OTAGO'S JUBILEE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6136, 24 March 1898, Page 1

OTAGO'S JUBILEE.

A GREAT AND SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION. EXHIBITION, PROCESSION AND OTHER DEMONSTRATIONS. [From Our Special Correspondent.] DUNE DIN March 23. .Jubilee Day broke fair and bright in Dnnedin and the earliest dawn disclosed the fact that something extraordinary was in progress. The whole city was gay with flags and bunting', while at an early hour people were astir preparing to make high, holiday. Including the residents of- the city and surrounding districts, along with the thousands who had come from Christchurch in the north, Invercargill in the south and from intervening districts, all converging for the occasion in Dunedin, there could not have been 'fewer than seventy thousand people taking part in the demonstration of to-day. Some estimates, indeed, add fifty per cent to that figure. By ten o'clock the whole city was in a ferment of music and merry crowds, and volunteers marching and countermarching, and men in all kinds of uniforms, and with every description of flag and banner marshalling for the jubilee procession. Prior to that hour, however, there had been religious services in nearly all tho churches. The Presbyterian Churches made the occasion a celebration of the jubilee of the Synod. There were crowded audiences at the thanksgiving services in the First Church, and also in Knox Church. It is worth noting that at both gatherings the members thought it appropriate to quote Kipling's fine ode beginning, "God of our fathers, known of j old," and having the now well-known refrain : — " Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,Lest we forget, lest we forget." The dominant note in the Presbyterian services was the work and worth of Presbyterianism. Bishop Nevill, who is nothing if not militant, rather discounted the Presbyterian claims in the course of his services at Sb Paul's Cathadral. He reminded his hearers that they were met in "the oldest ecclesiastical building in Dunedin still used for divine worship;" and he pointed out to the Presbyterians the fact 'that episcopal government had been universal in the Church for 1500 years, and that Presbyterianism had its origin in " political turmoil and arrogance and pride." He had alse a rather bitter reference to hindrances which, he said, had in the past been designedly placed in the way of the Anglican Church in this district, but he rejoiced that all such rancour was now .dead. ./'.. „■..■ This attack on the Presbyterians was compensated for by the very generous" remarks) of the Rev I. Jolly at the Trinity Wesleyan Church. ' This gentleman spoke qf ; ; the "free catholic spirit" of the "early Presbyterian leader in this district, as shown by Dr Burns arid Mr Creed, the Wesleyan missionary, holding joint services. The preacher thanked God that neither of these early clergymen was a high churchman "ready to disgrace the occasion with schismatic sectarianism." Father O'Neill was particularly happy in his jubilee sermon at St Joseph's Cathedral, and he did not fail to extol the " supple muscles and subtle brains " of the Irish Catholics who had helped to produce the grand results now witnessed in Otago. At the synagogue service a special prayer for the occasion was read. So much for ecclesiastical aspects of the jubilee, which would hardly be worth recording but for the fact that in Otago religion takes the first place and patriotism is quite a subsidiary matter. "While the clergy were fulminating and eulogising I was devoting myself to the practical business of strolling through the jubilee exhibition, and noting what fruits it had to show as the material results of Otago's progress. I found the secretaries, Messrs Duthie and Cogan most obliging, and though work was going on in a number of the courts, and the public were excluded, I was allowed to inspect the exhibits. The exhibition is a most attractive one through not extensive, and 13 housed partly in the Agricultural Hall building, but chiefly in a temporary building alongside. Matters were in such a forward state that one could get a good idea of the appearance that would be presented when all was complete, and the brilliant eleotric lighting added a glitter to the scene. Beyond a doubt the" interior of the main exhibition building has a very aesthetic tout ensemble. Nearly every exhibit is tastefully arranged, and many are artistic and striking, while in a corner is a beautiful cool fernery with fish ponds and a miniature waterfall. An exhibit that at once attracts notice is the Kaitangata Coal Company's realistic representation of a coal-mine with, miners at work. The exhibition is an epitome of the industrial life of Otago. There are Otago clothing and boots, meat and food stuffs, minerals, ironwork and woodwork, carriages, agricultural implements, engines and other machinery* Dunedin' beer is responsible for three attractive exhibits. The Milton potteries send samples of their wares; Roslyn and Mosgiel Woollen factories show their products ; Oamaru sends wire, varnish and horseshoes ; Invercargill a fine' exhibit of billhooks and axes. From Mataura is an exhibit of paper, one sample capable of bearing a strain of fifteen hundredweight. Then we have Otago leather and brushware, Otago ropes, lime and cement, Otago wire and other blinds, Otago soap, candles, and even patent medicines. Nor are educational matters overlooked, for the Dunedin School of Art and the Girton College have interesting exhibits. All the available space could have been taken times over for Otago produce and manufactures, but several outsiders have managed, nevertheless, to obtain places. Thus Christchurch is represented by ranges from Sc6t't Bros.' foundry, and by Flag Brand pickles. Auckland sends a fine collection, of locally-made shirts, collars and cuffs. The Wellington Woollen Company makes a show not inferior to that of the Otago concerns. Miss Wrightson, of Napier, has a large exhibit of lace curtains and other fancy work, while a Melbourne firm, Stokes and Son, show art jewellery and sell jubilee medals produced on the spot by a machine capable of a pressure of fifteen tons. Among the features in the exhibition are tea-rooms, the phonograph, a type-writing demonstration and a phrenologist. The Art Society's collection, displayed in a separate room, is well worth inspection, as is the early history room, which has many interesting pictures, including a collection of clever cartoon drawings, in which public men of the early times are mercilessly caricatured. When I regained the street after my meander through the exhibition, I found dense crowds of gaily-dressed people everywhere, from the pavement to the verandah and roofs of the buildings. The crowd was large where the procession was being marshalled, near the railway station; it was larger still at the Cargill memorial, dense <* s you went along Princes Street • (either way), and densest of all at tht Octagon. It was an occasion such as \ dunedin had never before witnessed, ' and Dnnedi n rose to the occasion. The Scot was everywhere in evidence Hi? a f S^essivoly in the matter of costume sto Population seemed to be clad ii tl n '* tmd a lar S e proportion wore " th« ■- mI X e Old Gaul >" which is the distinct! v( jlf of the Scottish Highlander in moderi 8 -- l'artan plaids, tartan shawls, tartai

