BLENHEIM EN FETE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6964, 2 November 1909, Page 6

BLENHEIM EN FETE.

(From Our Special Eo porter.—By Telegraph.)

/The good people of Blenheim were jo-ooßod at 4.30 o'clock this morning by a furious clanging of tho town firebell, which was tho means adopted hy those in charge of the jubilee celebrations of tho Marlborough province of impressing on the populace that tho great day nad arrived. Had tho originator of this idea heard the remarks which wero directed at him fi'om the. occupants of the crowded hotels round the fire station he might not have felt flattered, but ho would at least have had tho satisfaction of knowing that no ono forgot ho was in Blenheim and that it was jubilee day. Tho town was early astir, and before 0 o’clock the streets were thickly packed with people, who watched with interest the arrival of tho Parliamentarians who had made their stay at Picton since Saturday even mg. THE GO VEENOK'S ARRIVAL.

■When his Excellency the Governor arrived hy special train, from Ugbrooke about 10 o’clock ho was met by tho Mayor of Blenheim (Mr A. McCallum), the Hons. D. Buddo and T. Mackenzie. Mr W. P. Massey and all the other mem•bora of tho Parliamentary party. An immediate start was .made with the procession through tho city, and a really ■fine show it was. Unfortunately as the procession moved off rain, ‘W'liic threatened! all the morning, began to fall heavily, and the rest of the proceed- ' iags ivero carried oufc in the midst ot a. .regular downpour. The enthusiasm ot the celebrants, however, was not damped to tho slightest extent. Tho proccsaion was not only excellently arranged, but was most novel. The main, feature was a lino of thirteen traction engines, all gaily decorated, and drawing tiro waggons loaded -with cheering school childiren. An old-time bullock dray attracted a groat deal of attention, and tremendous (amusement was caused by a "lady," really a young man, dressed for the part, riding astride a steer. The last section, of tho procession consisted ot about fifty drovers in their weU-fcuonn blue and red shirts, fully equipped with stockwhips, saddlebags and lariats, and leading patient packhorses piled high with. parapUeTuialia of tho humble frymffpan. rho fciglit nn impressive and interesting one,_ did tho greatest credit to the district. Having (traversed the town, the procession drew up in Market square, where the Governor was officially received by the Mayor. His Excellency was accompanied by hifl hostess, Mrs H. D. Vavaeonr. and Captain Shannon, A.D.L. Tha town clerk (Mir E. P. Sinclair) read a loyal address of _ welcome, which yeas borne on "to tho dais by four livtle ■white-clad children. HIS EXCELLENCE'S SPEECH.

J. G. WARD, NEW ZEALAND’S FUTURE.

His Excellency briefly replied. He said.- —

"Mr President and members of the Mjairlbororngh Jubilee Assoem.r-io:u ' "X thank you for (the cordial welcome you bare extended to mo upon thus my eecond official visit to Blenheim and its neighbourhood, and 1 receive with satisfaction your assurance of loyalty towards His Majesty the King. The progress which Marlborough has made since its establishment as a. province is a. splendid testimony to its bold and hardy pioneers, its distinguished' and fax-seeing public men, and its renowned climate and soil. . . . heartily do I icon with. yon m yonx jubilee celebration®, not merely because it emphasise® the wonderful progress the province has made, but because that progress has added greatly to the general well-being, happiness and etrongth. of tho whole Dominion, “X desire also to thank you for your kindly reference to the efforts Lady Drumhot -md I have made to bo of some use to thoeo amongst whom our life for. tho past five years has been cast. It is a deep satisfaction to ua to feel that wo havo made some return, however inadequate, for that uniform kindness and goodwill which wo have enjoyed since wo arrived in brew Zealand.’ Tho either speeches arranged for were not delivered, tho rain by this time falling iu torrents. A feature of this part of the celebrations was tho singing by the Blenheim Harmonic Society of Handers Hallelujah Chorus.” OLD IDENTITIES.

