LAYING A FOUNDATION STONE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 28

LAYING A FOUNDATION STONE.

THE KOYAL PARTY LEAVE FOR CHRISTCHURCH.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC SEND-OFF. WELLINGTON, June 21. The weather was still dull and wet to-day.' The wind shifted to the south, and misty rain fell. The only public function to-day \\a>> the laying of the foundation stone o£ the railway office-^ m Featherston street. The ceremony took place at noon. Th'"'. drizzling ram ot the morning settled down into a steady downpour precisely as the function commenced. The lofty staging, forming a three hided -.quare. provided ?eats for some 1500 people to whom the invitation? were issued, but apart in, to. these the attendance of tbe public was not large. The Taranaki battalion supplied the guard, of honour, and attracted general attention, and high commendation for their splendid physique There wa* a small army o£ cameras in position, all le\e I .led at the stone, which stood ready under a gaily-decorated, pavilion, the approaches to which were tluough banks of lycopod-ium and evergreen, on which, as in mockery, two fountains played. The stone \va« inscribed with " E.R." and the royal arms in gilt relief above the words: " Thib stone was laid by H.R.H. th© Duke of Cornwall and York, 21ot June, 1901." The royal party contained sevetal members of the suite, and the Governor and Ministers, with a number of ladies, occupied seats on. the pavilion. Lady Ward presented to the Duches* a bouquet in a beautiful holder of gold, greenstone, and pearls, and the MinistPr of Railways then read a statement of the usr 1 coins and documents contained in. tha cylinder which was deposited beneath, the stone. After declaring the stone well and duly laid, F.R.H. spoke as follows: — "' Ladies and Gentlemen, — I am happy to think that the last ceremony in connection with our very pleasant visit to Wellington should be connected with so important a department as that of the railways, and I am glad to have been able to associate myself with the new buildings to be erected for the business of their administration. The fact of the necessity for more extensive accommodation is proof of the prosperity of tlie&o islands, for there is no better tell-tale of the state of a country than its railways. When we remember, that scarcely 30 years ago the ground on which we now stand was washed by the sea, and that since then more than 2000 miles of railway have been constructed, on which upwards of five million passengers were carried in the past year, the colony, I think, may indeed have every reason to be proud of the manner in which her internal communications have been developed. My friend Sir Joseph Ward and Mr Cadman, his able predecessor, ore to be congratulated, and the Duchess and I were much interested in seeing the railway workshops ye&terday, and we have had a personal experience o£ the excellence of thefr work in the charming and most -comfortable carriages that have been so kindly placed at our disposal. I desire once more to say what a pleasure it is to the Duchess and myself to be present on this occasion." Cheers for Mr Carmichael, the contractor, having been called for, wraps were produced pud the royal party dro\e away in closed carriages. The Prince was welcomed with hearty cheers A very handsome gold trowel, with greenstone handle, enclosed in a carved Maori ca«ket, was presented to the Duke along with a mallet of native T\ood.