to be present at the opening of a section of the line which would contribute so largely to swell the balance on the right side of the ledger. He remembered seeing some; where of a speaker who instanced two qualities which he said it was indispensable that railway servants should posses? — the temper, of an angel and the skin of a rhinoceros. (Laughter). However this might be, he could assure them that when anything went wrong on the line it gave far greater annoyance to the officials than it could possibly give to those who

■ — T— felt themselves aggrieved by it. He ha 4 much pleasure in taking this opportunity of thanking jfche settlers for the help they had accorded him. More especially was this true of the older settlers, men who had to rough it for themselves, and were fully aware of the difficulties which ha\ r e to be encountered in a new country. He hoped that the railway would be a success and would fulfil all that the settlers expected of it. He again thanked them. (Applause). The Chairman said he had received telegrams from the Mayors of Auckland and the Thames, and the Resident Magistrate (Mr Northcroft), regretting their inability to be present at the opening and the dinner. The toast of " The contractor, D. Fallon, Esq., "was proposed by theChairj man. As Mr Stewart had said, the conj tractor had had a great many difficulties to contend with in the construction of the line. If it had not been for the trouble which just one mile of it had given the line would have been opened much sooner. He had kept filling in this place and still the sinking had been going on, and for all that he knew was still going on. (Cries of " No, no.") He Lad had other difficulties to fight also ; but he had succeeded in bringing the train safely into Te Awamutu. On behalf of those assembled, he thought he might tender their hearty congratulations to Mr Fallon, coupled with a hope that the work had paid well. (Hear, hear). The toast was received with musical honors. Mr Fallon, in responding, thanked them fordrinking to his health so heartily, but they would excuse him if he did not make a speech. However successful he might be in railway construction, speechmaking was not in his line. He might say he had tried to do the work honestly, and also to make it pay. (Hear, hear). Mr A. M. Wainwright said it had been left to him to propose " The Visitors. " If their visitors had not been numerous on that day it was nolely owing, he believed, to the badness of the weather. Had the day been fine they would have had a very large gathering. He would couple with the toast the name of Mr G-. E. Clarke, of Cambridge. He thought the thanks of the district were due to that gentleman for introducing a magnificent prize for competition at their ' show that day. It was in the shape of a silver cup, for the best turnips produced from seed purchased from the giver of the prize. He thought that such a course as that adopted by Mr Clirk furnished one of the best stimulents, which could be found, to induce the introduction of root cidtuie, and he hoped th.it the example of Mr Clark would be folloAved by others. Regarding the Show itself he thought that, considering the shortness of notice given, it had been very creditable (Hear heai.). He would ask thorn to toabt " The Victors." The toast was drank with enthusiasm, the band playing " Auld Lang Syne." Mr Clark responded, and in thanking them for drinking his health so heartily, ."-aid he could haully be considered a visitor, as he had lived in Waikato nuw some twelve years. His primary object in offering 1 the pi ize so kindly referred to by Mr Wainwright was to afford something in tbe nature of a guarantee of good faith, that he was supplying: a good article. He was highly satisfied with the show of roots he had that day seen. By encouraging these shows he was enabled to see how he could improve in making his selections of seeds for the different parts of the district. He had offered a cup for turnips only, and not for the best collection of roots this year, because when he had decided to offer it, it was rather late for sowing, and the farmers in the Cambridge district had gone in for carrots and other roots, while there was little else but turnips in the Waipa district. The competition — open collection of^toots — would not have been open to the latter. Next year he would eive a cup for the best collection of roots. He had to apologise to the committee for not being- able to hand over the cup to them just then. He had been obliged to order} the cups from England, to tret the be>>t value and they had not arrived as he had expected by the la-t Frihco mail. They had he learned a* rived in Melbourne by the Lugaria and immediately upon receipt of them he would hand one over to the committee. (Applause. Mr James Stewart said ho had been somewhat unexpectedly asked to propose the tnaist of "The Agricultural and Commercial Interests of Waikato." Nothing 1 could bo more important, especially the agricultural portion, ylthough the two must naturally go together he cuukl conceive of no commerce without agriculture or borap other means of extracting the goodnetw out of the land. He was fvery day more and more impressed with the necessity of giving 1 greater attention to agriculture. His eai'liest recollections weie conuected with farming an I some portion of his youth was past in th.it pursuit, and as year after year went by, it was a sourc3 of great delight and pleasure to him to watch the advances which agriculture made in the Waikato. He hoped that many of those present would live to see the line still fuithor extended ; it might be that this would not occur for years, but he had very little doubt that ere long 1 the condition of tho district would warrant it. (Applause. ) The toabt was heartily drank. Band — " Speed the plough." Mr Hnngerford Roche responded on behalf of agricnltu c. He said ho was not going to make a long speech, because he did not believe in long- after dinner speeches. He came to the Waikato 16 years ago, when it was a wild waste of fern and in the hands of the soldiers, and he was happy to Hay he had lived to see a railway running through it. The district presented a very different appearance now from what it did when he fust remembered it. It was changed, if he might say so, into a %i smiling vineyard ". They possessed land the best in the colony, in proof of which he need only ask them to consider the qnality cf the beef they had sent to the Auckland market. If they had not in the past done much in the way of producing grain and roots it was simply because they had had no inducements held out to them to do so they had been i&olated fror.a the markets and the price of their grain had they sent any to market would have been swallowed up in freight charges. Now, however, the railway had come amongst them, and the farmers would be freshly energised to attempt what befoi'c they had not cared to do. He had heard that in some country the people had at fii-it supposed an engine to be the devil, and all he could say was this, that if the devil did come to them in the shape of a locomotive with a train behind him, he would heartily welcome him. He considered that the railway would enable the settlers of that district to compete with Canterbury and the country about Auckland. They ought to be able now to keep Canterbury entirely out of the Auckland market. He was not at all jealous of the prosperity of the Southern Provinces, but he considered that they in Waikato had the best right to their own market and ought if possible to keep the others out of their ability to do it ; if exorcised he felt quite confident. A gentleman who visited the Waikato a ' short time ago had remarked that they had some of the finest land in the colony but they were lazy. Now he quite agreed with the remark about the quality of the land, though he denied that they were lazy. (A voice, "yes we are "(Loud

