Anniversary Day.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17633, 9 December 1922, Page 14

Anniversary Day.

It ia gratifying to find that although the opinion of the commercial community, at least the retail section of it, is opposed fo the idea of making Anniversary Day » holiday, the birthday of Canterbury i» not to be allowed to pass without some recognition. There is a certain appropriateness in the decision that the foundation etone of the newmunicipal offices shall be laid on that day, for the building will mark anothen

stage in the progress of the city. The arrangements for further celebrating the day by holding a function to mark the opening of the improved river bank between Colombo and Manchester streets, one of the features of the proceedings being the entertainment of the pioneers, will also give a little distinction to the day, though we think it is unfortunate that the proposal to hold this celebration on the historic site in Hagley Park, where some of tho first huts were erected, was not adopted by yesterday's meeting. However, the whole question of making arrangements for commemorating Anniversary Day suitably has been referred to a committee, who will report on it on Monday, aud will then, we trust, present proposals which will ensure that the adequate celebration or the anniversary in future shall not be left to be arranged at the eleventh hour. Whether the day is to be a public holiday or not—and, as we have said before, th» thoughtlessness of the pioneers in landing so close to Christmas Day seems to veto all hope that the day will ever resume its former position as one- oi th© great holidays of the year—some plan should be adopted whereby its special significance shall be impressed upon the. minds of the children, and its memories revived in the minds of those who took part in the foundation of settlement here. As most of the, school children appear merely to "fill " in time" in the last week of the last term of the year, school teachers might be invited to make the story of Anniversary Day the speciul feature of that day's work. The New Zealanders of the future are likely to have a deeper love of their country if they know something of its history, particularly of its early history. The> romance of pioneering k not confined to the "wild "west"; there is plenty of it connectd with the (struggles and efforts of the pilgrims and their immediate successors to round the city and settle in the province which we should all be proud to call our home.