WELLINGTON-MANAWATU RAILWAY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3773, 4 November 1886, Page 3

WELLINGTON-MANA WATU RAILWAY.

« (By Telegraph.) Wellington, Nov. 3. Tho ceremony of driving tho last spike of the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company was performed by tho Governor to-day. The weather was tine, and there were about 700 visitors from Wellington, including the Governor and suite, the Premier, Messrs Ballance, Tole and Richardson, and the leading commercial men of the city. About 250 came from Palmerston North and other districts along the West Coast. At 11.25 a.m. the Governor was handed tho spike, and in a few minutes the ceremony was performed. At 1.30 p.m. the visitors sat down to a banquet. Mr Nathan, chairman of directors of tho Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company, was in the chair. After the usual loyal toasts, tho Governor, in reply to the toast of his health, paid a high cotnplimentto the promoters of the railway for theenterpriseshownin constructing the lino. He refrained from mentioning anything concerning the functions of Government or political matters. A question which ho wished to refer to was one that had been commented on both by the English papors and those in the colony of New Zealand. He had heard it said that the- prosperity of New Zealand wa3 at an end, but he could say with certainty that that idea was simply humbug. To say that a country with only half a million of inhabitants, and which was capablo of holding twenty time3 that number, was in a state of depression, was nonsense. Ho looked forward to a bright future for New Zealand, and he could assure the colonists that they would bo a happy and prosperous nation. Sir Robert Stout responded to the "Ministry." The other toasts were- tho New Zealand Parliament, Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, Engineers and Btaff. The visitors left on the return journey at four o'clock.