"THE JUBILEE OF TARANAKI"

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8755, 17 April 1890, Page 3

"THE JUBILEE OF TARANAKI"

TO TUE EDITOR. Sin, — It has been suggested to me by a friend who was formerly a distinguished athlete, and who still takes a warm interest in all that concerns athletics, that the Jubilee of the Province of Taranaki, which will bo in a year from this time, ought to bo ivgardod as an important occasion, and toU'luatt'd by a Urand Festival. I write n> you to lay my friend's suggestion before the public; and in doing t>o will make a few remarks. That such a festival ■» ill take place I shall assume. How shall it l>e carried out V Athletics ought not to be the (vi ly important feature of it. Concerts and musical competitions, dramatic per formances, poetical and literary recitations, an exhibition of Art and Industries, and grand choral religious services should find their places. To choral singing I would assign very high importance. To come to the athletic part — not only should there be the usual running and other sports, as on Easter .Monday last week, but a logchopping competition should take a prominent place in the sport* of a great bush country such as this. Swimming, too, ought not to be omitted. Further, there should be a parade and ride shooting for the Volunteers, for the importance of the Volunteer force to us it would be hard to exaggerate. And there should he a grand procession of as many as possible of the men and boys of the province, all in the athletic dress, to show what stun 0 Taranaki has produced; and there ought to be prizes awarded, after a wide competition and careful scion ti tic judging, to a limited number of the Lest formed men. The good results of such a proposed festival may be immediately felt, for in view of it not only will our youth perceive that they will need long and careful training, but they will see the advisability of staiting a system of measuring such as I have already advocated at New Plymouth, and of seeking to learn what are their strong and what their weak points, so as by proper exercises to bring up the weak ones into harmony with the rest. For very many men a years' training and exercise is not too long. The effect, unfortunately, of excellence in particular sports is to encourage onesidedness ; but it should be the aim of every thoughtful youth who appreciates the chief value of athletics as something beyond the winning of prizes, to work for all-roundness and harmony of form. The prizes should be presented after the sports in a grand j ceremony by the most beautiful young women representing the various districts of the province. Such a festival would naturally be held at Xew Plymouth, but every effort should be made that it may be an affair, not of the tovvn or district, but of the province, and that the hearty interest and support of the settlers in every part of it may be gained. Such a movement requires leaders. A few earnest people arc needed in every | district, town, and village to throw themselves actively into it, and rouse the interest and enthusiasm of their neighbours. I know that there is in the province so large an amount of talent, artistic, dramatic, and musical, not to speak of the high standard of athletic excellence, that i I cannot doubt of the success of the plan if only it is well organised. This would be done by having numerous local committees, with a central one in New Plymouth. I i.iiist not trespass further on your space, and beg to say, in conclusion, that I hope the suggestion I venture very deferentially to make will be well and widely considered, for it is impossible to overestimate the importance of doing all we can to improve the quality of the human liice in this country, at this time, and to build up a vigorous, beautiful, virtuous stock. It is by care and thought that our breed 8 of animals have been so wonderfully improved; and it is by similar care and thought that the British race in this colony can also bo improved. Surely this is an aim worth striving for by every patriotic thoughtful man. And I believe that a position such as I have sketched out would be a means of no small value in making the need of raising the standard of our stock generally understood and appreciated, and of working towards its accomplishment. —I am, &c, F. B. Hutcuinson. Dallon Farm, Inglewood.