Tho opportunity of speech. making lost in tho mo min" came in tho afternoon when tho old identities of tho district n-ero banqueted in the Town Hall. Tho sight on this occasion was ono not easily to bo forgotten. Seated at tho long tables •woro several hundred old people, most of them bronzed and scarred by tho hard ■n-oxi of tho fifty years which Jay behind them. Conversation was earned on •with a zest that made even tho members of Parliament appear silent, and thrilling indeed must have been eomo of the stories which were so freely exchanged. I Present at tho banquet were tho mayor of Blenheim (who presided), lus E.vcei- / kmcy the Governor, Archbishop l\odwood. Bishop Mules (of Ncbon). Archdeacon Graco« the Jtons. A. Jv. Guinness (Speaker of tho House of Kepresentatives), D. Buddo and T. Mackenzie, Mr W'. P, Massey, Captain Shannon, A.D.C.,

PROVINCIAL JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS. ENTHUSIASTIC PROCEEDINGS.

and the members of the Governor’s and tho Parliamentary parties. MESSAGE PROM THE PREMIER. Great enthusiasm was raised by the reading by the Mayor of a telegram from the Premier. Tha message reads: A. McCallum, Esq., president of the Marlborough Jubilee Association : My heartiest congratulations to you all upon the jubilee to-day complete. Tho history of Marlborough before,, during and since its days as a province is rich in honoured names ,

whose strenuous lives as patriotic pioneers have left many monuments in the material progress you now. witness. To-day it is fitting for Marlborough to survey its advance and congratulate itself upon an expansion and progress, which is genuine, steady and great. In this sense of proper pride the splendid sen-ices of those now at rest wili not, I know, bo forgotten. Tho names of Weld and Clifford, of Adams and Carter, and the other departed Superintendents will live in your hearts, with many another memory of brave and useful lives now closed.

To-day, too, you will, I know, rejoice that you still have with you that splendid old veteran and _ pioneer, Captain Baillie, whose sixtytwo years of close association with all tho progress and interests of Marlborough make him a living link between the past and the present, between settlement’s earliest beginnings and to-day’s fine achievements. Surely ho will throughout your celebrations feel a sense of paternal pride in that growth and prosperity whoso inception he witnessed and which he has done so much to guide and promote.

Before Marlborough lies a splendid future. Few parts of New Zealand are more richly endowed iu natural 1 beauty of mountain, stream and sound. Few are richer in great historical events and incidents. Few have a more vigorous, industrious, self-reliant, people. Few have richer lands. When to all these advantages are added the facilities of wider communication by rail and sea Marlborough will take its place amongst the fairest, richest and most permanently prosperous of the great provinces of New Zealand.

My, congratulations upon your splendid' past. Aly felicitations upon to-day’s jubilee celebrations, and ray earnest hope and best wishes for your future.

The toast of “The King” having been honoured, the Alayor proposed that of ‘"The . Governor.”

His Excellency, in reply, made a characteristically humorous . and interesting speech. He referred particularly to the galaxy of beautiful children who had brought him his address of welcome earlier in the day. He spoke of the great progress which was being made iu the Dominion, and looked forward to the day when New Zealand would take its place as one of the proudest of nations. Never had he seen in any part of the world such fine children as he had seen that day in their hundreds. Now Zealand had the finest and best cared for children of the world, but there were not nearly enough of them. (Laughter and apxilauso.) His Excellency concluded with a few words expressing his appreciation and ■ admiration of tho pioneers of the district. CHIEF SPEECH OP THE GATHERING,

The Mayor then delivered, the chief speech of the gathering. Mr McCollum opened with some words of welcome to all who had assembled to do honour to tho jubilee of tho province—to his Excellency, Ministers of the Crown, and members of the Legislature. He felicitated the citizens and settlers of the province' on the happy auspices attending tho day’s event. Ho felt that a tribute must be paid to tho early pioneers who built the solid foundations on which the community rests. "Representing as I do,” he continued, "one of tho pioneer families of the district, and having spent the whole of my life in this my native town, I know by long and close contact tho sterling qualities of the manhood and womanhood that has spent' itself in making this prosperous community what it is to-day. (Cheers.) Before us wo see tho remnants qf that hearty band of settlers who, taking their lives in their hands and not knowing what the next day would bring forth, persoveringly carved their homes out of tho primitive wild, and made the path e-asy for their descendants. All honour to the old identities." (Applause.)

