THE LAST SPIKE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 329, 16 October 1908, Page 6

THE LAST SPIKE.

OPENING CEREMONY FOR MAIN - TRUNK. ■ The precise dato for. "driving the ■ last spike" m official token of tho completion of the Main Trunk Railway has not yet been fixed, but it will probably bo Tuesday, October 27, which would give time for tho Ministers, members of Parliament,' and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, who will take part in the ceremony, to attend a subsequent function in Auckland, and bo back iu Wellington by the week-end. The ceremony will probably take place at Makatote,. which is, approximately, where tho rails mot. Tho two-days' "through'' services will commence on Monday, November 2. Tho celebration at this end of the line will probably take the form of a luncheon, to be given fiy tho Chamber of Coinmercq. Tho Hon. W. Hall-Jones has promised to attend, and tho Prime Minister and all the other Ministers will bo invited. Members of tlio Chamber and others will thou proceed to Makatoto and Auckland for the. subsequent functions. It is understood that the final arrangements will be made this week. Our Auckland correspondent telegraphs that tlio matter of fitting celebrations will be oonsidercd by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce very soon.' Tho delay in the inauguration of tho "through" express service robs tho occasion of a good deal of interest, but tho arrival of tho first regular train is expected to bo accompanied by a demonstration. A proposal has been made in some quarters that- monster excursions should be arranged between Auckland and Wellington, the excursionists from one city being convoyed to tho other with a days stop over at each end, but this is hardly likely to meet with so much favour as tho idea of excursions from both cities to meet half-way. where a fitting celebration would be held, in addition to functions in tho, two cities.