laughter). No he did not think so, and he thought he had shown them the real cause of what appeared to that gentleman to be laziness ; it was the difficulty which they-experienced in getting rid of the produce of the land when grown. (Hear, hear). As ho had said the condition of things was much altered now and he hoped that fanning would begin to give better returns. As to the paying nature of the railway he thought they were alwaya remunerative when taken through, a settled <igricultural country. He understood that the Waikato Railway was the second be^t paying line in the colony, and now that the Te Awamutu extension was opened he hoped thejr would soon be able to say that it was the best paying line. (Applause.) It was not a bogus railway,Jjke some in. the South Island, constructed with a view to benefit some large land-owner, it went through some ef the best land in the colony, settled by small farmers, and could not help paying. They \uid to thank their chairman for seeing the railway through the Delta to Te Awamutu. At the time when the line was commenced a strong attempt was made to take the railway up the other side of the river. Major Jackson, however, did his utmost to bring the railway their way, and their thanks were due to him for accomplishing his and their object. The opening of the railway «ras an event iv the history of the district, and he hoped they would long live to avail themselves of the advantages which the line would confer on them. (Applause.) The speaker then continued : " What is the toast, Mr Chairman ?" The Chairman : You are responding foj "Agriculture." (Loud laughter.) \ Mr Roche : Well, gentlemen, you must excuse my forgetfulness. I was carried away by Mr Fallon's engines. I thank you very much for drinking the toast so heartily. Hear, hear.) Mr Winstone responded on behalf of th c com mer cial interests. Commerce was certainly not very lively ; but, notwithstanding all that, they in Waikato had had very little experience of the severe crisis which had been felt in other places : he was happy to say that so far as Te Awamutu was concerned they had felt no crisis at all. The opening of the railway would mark an epoch in the history of this district, and so swell their busiuess that before long he trusted to see Mr Macdonald compelled to run not only one but three or four trains a day between Auckland and Waikato. (Hear, hear). Mr McMinn proposed "The Prosperity of Te Awamutu. " Being a stranger there he could do this with all the better grace. He had always looked upon Te Awamutu as the eye of the Waikato since he first entered it with General Cameron in 1864, and he considered that it was calculated to play a very important part iv the history of the colony. The toast was enthusiastically received, the band playing " Home, Sweet Home." Mr Sloane briefly responded, and in doing so proposed " The Show Judges." This toast was also drank with musical honors. Major Jackson, in responding, said all the turnips shown that day were very good, some being better in quality, while the chief merit of others was their bulk. He would wish that at future shows the turnips be shown as they came out of the ground without any preparation. The judges would be better able to decide on their merits. Mr S. Edward Smith, in a few brief remarks, proposed " The Ladies," a toast which met with a vevy hearty reception, the band playing " Here's a health to all good lasses." Mr McMinn responded. Mr Sloane, in a long .aud somewhat entertaiuing speech, proposed " The Press," and it was duly responded to. The toasts of "The Host and Hostess," "The Band," and "The Chairman," having been duly proposed and responded to, the band struck up a few bars of the National Anthem, and the company separated at a little after S o'clock

