THE PROCEEDINGS IN WELLINGTON.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10998, 22 June 1901, Page 9

THE PROCEEDINGS IN WELLINGTON.

LAYING THE FOtfNDATJasr STONE

OF RAILWAY OFFICES.

(PIXBS ABSOOIAHOM THJiOaAM.)

WELLINGTON, June 21

The ceremony of laying the foundation) stone of the railway offiaee in-Feafcher-ston' 'street took pjUuoe ait noon. The dirizzling rain of the mornr ing. settled into a. steacCy , pour precisely as the function commenoedt. , Th© lofty staging forming three sidles of a, square pro vidted eeata for some 1300' people, 'to invitations were issued* but apart from these the attendance of the public was riot large. The Taranaki battalion supplied the guard of honour, and attracted general β-ttention and high commendation for their spjienidid physique. There was o small aruay of cameras in position, all levelled at the stone; which: stood ready under the ga'ly <3teconated. pavilion, the approaches to which were through banks of lycopodium, and , evergreens in wluoh, as in mockery, two fountains played. The stone was inscribed with "E.R. , ? and flhe Royal Arms in gilt relief above the wonle, "This stone was laid t*y H.R.H.tihe Duke 'of Cornwall and York, 21st June, 1901." The Royal party contained several members of the nuite, and the Governor and Ministers, with a number of ladies, occupied seats on the pavilion. ' • ■

Lady Ward presented tbe Duchess witihi a bouquet in a beautiful holder, of gold and greenstone and pearls. The Minister'of- Railways thien roadi A statement of usual coins and documenta contained in the cylinder deposited) beneath tfte stone. After declaring the stone well and duly kid, the Duke said he was happy that the last ceremony of a very pleasant visit ,ib Wellington should 'be in connection with so important a department as the railways, yluch was always a tell-tale of the prosperity of this country, and the fact that more accommodation was needed was a proof of the prosperity of the colony. After alluding to thf work done in construction, hie congratulated Sir Joseph Ward and his predecessor, Mi Cadman, on their admmietration. He expressed gratification at what ha had. seen yesterday in the workups, and praised I/be handsome carriages provided for his accommodation. (Cheers.)

Mr Carmichael, the contractor, having been introduced!, wraps were produced, ana the Royal party drove away in cloeeft carriages. As at all public functions wibere they have appeared, the Prince woe welcomed with hearty cheers., A very handsome gold trowel with a greenstone handle, enclosed in a carved Maori oaeket, was presented to the Duke, along with a mallet of native wood. THE DUKE'S SPEECH. The following is the text of the Duke's speech at the kuyiiig of the foundation stone of the railway offices: —

"Ladies and .Gentlemen,—l am happy to think fchat the last ceremony in connection with our very pleasant visit to Wellington should -be connected with, so important v a department as that of railways, and I am glad to hare been able to associate myself with the new buildings to be erected for the business of their administration. The fact of the necessity for more extensive accommodation is proof of the prosperity of these islands, for there is no better tell-tale oi tine state of a -country than its railways. When we remember that scarcely thirty years ago the ground on ivftich we now .«tand was washed by the sea, and that since then more than 2000 miles of railway have been constructed, on which upwards of five million passengers were carried in the past year, the colony I think, may indeed have every reason to 'be <prood of the manner in which her internal communications have been developed. , My friend Sir Joseph Wrad, and Mr Cadnran, h» aide predecessor, are to be congratulated, The Duchess and 1 were much interested in seeing the "railway workshops yesterday, and we h&v*

hfed personal gipetfeoue of the exoeilence of their work ia the channktg mai moat wot* fortabie carriage ihat bsrobeea so kindly placed at oaf diapoeat; I desire once mom to cay what (Ammom it as to the Duohwe ♦nd myeeliio fcejvreaenfc on this occasion."