AUCKLAND PIONEERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19456, 12 October 1926, Page 11

AUCKLAND PIONEERS.

OLD COLONISTS' REUNION. gathering at town hall. MEMORIES OF LONG AGO, notable immigrant ships. As the years speed by, sweeping away old landmarks, snapping otic by one the links with the past, the pioneering days of old Auckland become more and more remote, and it is only on special occasions that the. rush and hurry of modern life are forgotten, and thought wings back to the days that are gone forever. Death has taken heavy toll of those hardy souls who knew the little harbour-sidn village of Auckland in the "forties." Only a handful of them trow remain, but their children and their children's children carry on the pioneering tradifions of the early days, and as members of the Old Colonists' Association, have preserved and strengthened the bonds that still unite the busy, prosperous Auckland of to-day with the little straggling settlement of days of long ago. The past came briefly, vividly to life again yesterday, when over a thousand members of the Old Colonists' Association foregathered at the Town Hall to celebrate the 84th anniversary of the. arrival of those famous immigrant ships, the Jane Clifford, Duchess of Argyle, Brilliant, Osprey, and other pioneer vessels. Aces in the aggregate give impressive totals, but it is doubtful if any gathering held in Auckland ever gives such figures as those attained at these annual reunions. Yesterday's total was well over 50,000; there were many old men and women whose silvery hair and lined faces betokened them as well up in the "eighties," and with them were their elderly "childreu," and the grandchildren who are the parents of the boys and girls of to-day. " A Big Birthday Party." The gathering was described by Archbishop Averill as Auckland's big birthday party, and looking round upon all those venerable, white-haired men and women, all so alert and interested, one realised that that was exactly what the Old Colonist annual reunions mean to the old folk. The pleasures of the aged are few; their thoughts hover ever round the past, not the present, nor the. future, and in those brief hours of reunion they come very near to the dear ; treasured days of youth and strength and life's high endeavour. As in other years, the proceedings opened with a brief service of prayer, hymn and thanksgiving, followed by a concert, the afternoon concluding with the serving of afternoon tea and an hour of happy social intercourse. In an impressive and sympathetic address Archbishop Averill remarked that he had had the honour of speaking at so many Old Colonists' reunions that he was beginning to look forward to the day when he would be able to sit with the pioneers and be talked to, instead of doing the talking. He had been in NewZealand between 50 and 40 years, and - would be proud when the time came for him to qualify as an old colonist. Art Example for Newcomers. " I was talking this morning to a partv of boys who arrived by the Hororata," the archbishop added, "and in welcoming them to Auckland I told them I was going to speak later on to the old colonists at their annual reunion. The lads thought it was a most auspicious day upon which to have arrived, and I said to them, 'Look here, boys, if you make good half as thoroughly as most of the old colonists did, then you will do very well indeed!' " " You men and women who came out in the early days had no concrete roads, no cinemas* no luxuries," continued the speaker. "You faced the hardships and difficulties of pioneering in a noble spirit, you blazed the trail for those who came after, even if some of you did not do very much for yourselves. We cannot have a better example than that of the old colonists, who have done so much to lay the foundations of prosperity in this splendid Dominion." Touching reference was made by the archbishop to comrades who had passed sway since the last reunion. "They have passed to the Great Beyond, they are resting now from their labours, and we commend them to the love and mercy of God We extend our sympathy to their dear ones, and our appreciation of all the self-sacrificing s'emce rendered to, this country by those who have passed away." To those who, through frailty and ad- I vancing years were unable to be present, a message of good cheer was ex- ! tended by His Grace, together wii-h the hope that they would be present at next year's reunion. Lessons from the Past. "You set before us to-da.y the groat lessons of simplicity and love of homelife," said the archbishop. "It is a good thing to think back to the simplicity of those early days, and it would be better for us to-day, if we had to lead simpler, quieter lives, if our young people could find more pleasure in their homes, even as you did in days gone by. If we could only get back a little of that spirit it would be better for us as a people and as a country." (Applause.) The Mayor, Mr. George Baildon, weltoroed the old colonists, aud gave a brief account of the holding of the first pioneer gathering in 1842. Among those who had passed away during the year were Mis. Watsop, Mrs. Joiner and Mrs. Micks, while death had also claimed two vice-presidents, Sir Arthur Myers and Mr. 11. C. Tewsley. A warm tiibuto was paid by the speaker to the services rendered to the city by Sir Arthur Myers, and the gathering stood in silence for a few moments. In speaking of his pleasure at having qualified as an old colonist, Mr. Baildon said it would be an excellent thing if nil men of his own generation would become members of the association as soon as they qualified, thus preserving its traditions, and ensuring the payment of fitting tribute year by year to the honoured memories and devoted services of the early pioneers. ! An excellent musical programme was rendered, those taking part being the Oid Colonists' Choir, under the leadership of Mr. J. Phillpot, Mr. Maughan Baniett, Misses E. Peace and P. Gri'ubin, Messrs. Ripley, Richards, MeElwain, Thomas and Mountain. The concert concluded in the time-honoured way by the singing of "Auld Lang Syne."