JUBILEE AT WAIPU

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18446, 6 January 1922, Page 3

JUBILEE AT WAIPU

AN INTERESTING EVENT. HIGHLANDERS FORGATHER. (From Odh Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, January 5. An interesting event in the history of the Scottish community of Waipu was celebrated on Monday, when the Jubilee of the Waipu Caledonian Society was held. The day was the fifty-first anniversary of the formation of the society, the jubilee not having been observed last year on account of special reasons. Sunday was also celebrated as a jubilee' day in the history of the district, it having been 51 years smoe the main portion of the old church was erected. A special service was held in. the church, the Rev. Angus M‘Donald conducting the first portion of the service, partly in Gaelic and partly in English. He preached a sermon on the text: “I remember the days of old,” and he briefly sketched the story of the foundation of the settlement^ On Monday, when the Caledonian Society held its jubilee sports gathering, there was a very large attendance, including many visitors. In the morning 18 pipers, three drummers, and 28 members of the society, assembled in the main road and marched to Caledonian Park to the tune of ‘' The Barron Rocks of Aden.” The Rev. Angus M‘Donald then delivered an address: “Men and women who came from afar 67 years ago,” Mr M‘Donald said, “were driven out of Scotland through cruelty and oppression, and after putting up with great hardships and privation, finally settled - down in this district. After a while they gathered, together in a paddock, hoisted the flag of Sootland_ in the centre of the paddock, took off their coats, and danced round that flag to a time played on the bagpipes. The men then picked up the i. caber and hammer and indulged in manly sport. Fifty-one years ago they formed the Caledonian Society, and have kept it'going ever since, and we are now 'going to commemorate that oooar sion. There are very few of those good old men and women with us to-day, but their spirits have inculcated into’ their children a love of freedom, justice, and law. They were Soots and Pioik, who would never be ruled by anyone but themselves. One day when they heard that a tyrant had arisen, the sons of these old Highlanders hoard the cry of justice to the weak, laid down their work, and fought and fell that Waipu and New Zealand would be free, and in order- that they might carry on the customs started by their fathers 51 years ago to-day. We reverence those old pioneers, and we do them honour who planted the lion hero 51‘ years ago. I ask you,to stand up and uncover for two short minutes while we reverenoe them in silence.” Ait the conclusion of the tribute to the memory of old settlers. Piper Campbell played a short lament. The sports were then commenced, and proved interesting and successful