TIRED, BUT HAPPY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 75, 29 March 1928, Page 11

TIRED, BUT HAPPY.

GREAT DAY FOR TAURANGA. MEANING OF THE RAILWAY. MAORIS AND PAKEHAS UNITE. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") TAURANGA, this day. In reflecting on the celebrations in Tauranga yesterday two clear-cut impressions stand out. One is of the rich resources of the wide district—wellnamed the Bay of Plenty—and the other concerns the fine community spirit which exists among the Maoris and Europeans who gathered in thousands from scores of miles around. The celebrations, which revolved around the opening of this newest section of the East Coast Railway, were of more than local interest. As an example of goodwill they provided a spectacle which is of import to New Zealand and to the Empire.

Sixty-four years ago the clash and the chivalry of arms made history at Gate Pa, but yesterday, with memories mellowed by time and experience, the descendants of the two races met within sight of those hills and rejoiced together over the coming of the railway trains which will carry them and the fruits of their lands to the larger centres of population and to the main ports of the Dominion. As the Prime Minister said in his speech to the people, if there are those in New Zealand who take a pessimistic outlook concerning Ihe future of the country it would do them good to see in the Bay of Plenty the rich pastoral resources and the signs of pending developments. In this and other | parts of rural New Zealand they would i find stimulation.

The Prime Minister left by train with the official party shortly after five o'clr after expressing the y>leasure which he felt at having been able to take part in the celebrations. He was pleased with his welcome by the haka parties and the poi dancers, as also with the hearty manner in which the community as a whole entered into the proceedings. This pleasure was freely shared by j large number of visitors from various parts of the Dominion.

To-day. the people of Tauranga are tired but happy. To t e accompaniment of music and dancing they kept up the carnival to a late hour last night and now they are living over again the colourful and tuneful events of Tauranga's most wonderful day. While the aquatic sports were taking place off fhe launch jetty last evening there was dancing in the Strand and a torchlight procession. It was a masquerade carnival in which the youth of the community, both Maori and pakeha, miugled with colourful effect.

Fancy attire was the order of the evening and throughout there were revivals of the tuneful songs of the poi dancers and the rhythmical movements of the haka parties. The string band from the native village of Judea was most liberal with its music and doubtless would have

been playing yet had its services been

required. That was the way with the Maori performers as a whole. They were both generous and entertaining. Many former residents of Tauranga and the adjoining districts are to-day returning to their homes in various parts of th« country. Their presence was one of the features of the celebrations and it was good to note in the official speeches that many tributes were paid to the sturdy pioneers who first caught the vision of an East Coast railway and worked for it throughout the years. Although only some of these still survive none more than they appreciate the coming of through trains to the Bay of Plenty.