OFFICIAL OPENING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19978, 1 July 1939, Page 4

OFFICIAL OPENING

RAILWAY TO WAIROA LONG-CHERISHED HOPES LA RG E CROW D PR EG EXT DREAMS FULFILLED (Special to the Herald.) WA.TROA. this clay. To-day saw the realisation of Wairoa’s long-cherished hopes—the linking o'f the district iby rail with the outside world, the reward of many years of patience and optimism.

To-day was the day set down for the official handing over of the last section of that portion of the East Coast railway between. Napier and Wairoa by the Public Works Department to the working railways of New Zealand, and the inauguration of the services.

It was, perhaps, the greatest day in the history of this rapidly-expand-ing district, and settlers for miles around began to arrive for the purpose of - -fittingly ■ -celebrating-the occasion and paying-their tribute to those who have struggled 'for so many years to bring about railway facilities, and also to demonstrate their gratitude to the men who have been responsible for the construction of the line. Special Trains Run The occasion also had excited great interest in centres south of Wairoa and two special trains were required to bring the large number of people from 'Napier. Hastings and other parts of Hawke’s Bay who were desirous of participating in the gathering. There was, too. a fairly large contingent from 'Gisborne ancl other points north cif 'Wairoa.

The official ceremony of handing over'the line and declaring the service open was performed by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, and the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, who, with other officials, including the general manager of railways, Mr. G. H. (Mackley, C.M.G., and the engineer-in-chief of the 'Public Works Department. Mr. John Wood, arrived at Wairoa by a special railcar in which they had travelled from Wellington.

Long before the ceremony was due to start large crowds had gathered at the railway station in - order _ to welcome their friends who had arrived iby the excursion trains and also the Ministerial party. Ending of Semi-Isolation Seldom, if ever, had the spirit of gaiety been so pronounced, the people obviously being anxious to show in a tangible form their thankfulness for the fulfilment !of their dreams and the ending of that feeling of semi-isolation and loneliness which has hampered the progress or the district for so many years.

The railway station was gaily bedecked with bunting for the occasion and a large dais had been- erected for the (Ministerial speakers. No effort had been spared to make the ceremony one fully worthy of the occasion, which marks the turning point in the history of the district and, indeed, a great portion of the whole of the East Coast.

At the conclusion of cutting the ribbon and declaring the line open, the opportunity was taken by the Minister of Public Works to unveil a tablet on the Wairoa railway station in memory of those Who had lost their lives in the construction of the line.