FOUNDING OF CANTERBURY

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1932, Page 7

FOUNDING OF CANTERBURY

PILGRIMS’ CELEBRATION. EIGHTY-SECOND ANNIVERSARY. Members Of the Canterbury Pilgrims’ Association celebrated the 82nd anniversary of the founding of the province on Friday. It was on December 16, 1850, that the first of the First Four Ships, the Charlotte Jane, anchored at Lyttelton. Early in the morning about 20 pilgrims gathered at Christ’s College for the ceremony of breaking-out a replica of the house flag of the Charlotte ,Jane. The flag was hoisted by the Rev. F. G. Brittan, a passenger on the vessel, and patron of the Pilgrims’ Association. He made a short reminiscent speech. Mr. E. R. Webb, president of the association, cilso epoke. / • The pilgrims next travelled to Lyttelton. At 11 o’clock the ensigns of the Rangitane and the Wahine and the flag flying from the premises of the New Zealand Shipping Company were dipped in honour of the occasion, and from the signal station flags announced that the Charlotte Jane was due to “arrive.” Outside the borough council offices the party of pilgrims was welcomed by the Mayor of Lyttelton, Mr. E. E. Sutton, who said that it gave him great pleasure to be associated with those who had founded Canterbury. It was interesting, he said, to know that the place where the pilgrims first landed was barely 200 yards away. Anniversary Day should always be honoured and remembered. _ Mr. Webb described Lyttelton as it was when the pilgrims arrived. He unfurled the replica house flag of the Charlotte Jane, which, he said, had been presented to the Pilgrims’ Association by the Orient Steam Navigation Company, which originated with Mr. Thompson, owner of the Charlotte Jane. Mr. Brittan dealt with the beginnings of ’the movement that led to the pilgrims being sent out to Lyttelton. ’ The pilgrims were then entertained at morning tea by the Mayor and Mayoress. Later a dozen pilgrims were taken for a cruise in the harbour on the R.N.V.R. cutter Deveron, at the invitation of Lieut.-Commander H. A. Rhind.