IN OLD TIMES

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 19, 22 January 1921, Page 9

IN OLD TIMES

EARLY ANNIVERSARIES

THE FIRST CELEBRATIONS

RIVAL COMMITTEES.

/By M. A. Edwards. Early Settlers

and Historical Association.)

January 22nd (Anniversary Day), the day on which our first settlors landed in Port Nicholson, has been celebrated in some manner sine© 1841, when the first celebration was held. ,On this, the eightieth anniversary of jthe historical landing, one, cannot bolp recalling the words, of one of our best-known writers: "Old times have ch&nged-^-old manners gone," and this is true to-day. We do not take our pleasures in the same whole-hearted .way as in days gone by. Due, perhaps, to the great 'progress we have made during the past eighty .years, or to the short memories of the later generations, few Tealise the significance of Anniversary Day and know what it really means to us. and yet there are a few, very few, [with us-to-day who remember the first Anniversary Day in Port Nicholson. The first anniversary was somewhat marred by two committees, who' sought ■ to provide for the fitting celebration of the day. To understand how this came about wo havo to look back. About the month /of June. 1840, a representative committee had been set up to arrange a grand fete and ball, to be held as soon as tho plan of the town of Britannia (afterwards; named Wellington, November. 1840) was complete and the ,town sections appro-, printed. When v the latter took, placd, some two months Jater. for some unexplained reason tho fete was not held,, and not until another committee, of which; some of the original committee were metibers, had been set up and beganjto make arrangements to celebrate the first anniversary, did the ■ first committee, termed' "the select," co-rie to. life .aeain with its original proposition. So Wellington was in tho unique position of having rival committees, for the contending parties had been unable to Toconoile their differences, catering for the celebration of th°ir first anniversary. . ' ... . :

The popular party's programme was: — Aquatic: Sailing match by boats under 30 .feet keel, entrance £1. prize .£l2 12s: ' Towing match by ivha'.ebosits. entrance £1. Prrt prize £12 12s. second 1 bargeman's dress. - valued" £10 10s; . canoe race V natives, nrizp 3 bags of rice. Rural sports: Hurdle race, three horses to start or -no race, entrance £2 2s, prize the Pickwick purse of £15 l_ss:_ jumping in sucks, prize a new hat: climbing a. greasy pole, prize a quarter of mutton;_ catching b. «on.pe<l-tai! pig,, j prize the pig: .rifle match, best of three shots,, one each at.6o, 100: and 150 yards, entrance £1. prize £5. After this an entertainment was 'to Ixs giv<>ri to the natives of the different pahs in Port Nicholson. In the eveningl a Ml' would bo hold in the large room at the Southern Exchange (Meessrs. Wado's); tickets ss. double 7s 6d. including refreEhjnents. The' "select" committee- arranired the following- events:—Regatta: Sailing match; boats under 10 tons, entrance £1. prize £10; rowing match for whaleboats owned'by Tesidenta and commanders of vessels in Port Nicholson, entrance £I,' prizo £10. second £5: icanoo race, no entrance, prize £5. Field sports: Hurdle race, entrance £2, prize £10; rjfle match., entrance £1. prize £5. The ball was to lw held in the evening in Barrett's Hotel. Applications for ticket* were.to be made to the committee. Thus, were the arrangements made for the two fetes on this day,' "but the'one factor 1 that could not be arranged intervened —the'weather was unfavourable, and the fetes had to be postponed. -Despite this tho "select" ball took place at Barrett's, and was mime-, rously attended.-, On the. followi&sr day,. Sat-urdfl.y. L-',;tn6.:weathVr ,'beinfr. ,fine,,"'the" "select" rowing: match was" held. Four boats entered, and tho race was won by Blacknose.'owned by Dr. Reloh.' An acci-> d»nt having happened to Mr. Duppa's boat the sailing match "was not-decided. The "popular" fete took place on the Monday following .at To Aro head of the bay. Shortly after" midday the following .four whalebonts took their station's for tho Towin" match: Cuba, Kangaroo, Thistle, and Flying Pieman. The race excited great-interest and devolved.into a contest between the Cuba and Kangaroo. It was eventually won by the Cuba by one minuto. the other boats being nowhere. The hurdle race for a pivrse of "£ls 15s given by the Pickwick Club followed.' Four horses etnrted: Calmuek Tartar {ridden lw tho, Hon. H. Petre). Currency Lass (Mr. «. Wade),, Black Billy ,(Mr. Watt), and Culky (Captain Hodges), A croM race was won'in gallant'style by the Hon. H., Potro. The sailing match was won by Mr. Dupna's schooner-rigged boat, of about 10 tone burden. Tlio other starters • -w-"ro Captain Shuttleworth's cutter (of the Mn London, then in port). George Yiung's cutter, and the Sandfly.' The riflo match, in which there weTe ten oompetitors. wa-9 won. by Mr. George Crawford. The-other sports, including jumpiaq- in sacks, wheeling barrows blindfold, and climbing the grensy pole, all passed off in good _ style. ■ The events arranged for the natives- did not*, take place-, although they -were not for&otten, .for large ounntitips of rice were prepared for them. A ball in the evening, which was numerously attended, brought a memorable da.y to a conclusion. On this occasion, it might be noted, the couro for the rowing and sailing events was around tho shipping in tbe haTbour, and as some vessels lay off Kaiwarra, it was a good one. ■ RACES AND A GRANDSTAND. On the occasion of, the second anniver-' sary we notei that the 22nd fell oh a Saturday. The "celebration of that day took place on the following Monday. A programme of events as for the previous year, but with slight, alterations in the prizes and the addition of a mile foot Toce, wqs advertised for that day; The course for tho sailing and rowing matches was from a flag-boat moored off To Aro beach, thenoo around another boat moored, off Kaiwarra. rowing boats to keep the-shore side of the [shipping outwards, returning on the outside. Unfortunately, we have no record of the results of these events/ The one paper of that period., published bi-we.cldy, gave up all its space to the Munioipal Corporation Bill, then before the Legislative Council, and promieed a later report, which. I do not think has been published- yet. Wo a-re told that the weather was beautiful, and the assembly of perrons included nearly the entire population of Wellington and -a good many people from Petorie. The boat Taoes and hurdle races were well contested. For the convenience^ of thoee who wished to see the horse racing, Mr. Ludlam erected a substantial stand in his garden, whence a view could be obtained of. nearly the whole course. Tho only reference to the horse race is that Calmuck Tartar maintained his reputation ( for fleetness, and Old Bow the Lawyer showed what he could do. There was a great deal of fun and merriment among the partakers in the "rural diversions," and in the evening a party of the natives from. Potone, had a canoo race with some from this sida, which was won by the Petone men. Tho day's enjoyment came to a close with ?. ba.ll, or, rather, again two wero held on the Monday evening—one to close the fete at the Exchange and the anniversary ball at Barrett's Hotel. EXCITING SAILING MATCH. The third anniversary of the' arrival of tho firefc band of adventurers for those shores was celebrated on Monday, 23rd January, 1843. A good programme had been arranged for this celebration, and it is pleasing to note- on this occasion there were no rival committees for any of the celebrations, as was the case in tho two preceding years. Added interest was given to this year by the fact that His Excellency the Acting-Governor, Willoughby Shortland, Was in Port Nicholson ,and witnessed tho different events. We note . also that in the subscription list, published with the balanoe-el»eet submitted later, he gave a donation of £5 to the funds. The weather was- fine with a strong- northwesterly wind. The first event of the day ■was a well-contested canoe race between two canoes manned by natives in full costume. Next cftmo the rowing race between four whaleboats, which was won by Mr. George Allan's ' boat. The saiKng match for boats under 30 feet keel attracted seven ntarteTS, ivnd. owing to tho stronff K.W. breezs and the scattered shipping; in,