HISTORY OP THE PROVINCE. Ho then took his audience over the history of tho province, mentioning the names of several of the more famous pioneers. Sir Frederick Weld especially was ono who had conferred particular distinction on the province. His political career originated in the district and carried him on for the Premiership of New Zealand and the Governorship of West Australia, Tasmania, and the Straits 'Settlements,' Another name that Marlborough people regarded with pride was that of Professor Rutherford, who, starting his < education in the local schools, had reached the' very top in the world of science, and was honoured in all ’ countries. M!c McCall urn, conclud-

’ed with an exhortation to his hearers to follow the example of these men. “It fis for us,” he said, ‘'living in the present day, upon .whoso ideals and labours the future depends, to act up to the high standard of effort set ns by the pioneers whose heritage ive honour today. If we do this wo need have nothing to fear for either ourselves or our children, and the end of tho next fifty years ought to witness a record worthy of the best qualities of manhood and womanhood.” OLD IDENTITIES HONOURED.

The Hon. D. Bnddo proposed the toast of “Tho Old Identities." He regretted the absence of tho Hon. Captain Baillie, but expressed his pleasure at seeing around him so many of those who had breasted the hills, waded through tho swamps, and laid the foundations of the settlement of which Blenheim was such a fine capital. He paid a special tribute to tho women, who were the real heroes of the pioneer movement. Response was made by Messrs A. P. Seymour and A. J. Lichfield,, both of whom were received in the most enthusiastic manner.

Mr G. Laurcnson, M.P., proposed the toast of- "Ministers of the Crown,” to which the Hons. D. Buddo and T. Mackenzie responded. Mr Mackenzie declared his firm belief that the present Parliament was the best he had experienced sinco he first entered Parliament in 1887. The Government had been referred to as a power, but if tho e.ssemblage wished to honour a greater power than Cabinet it should drink tho health of the pioneers who sat at this table —a dozen mothers. (Hear, hear.) Inquiring into their, domestic concerns, he found from the first one of them that bhldwas the mother'of ten. The nexfl was the mother of eleven, and nine were mothers between them of forty-two, while the first.lady on his right had remarked, “I (aim the grandmother of twenty-seven." (Laughter and applause.) He was sure the total would go up jiroportionately if he continued his iuvestigations. Hero were the pioneers, who ad far surpassed the mea in the development of Marlborough. Why, tho men were a mere incident in tho situation ! (Laughter.) Amongst the other toasts were “Parliament," ' proposed by Air R. McCallum, and responded to by the Hon. A. R. Guinness, Air W. P. Massey, and Air T. Parata; and “Success to Alarlborough,” proposed by Mr J. Allen. The Hon. T. Alackenzie, who seconded the toast, gave some striking illustrations of the wonderful prosperity enjoyed by the province. So early as January, 1770, there were glowing reports of Alarlborough, for Captain Cook, who came in that year, had a very good report to make of tho beautiful sounds district. The Minister spoke interestingly of some main features of the province, and brought his history up to date by showing the development of the last eight years, in 1900 there were 5036 horses in the province; iu 1908 the total was 7547. Cattle had increased in tho same period from 13,037 to 17,744, and sheep from 751,000 to 1,016,000. Crown tenants had increased from 375 to 11,000, while the value of improvements to land for settlement lands was .£159,201.

In addition to the banquet the occasion was celebrated iu other ways, including a “treat” to tho children. A novel feature of the afternoon festivities was the roasting of a whole .bullock in Alaori fashion and the subsequent distribution of the meat.

To-day tho Marlborough A. and R. Show, which is expected to be a great success, opens, as does the jubilee baud contest.