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Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5585, 18 January 1879, Page 4

It will be very satisfactory to some of those who are going to open the remainder of the Southern Trunk railway on the 22nd instant, to learn that the journey from Christchurch to Dunedin will be made on the previous day. A dreadful rumour was current a few days ago, that the Commissioner intended to make the excursion trip in one day. The unhappy tourists, had this been true, would have started in sleepy irritability at grey dawn; they would have arrived in Dunedin jaded and bone-weary; they would have reached the new portion of the line — the portion they were opening—in the dead of night, where they would have sighed vainly for the eyes of a bat; they would have glided in gloom to Invercargill by about two a.m., where some civic functionary would have bored them with a speech ; lastly, after scowling upon fireworks, and listening to more speeches, informing them of the fact that Sir J. Yogel or Mr Moorhouse, or both, invented not only the Southern Trunk Railway, but likewise the railway locomotive; of that other fact that Invercargill is the hub of the universe, and of a great many other facts theycouldnotconscientiously believe, these wretched travellers would most probably not have been able to find even a shakedown for the repose of their weary limbs. Last scene, profanity followed by tobacco, moralising, and good resolutions. All this discomfort has been averted we are happy to say. The decision to spend two days on the road will give the Christchurch contingent assurance of a pleasant trip. They will, of course, be unable to avoid Yogelism and platitudes, but they may make up their minds to enjoy themselves nevertheless.