(Cheers.) I believe, and I am borno out; by the opinions of all who visit this province and are capable of forming an impartial judgment, that it stands second to none in New Zealand. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) I believe myself thatthere ueed bo no flagging in its prosperity if we keep our shoulders to the wheel and determine to go on in a steady system of progress. (Hear, hear.) It would nofc be right of me to sit down without acknowledging fche able assist ance I have had from other gentlemen iv this province, and whose names have been asso ciated wifch mine in this toast. Tho Superin tendent does bufc represent tho voice of the people here and the voice of the people as represented in the Provincial Council and through his Executive Council. I wish bofore I sit down to bear my testimony to the perseverance and zeal with which they have worked in the interests of tlie province. Gentlemen, I will not detain you longer, as I know Captain Chapman and others of the company would liko to have a look at this village, and I cannot help thinking that they will be thoroughly pleased with it, comparing ifc with some of the pleasantest villages in England. (Loud cheers.) Mr Kennaway, Provincial Secretary, said he did nofc quite distinctly hear the toast, and ho thought that some mistake had been made in joining his name and that of Mr Brown wifch the name of his Honor the Superintendent. He thought the opening of this line was a matter of congratulation to everybody con cerned — to tho people and to tho provincial as well as tho General Government. Tho Ex ecutive and the Superintendent united in endeavouring fco push on this lino to the present point as expeditiously as possible. All had worked in thorough concurrence with each other, and he thought tlie festivities of to-day were a subject of great congratulation indeed. (Cheers.) Mr J. E. Brown also congratulated fche people of Rangiora and the province generally on the completion of the railway as far as Rangiora. (Cheers.) He thought that his occupation in the Provincial Council was gone now that they had got the railway, which the members of the district had been fighting for in paßt years. 