The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Lueeo Non Uro. THURSDAY, JANUARY 23.

Southland Times, Issue 3305, 23 January 1879, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Lueeo Non Uro. THURSDAY, JANUARY 23.

The demonstration yesterday was a very great success, aod the town is to be congratulated upon the excellency with which the various arrangements for the entertainment of the visitors were carried out. The success would have been thorough, but for the unfortunate accident to Mr Conyers, the Commissioner of Railways of the Middle Island — a most able official, deservedly popular, and held in the highest esteem, and we may add- affection by a large circle of private friends. Such a misfortune befalling Mr Conyers will be regarded as a calamity indeed. It certainly marred yesterday's demonstration, for the sufferer is regarded by all Southlanders as one of themselves, and we shall not exaggerate by saying that interest last night centred very much in his case. Latest accounts concerning him were a little more favorable, and all that we can nOw do is to hope for the best in his case. The delay in the arrival of the train necessarily made everything else late. The opening of the banquet was postponed a full hour, and thus the after toasting and speechmaking had to be materially curtailed. Enough, however, was said, and genuinely to, by several of the leading northern mento assure us, if such assurance were required, that Invercargill's advance has been rapid of late, and attended by substantial results. All who renewed thenacquaintance with the South, ajfter years of absence, expressed great surprise at the changes which had occurred, whilst those who were on their first visit were hearty in their commendations of both country and town. The Hon. Mr Ballance and Mr Wakefield Avere.both very jhappy ■ in their remarks, and the mayors of Christchurch and • Dunedin spoke iri laudatory strain of all they had seen of the South during their journey up, and with the keen instinct of citizens who had noted the rise and progress of more than one colonial township predicted what was in store for InvercargiU. The Hon. Mr Reynolds is no stranger to this end of the colony, and the comparison must be wide indeed to him between what it was when Invercargill so narrowly escaped the designation of >*' Brown Town" and what it is now. Town and country looked their best yesterday' under. Hip influence of bright weather — such weather, -in fact, as is' only experienced in Southland ; for jf Southtand's bad weather has almost beGOiije proverbial, so should its fine lie placed on record as unsurpassable. We think that the visitors willhave no occasion to regret 'the journey, save and except its most untoward contretemps. And ihej^baye.. got more to see, for, as we fully Ixpfected, a special train will be at their "service to-day to convey them along tin? Kingston line as f ajr as the Elbow and back again, With that the demonstration will terminate. The great fact of the connection by railway of the QWef cities of tlio }Ji44le la\m ig bow

accomplished. Invercargill is within two days' „- easy travelling of Christchurch, whilst on an emergency the journey could be made in one.