OLD IDENTITIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 307, 26 November 1937, Page 7

OLD IDENTITIES

FEATURE OF JUBILEE. PROCESSION TO SHOWGROUNDS. Over 100 cars and five motor buses formed the procession this morning from the Opera House to the Showgrounds in the first section of Old Identities’ Day; of the city’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The qualification for an old identity was residence in Palmerston North 50 years _ ago or more, and the occasion brought forth a concourse of the pioneers, travelling not in buggies and gigs, but in modern transport vehicles through, a city which many had known as little better than a clearing in the bush. Led by the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and Mrs A. E. Mansford), who were followed by Mr W. T. Wood, a former Mayor and M.P., Mrs Wood and their party, the first part of the procession was on the western' side of the Square as the last was leaving the Opera House, the route having been via Princess Street, Broadway and round the Square past Fitzherbert Avenue. . Fine but overcast, the weather gradually improved until, at the religious service at the Showgrounds, warm sunlight flooded the scene. Proceeding past a battery of cameras, the old identities assembled, in the main grandstand for the service. The years rolled back for many as members of the gathering proceeded to their seats. Recognitions w'ere numerous, greetings sallied back and forth as the pioneers moved to their places. Mr Mansford escorted Mrs Wood, and Mrs Mansford was led by Mr Wood to the official dais in the front of the stand,, where, among others, were Mr and Mrs J. A. Nash, Mr Nash having played a very prominent part in the organisation of the day’s activities. RELIGIOUS SERVICE. Major W. Searle, officer in charge of the Salvation Army in Palmerston North, welcomed those present, and. then followed the National Anthem and a hymn, “All People That on Earth Do Dwell,” Mr A. J. Graham being the organist. Major T. Holmes, who was stationed at Palmerston North at various periods and who now lives in retirement in the city, led the assemblage in prayer, and Lieut.Colonel D. Macauley, whose association with Palmerston North goes back 44 years, gave a Scripture reading. Lieut.-Colonel Macauley, it may ■be added, can recall the period when he was able to gather household firing requirements from the outskirts of the then town, on the edges of the native bush. Impressive and most respectful, two minutes’ silence was observed in memory of those pioneers of the district who had passed away since the city's Golden Jubilee in 1927. Major Searle then led the company in the Lord’s Prayer, which was followed by the singing of the hymn, “Fight the Good Fight.” Jjieut.-Colonel Macauley opened his address by reading from the 12th chapter of the Book of Genesis, verses 1 and 2. What a changing world they lived in to-day .by comparison with that to- which the' pioneers’ parents had come many long years ago, he remarked. He recounted a visit he had paid to his native Scotland! from where his mother and father and three small children had turned their faces towards a new land. Even so had God said to Abraham :- “Go out . The speaker’s parents had left in August, 1874, to land in October in New Zealand. A wilderness had confronted them—no roads, no railways—no anything—but the old identities would know of the difficulties which had confronted the pioneers. Alas, there was growing up a generation which did not know of those labours and triumphs. The speaker’s father had built a sod whare of one room, as the family s first home. That original home did not stand now, but he had gone back to the site and had taken- liis hat off at what was a sacred spot for him. The pioneers who had carved out a future in the virgin forest of the Britain of the South had had that great spirit and indomitable courage. To-day we remembered the settlers a magnificent type —who had come from Northern Europe to play a great part also in the pioneering of the Manawatu. The descendants of those people were as loyal to their adopted country as their forebears had been to their own. . Mentioning a number of the outstanding names in earlier days, the preacher referred to those of Dr. Featherston, Sir Donald McLean, Mr Buller (native interpreter), Messrs Bree and Kettle (surveyors of the Manawatu), and Rev (afterwards Bishop) Octavius Hadfield. Father Moreau. Rev. James Duncan and Kev. Mr Inglis had been great men, too, who had done their work for God in those former days when there had been no roads and travel was exceedingly difficult. One of the. first services in Palmerston North, held in Mr Manson’s sawmill by Dr. Elmslie, of Christchurch, was referred to by the speaker, who said the greatest monument to them would be the scene to be found looking around, at the smiling fields, the magnificent roads, beautiful homes and the glorious and lovely city, with its magnificent buildings All should make themselves worthy of that. There was still—in the greatly changing world—the old spirit of greed and selfishness, and he asked how much homage was paid to the Lord., Did those of to-day read their Bibles? The pioneers had done so. There was a comfort in the things their mothers had loved, and there was a comfort in God. Major A. Charker, of Auckland, a son of Mr D. Charker, who was present as an old identity, then offered a prayer, and the hymn, “O God, Our Help in Ages Past,” was sung. The Benediction and the National Anthem closed the service, the gathering then repairing' to the Old Identities luncheon.