70 YEARS SYNE.

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 20074, 31 July 1937, Page 3

70 YEARS SYNE.

ANNIVERSARY OF FIELD. A Great Heritage. WHAT OF THE FUTURE? ADVANCE THE ORDER. It Was a memorable day in the his tory of Thames, yes, and in the history of New Zealand, too, when, 70 years ago, the Thames goldfield was declared open on August 1, 1867. AVhat days, those which followed, must have been for the multitudes who flocked to the little spot in the Firth of Thames, destined to be one of the country's most prolific gold-bearing areas! What a large scale life and blood play was enacted within the small radius which is now the town! Unrehearsed it was, but its drama, comedy and melodramatic incidents were earnestly portrayed in a host of scenes and acts, every one of which, no matter their effect on Justice's Scale, was vital. Down through the years the history —or some of it —of former days has been told and retold times without number. Stories of the wonderful finds of gold, of hardships, heroism, and tales of the unscrupulous have been committed to paper, but unfortunately so far only in fragmentry form. The history of Thames, were it to be written as it should, in extenso, would be a valuable asset tKe present generation could give to posterity.

What of the Future? Over the 70 years Thames has ha< its years of prosperity and its lean times, it has trodden its golden path, and maybe at times a primrose path to dalliance, yet when those who now carry on the heritage stir in the Crucibel of Time, they And that much that is good and much that is precious has been handed down to them, and their ardent resolve on this, the passing of the three score years and ten period, should be to consolidate the good work of the past and face the future with "Progress, Sure and Sound," the watchword.

The future must not be forgotten. At times, too prone has Thames been, to dwell completely in the past, forgetting that there was another day ahead and a further one beyond that, to be provided for. In this, an era of progress, the town must advance, otherwise it will stagnate, and stagnation means slow death. But Thames is not stagnating, as is evident by the forward moves made over the last two or three years. Much work and good work has been done, and no resting on laurels can be permitted in the days to come. Each resident who bears the right public spirit should be nn agent for advancement and by co-opera-tive effort Thames can, and will, command a place of high respect in the eyes of her neighbours and furthci afield. A splendid start has been made and if an ultimate goal is to be reached one and all' must do their share.