THE CENTURY DEMONSTRATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9035, 2 January 1901, Page 1

THE CENTURY DEMONSTRATION.

♦ IMPRESSIVE CELEBRATION. A unique occasion fittingly acknowledged, such must be uit> uaauunous verdict of all who witnessed iVioiiday nigiits proceedings. .Everyone seemed' to be impressed by the importance oi tiie events wweti will make uie end oi me nineteenth century remarkable for ail time, u tune when the events of the most wonderful of the centuries found jlieir climax in cnanges so signal and iar-reaciung in character as to appear at hrst sight but the visions of extreme poetic iancy. We speak in a national sense. Many matters make this period stand out vividly from the records oi the ages ; none more so than the development oi the imperialistic impulse which has seized on all parts of tiie British dominions. Thrilling in response to the Imperial call, Federated Australia has assumed responsibilities and privileges of nationhood, and by that very response has rejuvenated the Older Nation, and more than ever realised the poet's conception of a power which stands "impregnable and unassailable, four square to all the winds that blow." Wherefore we rejoice. Yesterday's sun rose upon 3. world girdled with one blaze of national jubilation. Among the first of the great British kinship, New Zealand's jubilation yielded to none in heartiness, and we may venture to odd that • Gisborne's celebration of the solemn spectacle of the birth of a new and vigorous nation — the first in point of time in the colony — was well up among colonial rejoicings in point of enthusiasm. Mr Towniey has in many respects proved himself an excellent Mayor. Few things he has done which will perpetuate Ms reputation so securely as thej action he took in leading the public ofthis district to enthuse as they did on : New Year's Eve. It was singularly appropriate that here — the historic spot of Captain Cook's first landing in the colony — so splendid a celebration should take j place as the dying hours of Monday night j witnessed. At 8.30 the City Band fell in at the Fire Brigade Station, and behind it came the Fire Brigade, the manual engine with the national tableau "Britannia," Whatanpoko Brass Band, a negro bridal party, and a promiscuous gathering of the general public. Marshalled; by Mr C. F. Lewis, and headed by the Mayor in his uniform as Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, with torches blazing; and colored fires adding their varied; hues to a scene that was exceedingly bright and animated, the procession wend-': ed its way up Palmerston road, through' Derby street, and by way of Childers road, Read's quay, and the water-front up Gladstone road to the Natives' Association Club-room. Here the scene was' impressive in the extreme. Amid the din of ceaseless firevrorks, stirred by the strains of patriotic music, one looked from. the various coigns of vantage on a scene such as has surely never been witnessed in Gisborne before. . The blaze of many lights flashed upon a dense crowd of two or three thousand people. In the distance could be seen the glitter of the Gas Company's illuminations "on the Turanganui bridge, a monster 1901 in flaring letters of fire ; nearer, the not less effective national transparencies and lights of the Albion Hotel. Yet nearer sparkled the "Sun" gas-lights of the Masonic, the balcony of which hotel was crowded with ladies. The City Band occupied a prominent position on the balcony. Over all flew "the flag of the free," together vrith! the separate insignia of Scotland and the emerald emblem of Ireland, Everywhere surged the crowd. Representative of all parts of the district, it afforded a striding indication of the progress thai- has been made since Cook first saw Nick's Head. The large propor-' tion of Natives in the gathering furnished no small trifle in the production of the general effect. In every respect it was a sight deeply stirring, and never, to be forgotten. Shortly after nine Mr Townley appeared on the patriotically decorated platform on the Natives' Club* balcony to address the public. On so great an occasion it was his privilege to felicitate them on the very different state of things the end of the century witnessed in the British nation and in the world at large, compared with the experience of those who lived at the beginning of the century. At that time Napoleon's word was law almost. His passion was that Britain was to be swept away; but Neboa appeared to stop that. Then, too, what great improvements had taken, place in the century in scientific matters, and especially these affecting travel. At the commencement of this period there was no such thing as iron vessels or railways. At the present time in the British possessions there