the harbour these were , put on , their mettle. Two boats collided, one losing its bowsprit. Sho anchored and replaced it, and, being in a good position, managed to recover lost distance. Another boat, owing to the "master" "cracking on" (to ■ quoto a -report), literally ran under, and, tas it would appear, was pounced into Davy'e locker for harbour dues. . The crew, however, escaped unhurt after having had a cooling reception on their visit to \ Neptune. Mr. George Allan's boat Happy Jack proved the winner, Mt. Houghton'a City of London second, and Mr. Cimino's Fidele third. Tho spectators then adjourned to the flat (Te Aro), where a very amusing 'heat of blind hookey was played, with wheelbarrows. Then the foot race of one mile having been run all attention was given to the hurdle race, for which five horses started, namely, Mazeppa (owned and ridden by Mr. Guyton), Tomperance (owned by Mr. G. Hunter, ridden, by Mr. Wade), Black Billy (rid' den by Mr. Virtue), Old Beau (Mr. Wot*-), and Cahnac Tartar (ridden byi Mr. Skip-wo-rth).' This resulted in a very cloeelyoontested race between Temperance and Mazeppa. The race, as on previous occasions, was run in three heats. So. closely were the horses and riders matched that in no case was there a difference of half a length. Temperance proved the winner. There were many other diversions of an 'amusing nature, tho usual soapy-tan pig being in evidence; but we find a complaint about the cruelty of this sport, the pig in ! this- instance being literally torn to pieces. A war dance was executed by the natives 'with great spirit and humour on their •'part and to the great astonishment and amusement of the spectators. The most interesting feature of this yeaT's celebration! was the ! competition, among the Maoris for the prize given to-tho most export cleaner of flax.. There were .43 competitors, time 15 minutes. The winners were E'Tuna and. Ko Taweri. who each( cleaned two pound five and threequarter ounces of fibre, and divided the prize of £5. Other prizes were given to those who came next in weight and quality. The total weight, of flax prepared by the 43 nativos in fifteen minutes was 611b 4oz ■'■ The day was brought to a conclusion with the Anniversary Bfvll, held this year, in the Exchange, To Aro.