ribbons, tartan neckties, tar tain favours— it was tonjours tartan ; also bagpipe. Here comes a whole band of pipers, led by a pipevmajor of gigantic proportions. Then another band of pipers, with a different pattern of tartan and a milder specimen of genus pipe-major, and every piper is blowing as though he would blow his last, and is strutting as proudly as beseems a man who feels that he is a potential " Piper of . Dargai." Then we have a corps of kilted volunteers, with tartan plaids and glittering arms', but instead of blue bonnets they have bearskin helmets. It is the veritable apotheosis or tartan and .pipes. It is not the Jubilee of Otago, but of the Highlands. There is little need that I should describe the procession, which was in other respects very much like a procession anywhere .in the colony. Its most prominent feature was the large -number of "old identities," who were heartily cheered by. the " new iniquities," who lined the route. To make the ranks of the pioneers complete, Captain Jackson Barry had been specially imported from Wellington, and he was conspicuous on a fiery steed, that must have given the veteran as comfortable a ride as a more or less mythical whale did at an earlier stage of his career. The demonstration was a complete success, and the display of the Friendly and Trade Societies far superior to the ordinary turnout. It was wonderful, too, how the crowds cheered and waved hats and handkerchiefs as the Governor and Lady Eanf urly passed. His Excellency acknowledged these greetings by bowing until at last vice-regal fatigue got the better of vice-regal politeness. The Premier, too, was repeatedly cheered, showing the people to be loyal not only to the Queen, but also to their own chosen leader in the government of the country. It was about one o'clock when the pro"' cession ■ ended at the corner of High and Princes Streets. The scene at this time was on 8 of a most striking character. As far as the eye could reach every street was an animated mass of people. The buildings were alive with them, and amid music and waving of flags repeated cheers were given for the Governor, the Premier and the Mayor. Then off the people streamed in different directions, some thousands to the racecourse, seven or eight thousand to the Caledonian Gronnds, others to the regatta in the harbour — the majority probably to enjoy a hearty meal and to talk over the memorable demonstration in which they had taken part. The firing of guns at eight in the evening ushered in a new phase of the jubilee. It was the signal for the g6neral illumination of the city to take place, and also for' the opening to the outsider of, the Old Identity Conversazione at the Agricultural Hall. Although there were some two thousand people at this function, besides an equal number. in. the exhibition^ and thou-sands-more at other places, of entertainment, the crowd in the streets did not seem one whit lessened. The illuminations were pretty general, and eleetricity.gas and fairy lamps all lent their aid to CQnvert the night into day. It was noticeable, however, that the shopkeepers, though on jubilation bent, were like John Gilpin of a frugal mind. There were hardly any special devices, and . in, some, cases . the Record Reign illuminations were made to do duty again. The exceptions were the Union Steamship Company's display, a brilliant, electrically-lit device, " Otago's Jubilee 1848-1893 ;" the Otago Club, which was copiously adorned with fairy lamps; the National Insurance Company, with a bold illumination, " Advance Otago ;" and Sargood's, with a special jubilee device. In most cases the shops were simply lighted, and no attempt at special display was made. The exhibition' under the electric light did not come up to anticipations, for in some parts the light was fitful and dim ; but this defect will doubtless be remedied. The gathering of early settlers at the Agricultural Hall represented the secular side of the jubilee sentiment. The principal addresses were those of Mr Burns (one of the original settlers) and of the Hon William Holleston. Standing, as he was, amidst a large number of the original settlers, Mr Burns, though he spoke with rare spirit and force, was several times overcome by his emotions, and was hardly able to proceed. It was noticeable even at this meeting that any reference to .the religious aspect of the Otago settlement called forth the most vociferous applause. When Mr Rolleston rose to speak he was received with plaudits loud and long-continued, which had the appearance of a political demonstration. Nor was the speaker over careful to dissipate the impression. He found occasion to refer to the true basis of government as being one that gave freedom to all and favour to none, and that taught men not to look for aid from the State or fron their fellows. He also seized the opportunity to eulogise local patriotism, and to declare his unwavering faith in provincialism, not necessarily the provincialism of the past, but a system of local government that should give the fullest freedom for the development of . the power of the democracy. His address, on the whole, however, was excellent in matter and in tone. He was most interesting when pointing out the parellelisms between the settlement of Otago and that of Canterbury, and when remarking how the friendly rivalry botween these two provincial districts had proved beneficial by stimulating the life and progress of each. He placed himself on good terms with his audience by remarking, at the outset, that, though he was not Scotch and could not help being English, yet if he could not be English and had his choice of nationality, he would be Scotch. Mr Eolleston also supplied an interesting titbit of autobiography, which established a connection between himself and Otago. He stated that when he first came to New Zealand he landed at Port Chalmers, and the first sixpence that he invested after his arrival was spent in buying a box of matches from a store kept by " Johnny Jonea." " A very good investment it proved too," he added, though in what way was not made quite plain. A further item of interest was his description of how he slept, or rather did not sleep, on the first night after his arrival in the dense bush between Port Chalmers and Dunedin, and how in the morning he was charmed by the singing of thousands of native birds. His allusions to the approaching jubilee of Canterbury and to the serviced rendered by the public men of that province were in excellent taste, and were sympathetically received by the audience. The crowds in the streets, augmented by the outflow of thousands from the various entertainments, 1 continued to perambulate till near midnight. A Dunedin crowd is rather more lively than a Christchurch one, but the utmost sobriety, order and good humour prevailed, and the day closed as happily as it had opened.

