THE EXHIBITION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1899, Page 2

THE EXHIBITION.

AN HISTORICAL EVENT

GATHERING OF THE OLD

IDENTITIES.

Probably the most interestingevent which has taken place at the Auckland Exhibition was the gathering- of old identities yesterday aflcrnoon at the Choral Hall. It was confined to those who have been in the colony for half a century and up-

wards. There was a large gathering, all looking as if the world had treated them well. Thanks to good arrangements those who received cards of admission were received by Mr 13. Kent and committee, both at the entrance to the Exhibition and at the Choral Hall. After all had been seated in the hall'the friends and general public were admitted, and all parts, including the gallery and raised platform was crowded. Over the gallery was the word ' Welcome.' In the front seat could be seen Captain Wm. Jackson Barry and beside him wm Thos. Davidson. These two pioneers /net and worked together at the Bay of Islands in 1837. Old faces also present were those of Captain Daidy, H. M. Jervis, H. N. Warren, Hon. H. Williams and his brother (Mr E. Williams), who came with the Rev. Marsden and the Rev. John Hobbs in the Brampton, 1823 ; Dr. J. L. Campbell, who from Motukorea (Brown's Island) saw the Isabella Watson sail up the Waitemata ,to found Auckland ; Mrs James Slator, the first European born in Auckland ; Mr C. B Stone, the first European male born in Auckland ; Mr C. Ring, the first discoverer of gold in New Zealand ; Mr Richard Hobbs, Judges Smith and Munro and Monsignor McDonald. Some of the old lady identities had to be taken to the Choral Hall in bath chairs, namely Mrs Wing, widow of the late Captain Wing, 1840 ;and Mrs Joseph Newman, 1842. In the audience were to be seen survivors of the immigrants by the Westminster, Jane Brilliant, Duchess of Argyle, Jane Gifford, and other of the pioneer ships. Some of the old people had not sent in their name,s to the com- ( mittee, and yet came to the gathering, so that the printed list is incomplete. The following old identities attended the gathering at the Exhibition yesterday in addition to those whose names we have already published: — Mr C. B. Stone, arrived 1841; Jas. McLellan, 1842; Mrs May Reardon, 1849; Mrs Jane Nazer, 1843; P. Cock, 1848; Mr Moyle, 1849; Mr W. W. Wilson, 1841; Mr Alex. Thorne, 1848; Mr Alex. Sutherland, 1848; Miss McNaughten, 1842; Mrs Woodman, 1842; Mrs Lawford, 1842; Mrs Shannaghan, 1847; Mrs E. Keven, 1840; Mr J. C. Robinson, 184S; Mr R. J. Feltus, 1845; Mrs Dignan, sen., 1841; Mr C. C. McGee, 1839; Mrs E. Sandall, 1842; Mr Jas Crawford, 1842; Mr P. S. Hamlin, 1834; Mrs F. S. Hamlin, 1848;- Mr Thos. O'Bierne, 1847; Albert J. Allom, 1842; Mr J. T. Hendry, 1842; P. J. LSmith, 1841; Mrs Dobson, 1849; Mrs Cu'llen, 1849; Mrs J. Winks, 1842; Mrs Alfred S. Jones, 1843; F. Lamb, 1849; Mrs John Close, 1844; Mr R. S. Lincoln, 1856; Mrs R. S. Lincoln, 1856; Mrs Elizabeth Sommervill, 1842; Mrs A. R. Hay, 184S; Mrs Elizabeth Knox, 1843; Mr James Hamlin, 1842; Mrs F. Andrew, 1847; Mr John Watson, 1841; Mrs James Nixon, 1848; Mr B. P. Greenwood, 1841; Mr M. C. McDermott, 1841; Arch. McNair, 1842; Mrs o'^i.uia, 1851; Mrs Doolan, 1860; Mrs Western, 1847; Mrs Henry Andrew, 1842; Mr Geo. Bryant, 1842; Mr W. R. Walker, 1855; Mr Louis L. Levy, 1848; Mr W. G. Harp, 1842; Mrs W. H. Cox, 1850; Mrs. Agnes Pollock, 1839; Mrs Elen Soutter, 1849; Mrs W. Cowie, 184.9; Mr Jessie Sage, 1845; Mrs Nora Sage, 1847; Joseph Measures, 1845; James Bentley, 1856; Mr Joseph Paice, 1850; Wm. Westney, sen., 1844; Mr A. H. Barrow, 1847; Wm Westney, jun., 1847; Stephen Westney, 1845; Mr John M. Grace, 1852; Mrs John M. Grace, 1854; Mr Alfred Pollard, 1842; Mrs Alfred Pollard, 1846; .John Barriball, 1833; Capt. C. J. Wilson, 1833; Judge J. A. Wilson, 1833; Mrs Catherine Matheson, 1843.