were over 400,000 miles of railway for the carriage of passengers, •and, not satisfied with that, the people wanted aerial travelling as well. Probably the incoming century would see that completed. What effect the new ; century would have on their progress L-oneH of them knew, but if the march of progress was to continue as it had moved iaf\ the last 25 years, the period on which they were entering would be a very won-; derful one. The old canal boats of theiri youth had given place to vessels like those of the Union Company's fleet— the finest in the Southern Hemisphere — and yet they wanted more, and he hoped, they would get it. In a short timein the lifetime of those who mhe addressed—the railway would work its' potetnt, influences and marked changes in this district, and would enable tiie present generation to enjoy a trip to the interior' of this beautiful district. And so far as be -was aware there was no finer country in the colony to be opened up by; this means than that to which he had referred. Their late start in this direction should be compensated fofr by the, rapidity of tbeir progress. Their celebration was contemporaneous with the commencement of the Federal carnival in Sydney. Whether they joined the Fed* eration or not, he was sure they would wish the • confederation progress and every success in their unify- (Cheers.) Thay had been pleased, he was sure, to read in that evening's paper of the arrival of the Premier and party in Sydney to take part in those proceedings, and also to see that New Zealand troopers had been placed at the head of the procession of colonial representatives. Consequent on the improvements in travelling, their colony had grown with phenomenal rar pidity during the past 50 years. Their population wouid shortly reach 100,000. Unlike Victoria and New South Wales, they had a dozen or so harbors, and all signs pointed to a yery great future. Mr Townley then proceeded to introduce the concert programme. Mr A. DeCosta (Wellington) opened the proceedings with the beautiful and feelingly rendered song, "I Trust You Still." Master Ralph Warren sang "The Union Jack of Old England" exquisitely, and later on with equal success "The Lady in Navy Blue," the chorus being taken up heartily. Mr Herbert DeCosta hit the public fancy with his spirited singing of "My Birthday," and Mr. Cogar.pleasantly revived an old favorite in "'Little Midshipmite." In the course of ajhappy address, the Rev. Herbert Williams, President of the Natives' Association, wished the gathering all the compliments of the season. With Mr Townley's historic retrospect he had no intention to interfere, but would just moralise in a small way.' They wojild doubtless share with him the desire vto give a reason for their connection with any job thev undertook. As the Herald had pointed out, there were no particular points in the passing of the old year. Then they might ask themselves, "What on earth *are we here for?" Were tiiey playing the fool? Most certainly jot. Their division of time was a mark ' of their civilisation, and they were met to see out the nineteenth of their hundredyear groups, and to welcome the twentieth. If he were a betting man. he would take odds against any of Ins hearers welcoming the twenty-nxst century— (A voice: "I'll take you up at 2 to 1")— but, as the poet had said, they lived in deeds, not years. Then they should seek to leave for the people of the twentyfirst century something to show for their having lived in the twentieth. He supposed he should be quite safe in concluding by wishing them a very happy New Ceiitury, and very many of them. (Laughter. ) ' At\Uis juncture the tableau "Britumia" was stisged. Miss Elsie Sweet made a charming Britannia, and was supported by

the following lads in khaki and sailor costumes : Ralph Warren, Cecil Manson, Arthur Dixbn, Lennie Hackett, Charlie Dixon, Toby Dixon, Artie Chrisp, Norman Bloomfield, and Ernie Bloomfi eld. Little "Beefie" Wade, in khaki, with tricolor badges, made a charming centrepiece to the group of boys, who represented with banners every portion of our world-wide Empire. Colored fire effects assisted the beauty of the scene, the chorus "Rtile Britannia" being led by Messrs. McKillop (cornet) and Parnell (piano). .-- Mr C; A- DeLautour expressed the public indebtedness to the Mayor for this grand "jollification." (Cheers.) That was his own word. They were there at the birth of—a new century a happy people ; they were going to continue a happy people, and to prosper from year to year under the blessing of the God Who ruled over all. (Cheers.) They were the heirs of all that had gone before. They enjoyed that for which they had neither toiled nor spun. But as they were heirs, so were they debtors — debtors to. the Queen, to the Empire, and the colony which sustained them, to the future, arid to those who would follow them. 