The Concert. Immediately after the dinner a move was made in the direction of the Public Hall, where a vocal and instrumental concert was held, the funds of which were devoted to the hall fund. The programme had been somewhat hurriedly got up, but nevertheless the entertainment was a thorough .success, aud reflected considerable credit on Mr Benge, who was chiefly instrumental in making the arrangements. There was a large and appreciative auience, and the chair was occupied by the Kew Mr Phillips. The concert commenced with a pianoforte solo, "The Woodlands,' ' by Mi&s Nelly Wainwright, and was rendered in a style that gave pnrni^e of much future excellence. Mr Geor» - e Hunter sang- the popular old bilad ' The Friar of Orders Grey, " in a fine free st}'le, his full ba?s voice giving due effect to the low passages. Then followed "Golden Stairs" by Miss A?h, a song which whs pl.nnth ely rendered, and in response to an encore in part repeated. Mr Win stone favored the audience with an interesting funny reading entitled the " The big mistake," and gave it in a manner that put every body in good humor. The duet, " Hymn of the Moravian Nuns" was very correctly rendered by Miss Mandeno and Miss Jackson, and fully deserved the applause with which it was received. Mr Wilkinson's comic Irish pong found much favor, and was loudly encored. Miss Allen was in excellent voice, and did full justice to the song " Home they brought," having also to submit to a recall. The duet, " The Larboard Watch." by the Rev. Mr Philips, and Mr Benge, was excellently rendered, being sung with spirit and taste. Then Mr Benge contributed one of Tom Hood's comical poems "How I got my bow legs," which was followed by "Nil Desperandum," by the Rev. Mr Phillips, in which the rev. gentleman was very successful. To this su 1 ceeded a chorus, "We are singers, " and " The Harp that once, " by Mrs McDonnell. In the rendition of the flong, possessing so many pleaasing assosiationa, Mrs McDonnell exhibited considerable power, and well deserved the applause with which her efforts were receieed. Mr S. Edward Smith gave a recitation from Roger's "Italy," entitled "Genera." Mr Benge sang in very pleasing style " Her bright smile haunts me still." Miss Allen was again very successful in " Coming through the Rye," which was followed by one of the best thiugs of the evening, a instrumental overture from Beethoven. The trio, "Ye shepherds tell me," by Miss Mandeno, the Rev. Mr. Phillips, and Mr W. Mandeno, and the "National Anthem" brought the concert to a close. Miss Mandeno, in addition to her other very successful efforts kindly accompanied all the songs in her usual careful and finished manner, and in this way contributed in no slight degree to the success of the evening. Several members of the band also did good service in the concerted instrumental pieces. The result of the entertainment, in a financial sense, was, we understand, very satisfactory. A very pleasant dance succeeded, which was kept up with spirit till about 2 a.m. yesterday morning ; the necessary musao being supplied by the band, assisted by several amateurs.

An Idaho man committed suicide the other day. He left as an excuse that he "wanted to get their before all the best claims had, bees, taken uj>."

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Bibliographic details

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1250, 3 July 1880, Page 2

Word Count
5,799

TE AWAMUTU RAILWAY EXTENSION THE OPENING. Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1250, 3 July 1880, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU RAILWAY EXTENSION THE OPENING. Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1250, 3 July 1880, Page 2