HISTORY OF THE CHURCH TOLD IN PAGEANTRY

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 31, Issue 2, 1 April 1940, Page 2

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH TOLD IN PAGEANTRY

Picturesque Centennial Celebrations

CRADLE OF CHRISTIANITY

The Bay of Islands, that beautiful inlet from the open sea on. the East Coast of the far north, with its hundred islands, and numerous Pohutu-kawa-fringed water-ways intersecting the land m all directions, was the scene of two picturesque and interesting centennial pageants m the months of January and February. Though little visited by the travelling public, until modern roading improvements made the district more accessible, the Bay of Islands has often been spoken of as the cradle of Christianity and civilisation m New Zealand, and the celebrations which took place there this summer must have made the thousands of Maori and Pakeha visitors who witnessed them feel that the expression is a very fitting one. The first ceremony took place at Waimate on January 2nd, and took the form of an historical pageant. Waimate wag the first inland mission station, the work being begun there m the year 1831. The farm which supported the workers was the first farm to be established m New Zealand. The first flour mill was built there. The present vicarage was the residence of the first Bishop of New Zealand, and had been the home of missionaries for many years before the arrival of Bishop Selwyn m 1842. The first theological college was founded at Waimate by the Bishop, and was later moved to Tamaki, near Auckland, to form the beginning of the present St. John's College. It was therefore fitting that one of the special celebrations to mark the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi should take the form of an historical pageant on the showground at Waimate. The whole enactment was organised and carried through by the settlers of the district, and afforded a most picturesque and instructive sur-i

vey of the history of New Zealand, from the first arrival of the Maoris m their ocean-going canoes to the present day, which was represented by a striking display of modern machinery, including one which dug a six-foot posthole and placed an electric, power pole m position m a period of six minutes. . One by one, m quick succession; the various sections of the pageant entered by a fern-shaded gateway at the back of the showground, and paraded round the enclosure. A large Maori canoe on a timber truck, manned by forty paddlers and drawn by a camouflaged lorry, came first. This was followed by Captain Cook m a pinnace rowed by sailors m the costume of the period. Again the gate opened and Samuel Marsden, most wonderfully true to life, walked into the arena with his fellow pioneer missionaries. , They were f ollowed^by Henry-Wil-liams, Kichard Taylor and other missionaries on horse-back. Close behind them came Bishop Selwyn m a bullock waggon, while the Archbishop, with the Pakeha and Maori vicars of the district, brought up the rear m a modern motor car. The whole group assembled m front of a Maori whare, specially erected for the occasion, and a short service was conducted. The next event was the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and Captain Hobson rode into the arena, accompanied by Henry Williams, Captain Nias and other naval officers. This was followed by a truly spectacular scene, m which Hone Heke, m full war paint, cut down a real flag staff, and a taua of Maori warriors faced a company of red-coated soldiers. The battle was brought to an end by the firing of a muzzle-loading cannon of a hundred years ago. A very picturesque scene was the arrival of the early settlers and their parading round the ground m the best Sunday costumes of a hundred years ago. The Great War was represented by a company of soldiers m khaki, and the parade of modern farming and road-making machinery completed a very striking display.