'Their part should be to make the future greater than the past had been. Each ,«ntury was a testimony of the ages to 'the Divine compassion that nineteen centuries ago lifted up humanity and glorified it for ever, so that to be a man was now to be everything. Therefore, they ought to emulate, each with each, to raise up every man and woman of j their race, yea, and of all races, that [the world- might be better, and that they might be worthy of their great Creator. I They ;irere indebted to Mr Townley for ! this grand gathering. (Cheers.), Long life to bin, and toVjMrs ; Townley. He had no more to say, but to wish them all a happy New Year. They were going to be a happy and prosperous people, pulling together to make this little part of New Zealand the gem, as it ought to be, of the North Island. (Cheers.) Mr W. L. Bees saw in the gathering, met for no evil purpose, and lor no selfish end, a witness to the gratitude of the people for past favors, and to welcome with peace the still greater favors of the years to come. Not Nelson alone had saved Britahvfrom Napoleon and the French revolutionists. A greater than Nelson was then for the Nation, One Whose Hand had been for their people in the past centuries, Whose Hand was for the- people now, and would be in the years to come. Li all the meetings by which tfye civilised world celebrated Heir rejoicings., at this ■ time, theirs was the first.' New Zealand troops would lead colonial troops in Sydney; New Zealand; (represented by their own sons and brothers) had been' first on the stricken fields of South Africa— so ran the unanimous testimony of generals, statesmen, and the press. Let them see to it that in the future they were first in all >that exalted a nation— justice in commerce, charity to the poor, kindness ,to the weak, and that never-failing . fairness which should- ever distinguish every portion of their race— and' they would see the district, the colony, the Empire prosper accordingly. They heard a great deal about peace. There would be no peace in the world till one race ruled it ; that race which during the last century . had gone from those little islands in the North Sea to the distant parts of the earth, which had colonised South Africa, North America — that race alone (to which they were proud to. belong) could rule in justice and moderation in this world. (Cheers.) They would live to see the British race predominant. . in the world; and armies and navies put at end ' to except for the purposes of peace. (Cheers.) For this district the future promised early railway communication with Napier and Auckland, a great harbor being built the way it ought to be, and ships carrying away the produce of a large, closely-set-tled, rich, and thriving district. Let them all prove their worthiness of the district-, and bring, up *their children and grand-children in such a faith, fear, and honesty, that they could bless their memories, and. might be enabled to say justly: and with pride that they had proved themselves worthy of the race from which they » were sprung. Hearty: New Year greetings concluded the address. (Cheers.) The National Anthem -concluded this part of the proceedings. While the fire,works were being prepared, the Whataupoko Band discoursed an acceptable programme from -the balcony of the Albion Hotel. Of the beauty of the boating procession too much .' cannot be said in praise. Chinese lanterns were used wath excellent effect, and the river was a blaze of light, soft and many-colored, strongly reminiscent of a Japanese opera, or the immortal memories of Venetian picturepainting. Kaiti- in the background, in the whizz of rockets, the splutter of colored fire, and the roar of detonators, spoke an enthusiastic welcome to 1901. Bnt the brilliance of all was surpassed by: the Demonstration Committee's pyrotech-j nic display, arranged and carried out by Mr F. F. C. Huddlestone, which was witnessed by a tremendous crowd of people, who thickly lined the. banks of the river and bridges. The display included a number of beautiful set pieces with gorgeous color effects, and many splendid rockets, suns, Roman candles, etc. Mirrored in the salm surface of the river, varied by the explosion of sub-aquatic mines and fee moving panorama of boat lights, responded to by the rockets from the roadstead, where the steamers Hawke's Bay (brilliantly illuminated) and Kahu and ship Taranaki were also celebrating the occasion, the' scene seemed to be invested with the beauty of Oriental imagery aud splendor. As the last sands of the year were run, the fire-bell pealed its farewell, and" rang in a century full of promise such as the world has never before witnessed. .