WELLINGTON JUBILEE CELEBRATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1999, 25 January 1890, Page 1

WELLINGTON JUBILEE CELEBRATION.

Wbliingtoh, Jan. 22 I A cloudless aky and a gentle breeze favored the Wellington Jubilee D&j. Tho principal feature of the celebration, over which much trouble and no little expense had been bestowed,- was the prooession. Headed by *ooie thousands of school childra&g, who formed a line four deep, nearly a mile in length, it. marohed from theßulway Station to Baair, Wf.erve. Bands were stationed at intervals. After the children, who wore distinguished by fl*g* of various colors, cams the old settlers, including a number of Maoris, Thay were partly in carriages and partly on foot, and an soon as Ihey oatne in view the crowds lining the e'.roats and perched on verandah b»gan oheerinf, which was taken up gsntrally alonf; tho line and maintained to tho end. AfVer tho old identities oame a number of lorries contaising members of the different trades at work, firemen, files of butohers, bakers, wharf laborers and others, and finally the friendly societies, The Druids had tsro striking and well exeouted tableaux, which excited great fcpplHUao. Another extremely pretty group were the maypole dancers. Too

procession was in all about two miles in length and took three-quarters of an houe to pass a given point. Blaay of tho vehicles and groups ( were very pretty and showed that c.rmsiderab'e ' trouble had been devoted to getting thorn in order. On arrival at the Basin Beaerye tho children were mustered into their places, and the remainder of the processionists having formed a semioirolo the Mayor presented a loyal address having reference to the jubilee. His Excellency, who was accompanied by Lords Osrringtonand 0 Scott, and the suites, replied briefly, expressing his intention of malting himself as woll acquainted with the North Island as ho was with the South. The children then sang the National Anthem and the jubilee hymn composed by Mr Bridge. The remainder of the day was devoted to amusing the children with sports, maypole ' dances, ko. Many thousand! of people were present ,in fact it is considered to be the largest crowd ever assembled in Wellington. A regatta was held during the day, and the whole of the proceedings wound up with a torchlight procession. The following is the tettof the address presented to the Governor :—- " To the Queen's MostEsoellent Majesty. " We, your Majesty's mosi humble and dutiful subjects, the Mayor, Councillors and Citizens of the City, of Wellington, assembled together on the 22nd day of January, 1890,

in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the colony of New Zealand, desire to approach your Majesty with a message of congratulation, for we oelebrate to-day the jubilee ef a community whose work was almost contemporaneous with your Majesty's accession to the throne, and which, after successfully passing through the difficulties and vicissitudes attendant on any colony of enterprise or magnitude, now fairly represents tha solid progress in coienco and advanced civilisation wh.ch marks your Majeity's reign as being without parallel in history. We desire to aiaureyour Majesty that the senticnets of loyalty to your Majesty's throno-and person which animated those pioneer settlers who, from this place ir the month of July, 1840, addressed your Majesty through hia Excellency, Captain Hobson, the then Lieutenant-Governor of the colony, are still strong with us, and not less so than in any part of your Majesty's vast dominions. And in conclusion we earnestly pray that jour Majesty may long be spared to continue the beneficent and enlightened reign under which the preaont prosperity of this oolony has been Bohieved."