THE JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS OF 1898.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 95

THE JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS OF 1898.

The jubilee celebration of Otago was inaugurated with the holding of services in First ;Churcb on Sunday, March 20, 1898, the building being crowded at both morning and evening services. The keynote given by First Cfcarch was followed more or lees by all the other churches. On Monday/ March 21, large numbers o* people came into Dunedin from different parts of the province and elsewhere, including his Excellency the Gove£»^|^*»rd Ranfurly, who was received by the then .Mayor of Dunedin (Mr'E. B. Cargill), members of Parliament, and others. Mr Cargill, eon of Captain Caxgill, had..been elected unopposed as Mayor of the city in recognition of his father's and Ms own services to the settlement. On Tuesday, March^22, his Excellency the Governor held ar^vee in the Town Hall at 4 p.m., and open«gj**he Jubilee Industrial Exhibition in the Agricultural Buildings at Bp.m. There was a large assemblage of people, representative of the whole of New Zealand. Speeches, which dealt for the most part with the jubilee history of the province, were given by the Hon. T. 'Fergus, the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon (Prenuer), Mr E. B. Cargill (Mayor), and L^Lt Thomas Brydone, after which his Excellency the Governor, in a, brief address, declared the Exhibition open. The Exhibition, which was very largely attended during the period for which it was open — Marck 22 to June 4 — represented in a veryappreciable way the great- progress made by New Zealand since its foundation. Many of the exhibitors spared no effort and no expense to make a display worthy of the> unique occasion. The Early History Court was confined almost entirely to things belonging to the Otago Province, and comprised some rare maps, photos, and engravings, fully half of which belonged to •Dr Hocken. There were also a number of curio*, such as the sledge in which the ladies of the Fulton family used to shop in Princes street, the chain used by Mr Kettle (first surveyor), the first map made of the Otago block (made by Mr Tuckett), and a- model of the first threshing machine (made by Mr James Elder Brown, 'A Tokomairiro). The Picture and Art Gallery was. a most attractive feature of the Exhibition. On the Tuesday evening, too, the Gaelic Society of New Zealand gave a grand jubilee ceilidh and concert, when tie chair was occupied by the Hon. John jML'Kenzie, the chief of the society. Addresses were given by the chief, the Hon. J. G. Ward, Dt Gordon Macdonald, and others. Wednesday, March 23, the anniversary day, was warm, bright, and cleat — an ideal day. The- ceremonials commenced with religious services. The thanksgiving jubilee service of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland was held in FiTst Church in the morning, the Moderator (the Rev. Wm. Will) presiding- The building was packed to overflowing. The addresses for the occasion were delivered by the Rev. James Chisbolm and the Rev. James Gibb. Suitable addresses were also given in other churches. At 11 o'clock a great procession made its way to the Caledonian Ground, where sports were held in the presence of 10,00<H?eople. The races at Forbury Part and the regatta in the Upper Harbour also provided amusements for many thousands, and m the evening the city was brilliantly illuminated, although not nearly on so .extensive a 6cale as on the occasion of the Queen's Jubilee. At the early settlers' conversazione, presided over by the Hon. T. Fergus, held in the Agricultural Hall in the evening, about 3000 persons were -present, including bis Excellency the Governor and the Hon. W. Rolleston, M.H.R., both of whom occupied 1 seats on the platform among a large number o£ old identities. The gathering was most enjoyable. On Thursday, March

exhibition, were the races at Forbury Park, the New Zealand League of Wheelmen's sports on tlie Caledonian Ground, races and cycling sports on the Carisbrook Ground, a trip to the Heads on the Corinna, and the New Hebrides Mission sale of curios. &. cricket match, Otago v. Southland, and a lawn, tennis tournament were also among the day's items, and the Dunedin citizens.' ball was held in the evening in the Garrison Hall. On Friday, March 25, the cricket match and the lawn tennis tournament were continued, while the Tahuna Park Trotting Club's Taces an J a, pigeon match at Musselburgh attracted not a few. Tlie Exhibition was well patronibed. Saturday's proceedings were unfortunately marred by a break in the weather, and a children's gathering at Tahuna Park Had to be postponed.