OPENING OF THE AUCKLAND AND ONEHUNGA RAILWAY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXX, Issue 5115, 14 January 1874, Page 3

OPENING OF THE AUCKLAND AND ONEHUNGA RAILWAY.

A iarge number of persons went by special tiain to Onehunga on Saturday,Dec.2O, at the invitation of Messrs. Brogden and Sons, the contractors. At 1 o'clock precisely the train, which con aisled of an engine and four carliages, started from l (1 ort Britomart, and ran direct to Ouehuuga in 22 minutes. On arriving at Onehunga they proceeded to Mr. Sullivan's hotel, where a champagne luncheon, provided by the Messrs. Brogden and Sons, was partaken of. His Honor the Superintendent oecupied the chair, and among those present were Sir George Arney, Knt., Chief Justice ; Thomas Beckhain, Esq , R M. ; Dr. Goldsbro', the Hon. < r. M. O'Rorke Minister of Lands ; D. M. Luckie, M.H.R ; W. Swanson, Esq., M.H.R. ; J. Sheohan, Esq., M.H.R.; G. M Reed, Esq., M.P.C.; A. Beveridge, Esq.. M.P.C.; J. M. Dargaville, Esq.,M.P.C. ; and W. Hay,Es<|.; M.P.C. Several members of the City Council and a number of ladies were also present. When the luncheon had been disposed of, the Chairman proposed "The health of the Premier and members of the Gtoeral Government of the colony." He said they were all greatly indebted to the Hon. Julius Vogel for his efforts to promote the interests of the whole colony, and especially for doing his best o get the railway quickly opened up. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm. The Hon. Mr. O'Rorke responded. Tn doing so he was not desirous of taking all the credit for the opening of the railway to the General Government. The conception of the railway belonged to the Piovincial Government, although the completion had fallen to the lot of the General Government. It was to the Superintendent, Mr. Williamson, that the lion's share of the credit waa due — their present worthy chairman. In returning thanks for the Ministry in this town he feaied he would disappoint his auditory by not indulging in what he believed was the most palatable style of oratory for such occasions. He had seen it recently described as the " blowing" oratory. If he were a master of that art —which he was not— he might be fairly expected to do something in that lino foi Onehunga; but, as they were all assembled in this fine room, in the town of Onehunga, he felt lelieved from making the attempt, as the town of Onehunga lay before them to speak for itself. He believed it was due to the present Bishop of Lichfield, formerly Bishop of New Zealand, Dr. Selwyn, to establish a comparison between the isthmus on which they stood and that of Corinth. The late Governor of the colony told the people of this town that when Lady Bowen rose in the morning from her pillow in Government House, in Auckland, ihe saw the Islei of Greece before her. There must then be some similarity between this place and the Isthmus of Corinth. But he claimed a superiority for Onehuns;a. It wan a well-known adage — Non cuiris contingit adire Corinthum. The adage has had various interpretations. But he thought he had hit on the right one, namely, that they had not a railway traversing the Isthmus o£ Corinth. That they possessed ; and, to reaching Onehunga from Auckland, there was now, neither in time nor money, an insuperable bar. He had been for many years anything but a devoted admirer of the General Governments. He had helped to pull down many ; and, although he had now become a little reconciled to them, he could assign a good reason. (Laughter.) As an Onehunga man he had seen with shame that railway at a stand still for some six or seren years, and he thought he was justified in becoming reconciled to the General Government seeing that they had taken up the work, nearly completed it and opened it to.day.in the manner it had been done by Mr. Henderson of the firm of Brogden and Sons. He considered that the railway might have been opened long before if it had not been for the faint heartedness of theProvincialauthorities. He had felt great enjoyment in passing along the line and he felt assured that next to the establishment of Pensioners at One hunga by that wise Governor Sir George Grey, this was the first day that ever dawned upon the town of Onehunga, which he had the honor to represent both provincially and colonially. On behalf of the Hon Mr. Vogel and the other ministers he returned thanks. The following toasts were afterwards proposed and duly responded to :— " Brogden and Sons and prosperity to the line ;" "The health of Mr. Carruthers, tha Engi-neer-in-chief;" "His Honor the Supenntendent :" "The health of Sir George Alfred Arney, Chief Justice;" "The Ladies; " The Early Railway Commissioners and Mr. Thomas Cheeseman ;" " The health of Mr. J. Stewart, engineer ;" "The Press. ' Those present then adjourned to the railway platform, where the engine was christened "Ada" with the usual ceremony by Mri. John Henderson.