THE FORTY-SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE COLONY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 771, 10 December 1886, Page 19

THE FORTY-SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE COLONY.

TO THE EDITOR OE THE NEW ZEALAND MAIL.

Sir, —The 22nd of January next is the anniversary day of the arrival of the systematic colonisers of these Islands. It is the day on which the New Zealand Company’s vessel the “ Aurora ” anchored under Somes’ Island, Port Nicholson, with the first pioneer settlers who came out under the auspices of that noble colonising body, the New Zealand Company, to found and build up this young Empire, destined to be the brightest gem in Britain’s crown. The vessels arriving immediately after the Aurora were the Oriental, January 31, 1840 ; Duke of Roxburgh, February 19, 1840 ; Bengal Merchant, March 2, 1840; Adelaide, March 7, 1840 ; Grlenbervie, March 7, 1840; Bolton, April 20, 1840 ; Coromandel, August 29, 3840. These vessels were followed at intervals by other vessels, either chartered, sent out by or under the New Zealand Company’s sanction—in all about eighty-two vessels—conveying upward of 10,000 souls, up to April, 1848. During this period the regular settlements of New Zealand were—Wellington, 1840'; Auckland, 1840 ; Wanganui, 1841 ; Nelson, 1841 ; Otago, 1847. At this period the colonising operations of the New Zealand Company had nearly ceased, and in 1848 the Canterbury Association was formed, which resulted in. the systematic colonisation of the Canterbury settlement. The 22nd of January, so long as the Colony exists, shoulcL not be forgotten by the founders, their* numerous descendants, and by the colonists generally. The day is past and. gone for calling together that early band who" left the shores of the Old Country- “ in search of a country”—very few ara left. The date, however, of their arrival remains, and will do so for ever, and it now rests with the colonists generally to

organise and carry out the 47th Anniversary o£ the foundation of the Colony. The 44th Anniversary was celebrated at the Athenaeum by a dinner, Sir William Fitzherberty K.C.M.G., in the chair. In the concluding remarks of an able speech which he made, he said it rests with the colonists il to preserve for Port Nicholson the glory ot being distinguished as the birth-place of New Zealand. You ought never to allow this day to pass without meeting together after the present fashion.” The original pioneers are now too few to undertake anniversary celebrations. It is therefore to be hoped the colonists generally .wiil carry out the matter and inspire it with that (£clat which, the importance of the day deserves. I am, &c.,

J. H. W.