ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 15 December 1925, Page 9

ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY.

ECHUNGA AT TIMARU, DEC. 16. ■To-morrow, December 16th, i.s the 63rd anniversary of the landing at Timaru in the year 1862, of a party of immigrants arrived direct from London in the ship Eehunga. The Echunga had 310 immigrants on board, but only 121 landed at Timaru, the rest being taken on to Lyttelton. The new arrivals were lodged in tents, an immigration barracks hsid been started but not completed. The jubilee of the landing was celebrated in 1912, a party of fifteen women and twelve men of those who had landed fifty years before, together with over a hundred of acquired husbands, wives, and children, spending a pleasant day together in Timaru. Excellent photographs are extant of the elders, and of the whole party, on a slope of the Post Office ground, with St. Mary’s Church in the background. The Mas'or at that time, Mr Jas. Craigie, played a chief part in organising the jubilee.

Of the twenty-seven who celebrated their arrival in Timaru, by that gathering thirteen years ago, few have survived until now. As far ns can be ascertained only two are living in Timaru—Mr T. W. Fyfe, whoso 89th birthday was passed last month; and Mrs Don (a sister of the Don. Jas. Craigie) whose age is about 84. The well-known farmer of Arowhenua, Mr John Fitzgerald, was one of the jubilee party, and Mrs J. Wnreing, of Tcmuka, was probably another of those present. Death has been busy among the Echunga people during the interval of thirteen rears since their jubilee was celebrated.