The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1889.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8639, 27 November 1889, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1889.

IA controversy is raging betwee Wellington and Auckland as to the day on which the " Jubilee " of New Zealand, on becoming a British, colony, should be celebrated. Wellington contends that it should be on January 22, 1890, as it was on that day, fifty years ago, the regular British Colonisation of New Zealand commenced by the arrival at Port Nicholson of the pioneer passenger ship Aurora, sent out by a colonising company from England. Auckland, on the other hand, asserts that the Jubilee should not be celebrated till January 29, as it was on that day Governor Hobson arrived and virtually took posalssion of New Zealand in Pier Majesty's name as a British colony. The Queen, however, in her congratulatory message to the Governor in reply to his announcing the opening of the Exhibition j at Dunedin on Tuesday, virtually settles the question, and declares in favor of Auckland. Wellington has not a particle of claim to the position which its settlers ! would attempt to usurp. Wellington was | not settled until some years after a very | prosperous town had been established at Kororareka, Bay of Islands, which had then its hotels, theatre, churches, and other elements of civilization. Amongst its settlers, too, were many who have since made positions for themselves in the I colony ; and many of the children of the j northern pioneers are now well to do in the world, and occupy in society a very fair standing. In the early days of the colony there was always a bitter feeling between the Auckland and Wellington settlers, the latter being jealous that j Auckland should be made the seat of Government. The bitterness went so far that Sir William Fox, in a book published in 1852 entitled " The Six Colonies of New Zealand,"when tho constitution of the colony was first granted, stigmatised Auckland as being composed of " escaped convicts and runaway sailors," which we suppose was done in retaliation for the Sydney papers styling the first settlers at Wellington " a company of renegades, revolutionists, rebels, and traitors to their Queen and country." It will be seen from this that when searching for the antecedents of those who have taken part in the early settlement of a country, it is not advise able to rely on everything that is to be found in print, although published at the time. New Zealand has really no special day whenasa wholethe colony can celebrate its " Jubilee." This has arisen from the peculiar mode in which the colony was was originally settled by Europeans; as each Provincial District, with the exception of Auckland, dates its nativity from the day the first ship with immigrants dropped anchor in front of the spot where the chief towns have since sprung into existence. It will, therefore, be difficult to change the old established rule of celebrating anniversaries of settlements on the day they were first founded. And, perhaps, it is as well it should be so; for so long as the colony exists, the founding of these various settlements (colonies they were then called) should not be forgotten by the numerous descendants of the pioneers, nor by the public generally, as the holding of the holidays helps to preserve the connecting links in the History of New Zealand.

Fifty years ago to-day (Wednesday) the New Zealand Company's exploring ship Tory, with Colonel Wakefield on board, dropped anchor off the Sugar Loaves ; somewhere, we presume, near tho spot where the breakwater is now built. Great changes have taken place iv those fifty years, and the face of the country has been completely altered. There were very few natives here then, the Waikato tribes having 'driven them away and conquered the country. The land near the beach was covered with shrubs, with spots of loose sand here and there. The finest flax was growing noarly to the edge of the sea. The land was covered with timber, and vegetation was abundant. The timber, we learn, consisted generally of tawa, but here and there might be seen a majestic rimu, or a rata bearing its crimson flowers. Ferns were in abnndance, and in the deepest shades grew the nikau palm. Such is a description of the place as seen by Colonel Wakefield fifty years ago. What changes have taken place in those comparatively few years. Thousands of acres are now under cultivation; we have cattle, sheep, and horses in large numbers, and send thousands of pounds' worth of produce away to other countries yearly. We have a railway connecting us with Wellington, and telegraphic communication with every civilised part of the globe. There are coastal steamers calling here nearly daily, and we can travel to and from England in fortytwo days, whilst fifty years ago ninety days was considered a quick passage. Such a change in so short a time was scarcely anticipated by the early settlers; and yet tho modern settlers think we are not making headway fast onough.