THE OFFICIAL OPENING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8334, 5 June 1905, Page 3

THE OFFICIAL OPENING.

The official opening of the electric

tramway to Papanui is practically the only function of the day; and very many of the people who have chosen to honour the Prince of Wales' s birthday to-day, turned'out to see the first official cars run. The streets have been inconveniently dirty all day, and pedestrians have had little pleasure in 'their pilgrimages, but, with a clear sky and a bright sun, the inauguration of the electric service has been accomplished under conditions not altogether inauspicious. The people who spent the morning of their holiday in the streetswere able to employ themselves in watching the preparations for the opening ceremony, for the state of the rails after the snowstorm necessitated the employment of a number of men in cleaning operations. The guests of the Ghristchurch Tramway Board began to assemble in Cathedral Square about one o'clock, and'the general public also appeared in fairly, large numbers, prepared to 'wait for a sight of the first electric car that has made an official, journey in Christchurch, The horse-' trams, familiar, but soon to be seen no more, wer© employed to convey the Tramway Board and its guests to the power-house in Falsgrave Street, and at a quarter past one they moved from Cathedral Square.

A very large party of guests were taken by the trams to Falsgrave Street, and after braving the mud reached the doors of the power-house, where the contractors, Messrs S. Packer and C. W. Jones, were in waiting to receive the ohairman of the Tramway Board (Mr W. Reeco).

Mr Packer made a brief speech, expressing the pleasure of tho contractors oii the occasiou of handing over their power-house to the Board.

Mr Packer then presented to Mr Recce a golden key, with wliich to open the power-house. Mr fteece thanked Mr Packer for the key, saying that the contractors might well h& proud of tho successful erection of tho first power station in Canterbury. He then unlocked the door, and the guests entered the power-house. « There Mr J. L. Scott, on behalf of th© Now Zealand Electrical Construction Company asked Mr Reeco to take over the building ,and its fittings. The steam current was turned on by Mr Recce, Mr G. G. Stead (deputy-chair-man of the Board) moved a lever turning the electric power on to the switchboard, and the Mayor (Mr C. M. Gray) in turn moved a third lever, transferring the power from the switchboard to its destination in the. city.

The busineeß at tho power-house having been completed, the party went on to the offices and oarshed to see the rest of the Board's plant. The carshed, decorated with flags, had few attractions for the visitors, and after a cursory inspection they made for the cars which waited on the South Belt to convey them to Papanui.

The cars left their station about 2.15, going at regular intervals, and everything went smoothly, the running evoking favourable comments from the passengers. The seven cars followed one another into Manchester Street, where the pace was quickened