THE WELLINGTON JUBILEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8161, 24 January 1890, Page 6

THE WELLINGTON JUBILEE.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Wellington, Thursday. Thb second day's Jubilee celebration, notwithstanding disagreeable wind and dust, passed off most successfully. At the Basin Reserve an immense concourse of people gathered to witness rural old English games, athletic sports, Maypole dance, etc. A Maori haka by 40 or 50 natives was a feature of the proceedings. Twenty-six athletic evente were q7 each event being large, and all being well contested. His Worship the Mayor to-day entertained a large number at a picnic at Homewood, his country residence in the suburbs. The takings at the gates of the Basin Reserve, on Wednesday, amounted to £256, exclusive of cash sales of tickets or entrance money paid by members of the procession. To-day £308 was taken at the gates. It is probable that the two days' takings will amount to very nearly £600. OPINION IN WELLINGTON. THE GOVERNOR AND THE ADDRESS. [BY TELKGKAm. —OWN CORRESPONDKNT.] Wellington, Thursday. Measured by the number of people who turned out to take part in it, by the length of the procession, and the ingenuity displayed in giving variety to the industry illustrations which made it attractive, the Jubilee Anniversary celebrated yesterday and this day was a decided success. But it had its special drawbacks us all such occasions have. The space in which the population of Wellington had to assemble (the Basin Reserve) was far too small. The consequence was that the demonstration had much the appearance of a packed crowd. The dust was horrible, and the heat very oppressive. Itis worthy of notice that the local journals have now assumed a different attitude towards the date of the Jubilee Anniversary of the colony. The Post, which was loudest in its eagerness to have " the 22nd proclaimed as the anniversary of the colony," now calls it "Jubilee of the landing of the New Zealand pioneer settlers." I have no objection to the alteration : it is understood that there were "pioneers" before the Wellington settlers arrived in New Zealand.

The Times says:—"The Jubilee anniversary has made another break in the serious business of life, seeing that the various districts have not attempted to reconcile their differences and select a common day for general rejoicing." But there have been features of this display which were rather conspicuous by their absence. There, were two men-of-war in the harbour, but they displayed no bunt ing ; they dipped no pennant to the corporation arms. There were two colonial Governors on board, but there was no stir. The greatest display in the way of welcome was given to the champion shot. It was a very honourable recognition, and occupies a column of the evening papers. Although the Ministers brought the two Governors ashore, although there was an address to the Queen, yet there was no reply by His Excellency the Governor of this colony. Although there was another colonial Governor at his side there was no demonstration, and the space devoted to the arrival and reception of these important persons occupied only twenty lines ot letterpress in this evening's paper. There is a sense of humiliation in some quarters that is but ill concealed. Ido not care to affix blame. lam concerned merely to suite facts. In the opinion of some there has been a covert affront offered to the Governor. InXhe opinion of others there has been a covert affront offered by the Governor to certain persons who have made themselves very conspicuous lately in connection with '' the anniversary of the colony," and who undertook to instruct all and sundry what day of the year should be taken for the celebration of the Jubilee of the colony. How acute this feeling is will be gathered from the following, which this morning appears in the Times : " We ' regret to say that we cannot compliment His Excellency the Governor upon his reply to the Royal address presented to him. It was a string of platitudes as cold as ice." I have already said there was no reply to the address, for the reason that the address was an address to Her Majesty, and the words spoken to the Mayor were simply an intimation that it would be forwarded to the-Queen by the next mail. The question that emerges is, Was it a loynl or courteous thing to ignore altogether tho Governor in his representative capacity, to force upon Her Majesty a complaint which can only ba remedied by the Governor as her representative, with tho vice of the responsible Ministers. The words spoken by His Excellency are interpreted as an affront, when it is said that he replied with a string of platitudes as cold as ice, that he declined to give any intimation of any opinion as to the contents of an address formally addressed to Her Majesty the Queen in person, and that he took no official notice, either as Governor of the colony or Commander of Her Majesty's Forces within the colony, of an occasion which is olhcially provided for on the 29th January. That refusal to reply is, I suppose, one of the platitudes " icy cold." But whatever it may be it would seem clear that as there was no address presented to His Excellency there could be no reply. The words spoken in recognition of the scene around wero courteous and commonplace, butappropriate, and certainly without the least offensiveness in tone or manner. I mentioned in a recent message a number of people here were preparing an address to the Queen, upon the subject of the true date of the foundation of the colony, but I could not have anticipated that the manner of presenting it would have created such a stir as has been occasioned by this transaction. His Excellency Lord Onslow could have returned no other answer than he did. The terms he used indicate his own sense of the situation very pointedly : " The document you have just handed to me is addressed not to the Queen's representative, but to Her Majesty the Queen herself, and you will therefore not expect me to make any reference to its contents." When the true position shall be known, there cannot fail to be a deep sense of humiliation sustained by the city of Wellington through the overweening vanity of a few persons well meaning indeed, but ill-informed in respect of the courtesies of public life. Of course the people wondered how it was that there were two British men-of-war in the harbour which showed no bunting, dipped no pennant to the city arms ; why no jolly tars came ashore to be fraternised with. There was something that suggested that this was not quite as it should be. However successful this celebration ot the landing of the Wellington pioneer settlers has been, there is a soreness with many people who care very little about the date of the Jubilee, but have a deep sense of the dignity to which their city is entitled. LORD ONSLOW AND LORD CARRINGTON LEAVE FOR AUCKLAND. At the present writing H.M.s. Orlando is getting up steam to proceed to Auckland ; rf.M.s. Lizard is also getting up steam bound for the same port. Lord Onslow left to-day by the Manawatu Railway en route .to Auckland. Meanwhile, the Gazette announces this evening that His Excellency has been pleased to direct that* Wednesday, the 29bh of January, being the anniversary of the establishment of Her Majesty's authority in New Zealand, shall be observed as a public holiday. The notification is signed by the Hon. Captain Russell, and it is " proclaimed and published by His Excellency's command."