WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 108, 3 November 1908, Page 2

WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND.

FORMAL OPENING OF LINE. LUNCHEON ON~THUKSDAY. It is anticipated that there will be a large attendance at the luncheon to be held in the Concert Chamber at 1 o'clock on Thursday afternoon to celebrate the opening of the Main Trunk line from Wellington to Auckland. The chair will be occupied by Mr. J. G. Harkness, president of the Chamber of Commerce, under whose auspices the luncheon is to be given. Invitations have been sent to all the members of the Cabinet, but it is not yet known which of them will be j present. At 10 o'clock at night the invited guests will leave for Auckland by special train, arriving at Makatote about 8.30 a.m. on Friday. The train from Auckland will reach there at the same time, and after the last spike has been officially driven, the whole of the party will leave for Auckland, arriving' there about 6 p.m. There will bo an interval of about two hours, and the guests will then be entertained at a banquet by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. The return train to Wellington is timed to leave Auckland at 10 p.m., reaching Wellington at 6 o'clock on Saturday evening. It has been arranged, however, that the passes issued to guests shall be available for uso by the ordinary train leaving Auckland on Monday night and arriving in Wellington on Tuesday evening, so as to avoid the necessity of travelling on Sunday.

Tho Excelsior Lodge of Druids, No. 11, held its fortnightly meeting in tho Druids' Hall last evening, Bro. J. Harlon, A.D., in the chair. A large number of brethren were in attendance. Three now members were initiated into the ranks of Dr\iidism. A hearty vote of thanks and appreciation was given Bros. Frank Jennings and Bold (Pacific) for the vay in which they worked against the Friendly Societies Bill, which was recently before Parliament. Bro. Jennings responded in a vigorous speech. Bro. E. J. King, organist, played a selection, of mufiio during th£ evening.