; [Per Press Association.! The sports field after the procession '■ ware verv largely attended, the number on I the ™und Sing from 10,000 to 12,000. : The events weve of no great importance. \ The iubilee regatta was held in the upper 3 harbour and was .veil attended. A nice breeze made the yachting events very \ interesting. The first-class yacht race was won bv Thelina, with Leader second, Carina ' third. White Wings won the handioaj i yacht race and Ragu the third-class 3 yacht race, with the Dream second. 3 An early settlers' conversazione was helc i in the Agricultural Hall to-night, aboiv a I 3000 persons being .present. The HonT

Fergus presided, and adi hisses were givei by the Governor, the Hon W. Rolleston Messrs Donald Reid, S. J. Burns nnd C Cowan. All the speakers referred in highlj complimentary terms to the founders of the proviuce, and special tributes of praise were accorded to Captain Cargill and Di Burns. Before the gathering broke up, al the request of the Governor a great manj early settlers were introduced to him. AUCKLAND, March 23. The following telegram was sent this morning by the Mayor of Auckland to the Mayor of Dunedin :" Heartiest congratulations from the citizens of Auckland to the citizens of Dunedin. May you all live tc celebrate the Dunedin centenary ." WELLINGTON, March 23. The Otago residents in Wellington held a " social " to-night in sympathy with the Jubilee celebration, in Dunedin;; i Some capital speeches were delivered by Sir Robert Stout, Mr H. D. Bell, Mr Hislop, Mr Ashcroft and others. Mr Ashcroft read an ode composed for the occasion, which was registered in the graphophone. Sir Robert Stout will deliver an address tomorrow in a similar way, and both 'records will be sent down to Dnnedin.