THE RAILWAY DEMONSTRATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5560, 23 January 1879, Page 2

THE RAILWAY DEMONSTRATION.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Invercargill, Wednesday.

To-day is devoted to enthusiastic enjoyment. Never before here has there been such unanimity of feeling. Politics have altogether given way to pleasure, and all shades of opinion are joining in the general expression of joy at the connection by railway of the three chief cities of the Middle Island. The streets are literally draped with flags, for the shipping of Bluff Harbor have placed the whole of their flags at the disposal of the Demonstration Committee. Lines of flags cross the street in all directions. The new theatre has been specially decorated for the banquet this evening, which promises to be the greatest success of the kind ever experienced; over four hundred tickets have been issued to ladies for the upper portion of the house, and fully three hundred gentlemen are expected at the banquet, as over 120 guinea tickets have already been sold, whilst the attendance from invitations alone is expected to reach 100. The Volunteers are now (3.30) assembling at the drillshed, from whence they will march to the railway station in Esk-street, and form a double line from the station to Dee-street. On the arrival of the train seven guns will be fired by the artillery, the Mayor and Councillors of Invercargill and the members of the Demonstration Committee being on the platform to receive the visitors. On alighting, the members of the Ministry and other influential persons will proceed through the Volunteer lines, headed by the garrison bands, as far as Dee-street ; from whence they will be conducted to their several hotels from Dee-street. Until ten o’clock, when the banquet is expected to conclude, the electric lights will be exhibited from the statue of Minerva on the top of the Athenconm. After that hour the gas illuminations and fire brigade torchlight procession will commence.

The demonstrations promise to be an unqualified success. The weather is lovely, with a warm sun and a gentle breeze. All business is suspended. '4 p.m.—The following telegram has just been received from Gore ;—“Just before reaching the railway bridge at Gore, Conyers, the Commissioner of Railways, who was standing on the second engine of the train, overbalanced himself and fell off the train, cutting himself badly on the head. Blood is issuing from his ears. There is a bad gash over the eye. He is now insensible. This news is spreading like wildfire through the large concourse of people assembled, and is casting a gloom over the whole affair.” We have also been favored by Mr. Lawson, Commisioner of Railways, North Island, with the following telegram from Mr. N. W. Werry, who was travelling with Mr. Conyers : —“I regret ,to report that poor Conyers fell off the engine at Gore, sustaining a severe scalp wound. At present he is insensible. The doctor recommended his slopping here. I shall stop with him myself. Will wire further when any change takes place.”