NEW YEARS DAY AT WAIMATE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3461, 4 January 1901, Page 3

NEW YEARS DAY AT WAIMATE.

i . Thej ijßsicUnfcs. of Waimate Sf£w Year's Day by holding a retjp&tei , settl®a'- demonstration. Tfc&j.tofllj 1 the; form, ci a> picnic and passed sngvpra • A procession was [lunong- the. aid settlers present Tep'f\- ai>rtved at Waimate prior to 31st December, ,)U3£2,.'w«f& the following :-^Mrs ; StajLholmft, JNJ6SSE&: J., W-, and H. aad iMrsj J. Anderson, Mr and Mrs. .'•Mr I'. Jones, Mr F. Gaitt, Mrs Butcher, Mr and Mrs Ch«*yjkin». Mrs JGrsgsae, Mrs Tregonning, aad~Mrs McQowaa. On arrival at the speeches were delivered. County chauaoan, Mr J. F. ecurso of his remarks said that they now stosrd was originally swamg,,. ciiyertad with flSt and .bush. Iri the sarly days they cottld only-get about by tken bullock waggons came,, then, .coads. were made, then suitable vehicles viegt;? secsred, and bow they had trains to gp>-feoea place to place. In- fact they bed so .many conveniences that he guesJsijnad: whether they had the same hardihootiras. the old. settlers. He concluded by noting; the wonderful progress that had been asivdfc in the district, and referring approvingly- to the enduring work the pioneer's iii this portion of South Canterbury. Mr E. C. Studholme replied on behalf of* his niother. He said that his father c»i3s to Waimate in 1861 and pitched his.- tent with his (the speaker's) uncle, aed Paul Shreaves, at tig Point Bush. As that- time there was not^ r ing but Waving flax and cabbage trees* It took-14 days set get to Timaru and weeks to get te Christchurch By.jdrayi. photo (on yibjw inWaimate in the fepokieller's shop of Mr Franklin) taken STyaara igo, gave i* very good idea of WaiHiate. at ihat time. ; The "Maori "pah used iso, b& at ;he Point Bush, and the- Maoris/were always very i good neighbours. r Jifhere'' was >nly o»d fence between 4 TimariJ- and' Qamiru th«n, and that was at the back of Career's. The horse paddock,extended from lie homestead to the mouth of"th~e Wni;aki. In the early days the place was ■mown as wet Waimate, bat the early setters had subdued the country and laid the oundation for the prosperity it had now ittaihed. Mr John also gave in interesting sketch of the early days of settlement. At that time there were'only 100 Europeans in the entire County, and !00 natives. ; The district had been trans'ormed from the wild wilderness into the ileasant and rich fields which-"-they now iaw. Thay did not have many luxuries n those days. Mr. Manchester having reated solne of his earliest experiences, nade feeling reference to the departed, laying that he almost felt as if he could 'eel the,: touch of a vanished hand-and heard rolces that were long since stilled. Tha 3ev. G. Barclay, gave ah historical sketch >f .the settlement of the :colony, and made ipecial, reference to the colonisation of the British people. Mr James Pike, representng the Maoris, had a written address, yhich his ; daughter read. It specially hanked Mrs Studholme, Mr John Man:hester, and the late Mr M., Studholme for ;heir many, kindnesses,- and proceeded as 'ollows.:—"|As a people we trust we have lot been ungrateful of our. advantages. We have ncit given any trouble-to settlers; We, have tried to be a law abiding-people, ind to-day we are proud of-declaring ourselves ;true and. loyal subjects of -Her Jracionsi Majesty Queen Victoria. God Save the .Queen ! And while as British subjects it; is our duty to be loyal and )bedient- to' law and order and to appre:iate kindness and benefits received, "re suppose it is also our privilege, to express >ur grievances. One is that we feel we lave been and are still entitled to,.' jnore :onsideration at tlie hands of the Govern.nent, in making us sufficient grant of land 'or the maintenance of ourselves and our 'amilies, and in a district.:like this we feel ve should- have had a substantial reserve >f good land; set aside for our use instead of i small area of partly stones and subject 0 great damage by flood. We'mention his here to-day to let- you know that as British, subjects ire have British claims, 'n entering upon this new century, we, is native people wish for you and ourselves 1 bright, prosperous and happy future." \.t the conslusion of the speeches a large lumber of people went to the Point Bush, There they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. V capital programme of sports was gone hrougb; and an excellent start made on he first day of the year and of the century.