CANTERBURY ANNIVERSARY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1190, 21 December 1894, Page 32

CANTERBURY ANNIVERSARY.

RE-UNION IN WELLINGTON

A re-union of former residents of Canterbury was held in Thomas’ Hall on Monday night to celebrate the anniversary of the province of Canterbury. There was a representative attendance. Mr W. M. Maskell presided, and was supported by Messrs W. G. Foster and Corlett.

The proceedings were opened by an overture by Minifie’s Band, afterwhich Mr L. Cohen contributed a flute solo. Mr MacDuff Boyd a violin solo, and songs were given by Miss Pender and Mr R. Gibson. Speeches were delivered by Mr J. E. FitzGerald, C.M.G., and Mr W. M. Maskell. Miss Ritchey acted as accompanist. A liberal supply of refreshments was provided by the committee, who are to be congratulated on the success of the entertainment. Mr J. E. Fitz Gerald, who was received with applause, said he could not speak of Canterbury without introducing the name of his old friend Mr John Robert Godley, a man who possessed one faculty in a larger degree than anyone that he ever knew, and that was of attaching men to himself. The speaker then referred to Mr Godley’s connection with the New Zealand Company, and how, when that failed, his friends came to bis 'aid and supplied the necessary funds to found the province of Canterbury. Having been appointed emigration agent, he sent letters all over England saying that they wanted emigrants, posting 16,000 letters in one week, with the result that they got together the finest lot of. emigrants that could be got in any part of the world. Mr Fitz Gerald then spoke of the sailing of the first four ships with their 1000 emigrants from Gravesend —the Sir George Seymour, the Randolph, the Charlotte Jane and the Cressy which made the voyage in about 98 days. Next to Mr Godley as a man who had done most for Canterbury, was Mr William

Sefton Moorhouse, . a man of strong character, who conceived the idea of connecting Christchurch with Lyttelton by a tunnel through the Port Hills. Mr FitzGerald spoke of the influence which some of the early Canterbury settlers, such as Sir Frederick Weld, Sir John Hall, Hon E. Richardson, Hon W. Rolleston, Messrs Crosbie Ward, Sewell, Moorhouse, Tancred and others, exercised in the politics of the Colony. Mr W. M. Maskell said there were two men, whose names Mr Fitz Gerald had forgotten to mention men who differed widely in their characters, and in the work they did, yet who were most respected and honoured. These were Messrs Henry John Tancred and John Ollivier. He. was brought into personal contact with Mr Tancred for . several years, and he worked with him, and a better man there never lived in this Colony. He saw another man before him in that hall, one of the best men that ever came to Canterbury; he alluded to Inspector Pender. Mr Maskell contended that such celebrations as these were likely to promote a spirit of patriotism. Canterbury was the finest province of the finest Colony of the finest Empire in the whole universe. At the conclusion of the entertainment the floor was cleared, and dancing commenced to the strains of Minifie’s band, Mr Lovoi acting as M.C. ■ By Telegraph. —Press Association. Christchurch, December 17. To-day was observed as a close holiday in celebration of the 44th anniversary of Canterbury. The chief attractions weie the regatta at Akaroa, cycling sports at Lancaster Park, the race meeting of the recently-formed Christchurch Racing Club, at New Brighton, and the Labour Day demonstration at Riccarton racecourse. All these were largely attended, and the vanous local sports, picnics, and railway excursions were well patronised. ,