A GREAT DAY FOR WESTLAND.

West Coast Times, Issue 12144, 15 February 1902, Page 2

A GREAT DAY FOR WESTLAND.

THE HOKIIIKA-ROSS RAILWAY.

THE PREMIER . DRIVES THE FIRST PILE OF THE HOKITIKA RIVER RAILWAY BRIDGE.

SPEECH BY THE RIGHT HON

THE PREMIER.

Yesterday will long be remembered in the history of Westland as marking ihe inauguration of a new era of prosperity on account of the work initiated by the Ri^ht Hon the Premier. The driving of the first pile of the railway bridge spanning the Hokitika river was in itself a simple ceremony, though the occasion was surrounded by all the eclat befittidg snc'i an important event. All that -jps meant by that ceremony acd all $iat it means to the future of Westland, public generally would not readily and its importance will probably be better I appreciated when the\ line is completed and under traffic. l . The event of driving* the first pile has long been eagerly W>ktd forward to by thn people \of Westland and there was a Targe concourses of people from aT parts North and South to witness che ceremony* The assemblage would, Lbwever, have been much greater had the\ weather been favourable, but the elements were most unpropitious. As it was/^here was, however, a very large muster, visitors coming from Reefton, Greymputh, Brun- " ncr, Kumara Ross and all the. surround • ing districts. Among those present from the neighbouring towns we noticed Mr Guinness M.H.U., Mr Matheson, Mayor of Greymoutbi Mr T. V. Byrne, Couaty Chairnnn and Mayor of Kumara, Mr Grimmond, Mayor of Ross, Mr W. R. Kettle, ex-Ch»irman Greymouth Harbour Board, Mr R. Harris Chairman Grey Education Board, Mr D. Ryall Chairman Grey County Council, Messrs D. M'Lean tnd Jay, Greymouth and many other prominent residents of the northern towns. Apologies were received from Mr James Colvin M.H.R and Mr Russell, Mayor of Brunner. The Premier and Mrs Seddon arrived at 11.15 a,m, by train from Kumara* and were received by the Mayor and Councillors and a large concourse of people at the railway station. Three hearty.'cheer^ were given for them and Mrs Seddon\ was then presented with two beautiful boquets by two pretty little dots dressed in white Misses Joyce Michel and Fanny Evans.

THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY.

There was a large attendance on the river side at the site of the bridge near the Tram Shed when the Premier and party drove up a little before 1 o'clock. The derrick had been placed in readiness for driving the first pile and the Premier and the other speaker* addressed the assemblage from a raised platform which had been prepared. His Worship the Mayor in introducing the Premier said the ceremony he' waV^ about to perform was a most important one for Westland and the Colony. He remembered the iurning-of theiirat sod of the Greymouth Hokitika Bail way, and the many weary years 'that— intervened until the last bolt was driven in the line that connected them with the sister town. To-day they were beginning another . connecting link, and he hoped theie :': ' would not be the same, weary wait until it was completed. No work was ever undertaken that was calculated to be of more value (o the colony (Bear, hear and applause), and he believed no section would pay better from a colonial point of view. He bad the greatest pleasure in formally introducing the Premier, who-— had so kindly undertaken to come amongst them to perform tne ceremony of driving the first pile* in the bridge that would start their railway connection with South Westland.

The Premier said it bad been truly said by his Worship the Mayor, that the driving of the first pile to stare the connecting link between Hukitika and Boss, was a work of the greatest importance. Many years ago, the late James Macandrew, that far seeing statesman bad spoken of the time when onf Colony would be connected from north to south and east to west by a band of steel. He bad been looked on as a dreamer when he spoke those words, bui they were coming to pass, aud to-day they vere adding to that band of steel, by connecting this district with the south west by a line that woald eventually go on out to Otago. (Loud applause.) On the north they were being connected with the East Coast by the Midland Ea ilway and the Government were only waiting the final report of the eminent American engineer Mr Bogue to push on with that important work. (Loud applause. ) He had no official intimation ag yet on the subject bui he felt satisfied the tunnel «vould be much shortened and thit the report they would get would materially expedite the work. They would remembe** the battle that had been fought to first get tha Hokitika-Ross la'lway authorised, the surveys had been made but they could not now find the pegs, they had disappeared in the locg interval. Well, to-day they were there _ to make an effectual start in wbaHrtT believed would yet prove to be one of the best paying lines in the Colony. (Hear Hear, and applause.) Such was the Greymouth-Hokitika line though it had met with opposition when first proposed, but that line bad brought the West Coast people into closer touch and it enabled the, immense numbers who were gathered in Hokitika to be present that cay, That line had been of the greatest advantage to the West Coast and to the colony of New Zealand. (Applause.) Coming to the work of to day it was a satisfaction to them to know that there was not one dissentient voice in the Legislature against it. It was recognised that the Rpeftou line had proved payable and of the greatest advantage to the Coast and to the Colony and hence the Hokiiika Boss line had the unanimous sanction of Parliament. That line which they were inaugurating tapping as it did a s-plendid belt of tinber country would Le believed prove of the greitest sir vibe. Their timbers were a most important as^et for the country and he believed for years to come the West Coast would be supplying the whole of the building timbers of the Colony. For that reason as fast as the line could be made it would be required. (Applause,). In South Westland there were also vast areas of, agricultural land, which, only their isoh-