NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 237, 6 October 1945, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

I Centenary Show 1 After a break of four years, the 1 Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral ? Association's summer shows will be ? resumed in 1946, when the centenary ■ fixture will be held on February 22 and 23. The shows were discontinued in 1942 for war reasons. Nauru Islanders Two natives of Nauru Island, Kim Dangirob and Calis Cain, who left before the Japanese invasion and have been trained in Suva as native medical practitioners, arrived at Auckland by air on Wednesday from Fiji They will leave by the Trenza next week to return to Nauru. While in Auckland they are being looked after by the London Missionary Society.

Anniversary Of Landing Almost 103 years ago, on October 9, 1842, the first party of immigrants arrived in Auckland aboard the Duchess of Argyle and the Jane Gifford. There were upwards of 600 people aboard the two ships, which spent almost five months on the journey. A thanksgiving service will be held by the Old Colonists' Association at St. Andrew's Church, Symonds Street, to-morrow, to commemorate this date. All people who - arrived in this country prior to 1881, and their descendants, are invited to ' ■ attend the ceremony. Samoan Chiefs The three Samoan chiefs who, with their wives, arrived in Auck- . land this morning by the Matua, will be the guests at morning tea on "' Monday of the Mayor and Mayoress, Mr. and 'Mrs. Allum. During the morning they will visit' the University and the City Markets, and in g the afternoon they will be conducted .-.;; ' on a tour of the Devonport Naval ■ Base. They will leave for Welling- __ ton on Monday night, and will re- « i Auckland from Rotorua on --;, /; October 31. Their itinerary includes -> a visit to the South Island.

The Hand Of Friendship' Offers of hospitality from all parts of the Dominion have been received in the past two or three days by Private Anthony Hogan, the story of whose lonely homecoming was told in Monday's Star. Private Hogan soon found that his plight had touched the hearts of many in the Auckland district, and as a consequence of the publicity given the story he now knows, too, that homes and friends await him in Te Awamutu, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Ashburton, Stratford, St. Albans (Christchurch), Kaiapoi and South Dunedin. Bananas Arrive Ripe bananas from the shipment which reached Auckland to-day by the Matua from Suva, may be available in quantity for the public about the middle of the month. The first fruit discharged will be sent to the South Island and the southern parts of the North Island, and the unloading of the Auckland portion may be commenced towards the middle of next week. Normally bananas are in green condition on arrival "t this time of the year, and at least a week is required for them to ripen sufficiently for consumption.

Wellington's Oldest Church The oldest existing church in the Wellington Diocese, Christ Church, at Taita, Lower Hutt, was 100 years old to-day. To commemorate the event a special service, at which an address will be given by the Bishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. H. St. B. Holland, will be held in the church. The building, with a steeply pitched roof and a quaint belfry, is picturesque with an old English element. Built of pit-sawn heart of totara, it is as sound as when it was first constructed. A Prayer Book donated in 1857 by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge is still in use, and an altar book, presented to the church in the same year, is still used periodically. Oil lamps are attached to the walls and provide a strange contrast to the electric light with which the building is now equipped. It is probable that the church's long period of service will end within a few years. With the increasing population of the area, the building is not large enough and the parish vestry has decided to construct a larger church.