WOODVILLE RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 289, 13 December 1897, Page 2

WOODVILLE RAILWAY.

THE OPENING CEREMONY.

SPEECHES BY THE GOVERNOR

AND PREMIER.

■' <B? Telegraph.-Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day. The opening of the last section of the through railway line between Napier and Wellington via Wairarapa was on Saturday afternoon made the occasion of a suitable demonstration at Woodville, the junction where the line branches oil to the Wairarapa. A special excursion train with about 300 passengers left Wellington in' the morning. The party consisted mostly of members of Parliament (including Messrs Seddon, Thompson, Captain Russell and Mr Rolleston) and their friends. Excursions were also run from Napier and Palmerston. The former was poorly patronised, but the latter carried; about 250 passengers. Woodville was reached about two p.m. The weather was magnificent, and the township and district were en fete. The railway station buildings were lavishly decorated with bunting and evergreens, and in a similar manner tho township showed evidences of rejoicirig. , The Governor, together with Lady Ranfurly and suite, arrived about half-past two p.m., from Palmerston, and were received with great ceremony by the residents. An address of welcome was presented to His Excellency, who made a suitable reply, expressing his pleasure at being present on such an important occasion, and stating that it would always be his earnest endeavour to promote the prosperity of the colony. He said the signs of progress he had seen during his travels through the country spoke volumes for the perseverance and industry of the early settlers, and this was especially noticeable in the Woodville district, which 20 years ago was native bush and unroaded. After this ceremony, which concluded ■with hearty cheers for' Lord and Lady Ranfurly and Mr Seddon, an adjournment was ihade to the Drill-house, where some 300 of the visitors were entertained at luncheon by the residents of the township. The Mayor (Mr Gothard) presided, and was supported by Lord and Lady Ranfurly, Mr and Mrs Seddon and Mr O'Meara, M.H.R. for the district, at the same tables being several other prominent members of the Legislature. After the usual loyal toasts, The Mayor proposed the toast of "His Excellency and Lady Ranfurly," to whom he extended a hearty welcome to the district, and expressed a hope that their sojourn in the colony would be a most pleasant one. Lord Ranfurly returned thanks for the cordial manner in which the toast had been received. It gave him very great pleasure to be present on such an important occasion, for he believed the through line of raihvay would be of great benefit to the district, and would enable settlers to obtain more extensive markets for their products. The completion of this line gave the settlers two competitive routes by which- they could send their produce to market, and competition was always in favour Of the producer. He spoke of the importance of Woodville as the railway junction, and he hoped the district ■would now enter upon a. new era of lasting prosperity. He warmly congratulated the Minister for Railways upon the completion of this section, and trusted the line would prove to be of financial benefit to his department. His Excellency regretted that Mr Hall-Jones could not be present at the Opening ceremony. He Went on to explain the hope that the increased railway facilities would induce settlers to make better use of the large areas of timber which now he regretted to say were being destroyed by the agency of fire. .This wholesale destruction of timber was a terrible waste, and he could not help thinking some more profitable use should be made of this natural product of the country. In a few years there would be great scarcity of firewood, and the cost and carriage of coal would then be a heavy burden on the settlers. He knew other countries in which the loss of timber presented a difficulty like this, and he felt sure the question was one which would occasion considerable difficulty in New Zealand in the future. His Excellency concluded by saying he would always have pleasant recollections of his visit to the district.

Mr Charles Hall proposed the toast of " The Ministry," expressing his pleasure at seeing both sides of the House so strongly represented on this occasion. He was extremely pleased to see that the present Ministry without a borrowing policy had been able to complete the line, which had been started as far back as 1372. He hoped the Ministry would in the future do as good work as it had done in the past. Mr Seddon, in responding, expressed his gratification at the hearty welcome and manner in which the toast had been drunk. He believed that whatever might be said for or against the present Ministry it would be generally conceded that they had done good, to Woodville in completing this railway. He regretted the absence of the Ministers of Public Works and Railways, but the preparation of the Public Works Statement was responsible for this. The change which had taken place in the district during the last few years bore testimony to the lieroic efforts' of the pioneer settlers. He reminded the gathering that the whole of the land in the Seventyfive Mile Bush district was purchased from trie natives between 1869 and 1872 by the Hon. J. D. Ormond, who then held the. oflice of General Government .Agept for Hawke's Bay, and he took this opportunity of extending to that hon. gentleman his hearty thanks for the good service he had thereby rendered the country. He went on to say that the construction of 21 miles of line from Ekatahuna to Woodville had cost £160,000. The work had been carried out on the co-operative system at a cost of £5,800 per mile, while the section frOm Masterton to Ekatahuna, which had been constructed under contract system, cost £6,759 per mile, which showed there was no material difference between the two systems. During the six* years the present Government had been in office 518 miles of railway had been constructed at a cost of about £1,295,000; something like 1,100,000 acres of land had been purchased from the natives, and a very large area of land had also been acquired for settlement from European owners. In the same space of time 2,693 carriage roads, 1,923 horse road, and no less than 386 bridges bad been constructed. This was a record to be proud of, and if the Government obtained for it the credit it deserved they would be satisfied. Mr Seddon went on to say that in a young cOlony like New Zealand it was necessary to open up by roads and bridges new country, for it was only in this way that consideration could be shown to the pioneer settlers. During their term of office the Government had passed no less than 450 statutes and the Ministry still survived. Alluding to the Governor's reference to the wholesale destruction of timber, Mr Seddon said the want of railway communication was, to a great extent, responsible for this. As to the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company, he admitted it had done a good thing for the colony, and it would not be right for the Government to go in for a cutting-down policy as regards rates, to injure a company which had done the colony such service. There would only be friendly rivalry between the Government and Manawatu lines, and the Government, at any rate, would act fairly towards the Manawatu Company. Mr Burnett proposed the toast of the members of the Legislative Assembly. Captain Russell, who responded, paid a

tribute to Lord Ranfurly, who he felt sure would perform his work in the pleasantest manner possible, and help the legislative machinery to go smoothly. In Lady Ranfurly he 'would have a worthy helpmeet. He believed all honorable members Of the Legislature worked honestly, according to their lights, for the best interests of the country. He was very pleased to see this gathering, for, as a Hawke's Bay man, he considered the line must be of immense benefit to his province. Mr Ward also spoke a few words, and re-echoed Captain Russell's opinion that the one desire of all members of the Legislature was to promote the general welfare of the colony. Several other minor toasts were disposed of, and the special trains left for their respective destinations shortly before five p.m., the Wellington party reaching home at midnight.