When Mr Kent ascended the platform he read two communications he had received. The first was from that ' grand old man,' Mr. John Webster, of Opononi, Hokianga, who telegraphed as follows :—' Sorry cannot be present at the meeting of old identities on Friday, though I will be with them in spirit.' (Applause.) Mr. Heywood Crispe, of Stanlake, Mauku (another grand old colonist), also wrote to him in these terms :—' Dear Mr Kent, —I must congratulate you on having arranged for a meeting of old colonists of 50. years' residence. One more year and I might have been included, having arrived in Auckland. February, 1851. Please convey my warm congratulations to those present in having lived to meet together on the occasion of Auckland's first Exhibition, and to have seen such vast changes in our noble city. I have been delighted at what I have seen of your Exhibition, as it shows clearly what we can do.' (Applause.)

Mr Kent then addressed the old identities as follows : —I am delighted to meet such a large gathering of the old identities from the city of Auckland and province, and on behalf of the Executive and on my own behalf we extend to you all a thoroughly hearty welcome. We have called you together to-day, ladies and gentlemen, so that you might give us the pleasure of showing you what we have been able to do in tlie yearlß9B-99, and in doing so render, as it were, an account of our stewardship, because we recognise that without the pioneers of the colony, represented by yourselves, the old identities, we could do nothing. We could never have given expression to the beautiful Exhibition you see here to-day. Everything you have seen so far, and everything that may be brought under your notice whilst with us here, is the direct result of your own labour and struggles in building up a new country. How great those struggles were, how severe and how full of self-denial, only the pioneers of a new country can understand. Men lilce myself, who came to the colony in later years, find here all the comforts and pleasures of the dear old Mother Country, and it is only by talcing a retrospective view of all the wonderful work that has been done during the past 50 or 60 years that one can form even the least idea of the noble efforts made by the old identities, whom I have the honour to address to-day. Welcome to you all, I say, everyone of you ; and in saying this you will know I am voicing the warmest expressions of goodwill from all the members of the Executive and all members .of committee. We shall do our best for your pleasure to-day, so that in the eventide of your lives, and

though the sun is fast setting with so many, this day may be looked back upon by you with peculiar pleasure, and possibly with a little pride, in the younger generation, who have now "to cany on the great work ot nation-making in the Southern Seas. Speaking to one of the most remarkable, old identities of this city and province some time ago, in telling him what we thought of doing, tie said, 'Well, Mr Kent, that is a very nice thing to do, because, you know, in a few years there will be a rapid thinning out of our ranks, as with many of us the lamp of life is burning Very low, and the Old Identities days in' a few years' time will not be o-atherings of the original pioneers ot the colony, but only of the men and women born here.' However, this is the time for pleasure and enjoyment, so that you may carry away with you pleasant memories of the Auckland Industrial and Mining Exhibition, accompanied by a feeling that in throwing over a younger generation the mana of your good names and act mirable work, you may have a reasonable hope that your early struggles and privations have not been m vain, and that you can leave it to a younger generation to work out the destinies of this great colony, in the hope of a successful issue. (Applause.) Mr Kent concluded by reading the following lines by Mr T.M.Quinn, entitled— THE OLD IDENTITY. We proudly name the blue shirt days, The axe and tent and bullock drays. The trackless waste, the lonely bush, The gallant deeds in Maori rush Of 'Old Identity.'

We speak of camp in distant block, Of food in rough and scanty stock Of hand and welcome proffered Kind, And glad withal the cheerful mind Of 'Old Identity.'v

Our harvest fields in golden grain Were cleared and won through hardship s And to his children's children still Betoken toil and iron will Of 'Old Identity.'

Our busy streets, our buildings fair, Bespeak a hard-won battle there And nobly gained, each honoured name Will cherished be in blue shirt fame Of 'Old Identity.1

The daring maids and stalwart men, Who rose and fell and rose again. > We honour now; for 'Auld Lang Syne, With hand and heart and wishes kind, Greet 'Old Identity.'