WORTH THE EFFORT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16339, 13 May 1927, Page 7

WORTH THE EFFORT

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS

PRAISE TOR OFFICIALS

SCENES UNEQUALLED IN GISBORNE’S HISTORY

The' celebration of Gisborne’s jubilee was observed in an atmosphere of the utmost enthusiasm, and from the moment the public became aware of the extent of the preparations all apathy disappeared and yesterday was made a red-letter day in the history of the town.

There have been many occasions on which the public has thrown enthusiasm an energy into community efforts in the past, but it is safe to say that never have Gisborne’s citizens awakened so suddenly to put their wholehearted enthusiasm into a celebration. There were times during the preliminary organising campaign when it ‘became doubtful if the jubilee would be celebrated at all,-except for the special editions of the newspapers, but it .was realised that the associations of the early days demanded some form of public recognition, and new blood was introduced into the organising committees with highly satisfactory results. The observances yesterday were thoroughly creditable to any community, and the most gratifying feature was. the manner in which the public' participated in the celebrations. "Worth the effort" was the verdict of everyone concerned in the jubilee celebrations, and their sentiment was echoed by hundreds who had at the last minute only decided to assist in making the occasion memorable. PIONEERS’ GATHERING

; The gathering of pioneers for the day was one of the picturesque phases of the jubilee. During the whole of the past week the town had been tilling gradually with visitors from the country and from outside centres, and the display of. photographs and other relies of the early days df Gisborne had excited keen interest, lively discussion, and not a little amusement. The veterans were highly delighted. to observe .that so many photographs of their one-time friends and leaders had been preserved, ’while representatives of other generations were afforded opportunities of judging for themselves the comparative simplicity of life in the pioneering days of ,the district, as well as its difficulties, arising mainly from lack of communications.

"Those were the days," claimed the veterans, as they eagerly discussed tho personalities of .those pictured in the old photographs, and enlarged upon the enjoyment .they derived from picnics and dances, riding parties and other more simple forms of entertainment than are the fashion nowadays. The sight of all the elders, gathered at the Garrison Hall for the luncheon given, in their honor, was one which .those privileged to witness it will not soon forget.

OUTSTANDING SUCCESS. The' proceedings so well launched were carried on throughout the day with a degree of organisation and cooperation that could never have been achieved bnt for a function such as i this, where the public was with tho .organisers in their endeavors to fittingly mark the anniversary. The procession through Gladstone road was pronounced the best effort of the kind ever made Jn Gisborne, both from the point of H&aff work and. scope. The long procession moved off, in its different sec- j tions, in strict accordance with the timetable laid down by the marshal, and the various details of organisation harmonised with wonderful effect. The variety of the displays aroused much gratified comment, and the part taken by the motor trade was much appreciated. The exhibitors had taken a great amount of trouble to make their entries worthy of the occasion, and left no room for criticism. The Maori parties from Waihirere and Manutuke jhade an excellent impression, the canoe full of maidens singing the poi songs being an especially effective contribution to the procession. Private caroWners wete liberal in their support, ahd the decorated car class was one of the best that could be seen anywhere. The A. A.A. members supplied a large number of conveyances for the pioneers, whose enjoyment of the celebrations was beyond description. HAPPY REUNION. At the sports ground, the crowd was tremendous, and, though rain threatened to fall, the well-arranged- programme fulfilled. There was more of interest in the reunions of old friends among the pioneers than in the sports events for many of those who attended, and there were times when the crowd encroached on the arena, to the discomfiture of some of the competitors, who, however, accepted the situation with a good grace. All over the ground were to be seen groups of old residents, nodding excitedly as one incident after another of the early days was brought to mind, and “ the rheumatiz. was temporarily forgotten in the joy of meeting again friends of other days. No stone was left unturned' to give the old people a highly enjoyable day. and the efforts of the executive and -of the public were handsomely rewarded, to judge by the happy smiles of the pioneers. A suggestion has been made that similar reunions should be held at intervals of, say, 10 years, and this suggestion might with profit be taken up by those who assisted to make the recent celebrations so outstanding a success. There was unanimous appiDval of the steps taken in connection with the jubilee functions, and it is felt that the results-, justify a trial of the suggestion.