8,000 PEOPLE IN TOWN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 137, 18 March 1940, Page 5

8,000 PEOPLE IN TOWN

Impressive Historical Pageant CEREMONY AT HEADS PARK All roads lead to Wliakatanc last Saturday when perhaps the largest crowd on record attended the historic celebrations which marked the town's participation in the Dominion's Centennial. ,(j a y with bunting and flags, with most of the business houses cooperating by decking their premises in suitable manner, the town had a gala appearance from early morning, when the first car loads of visitors began to arrive. The day can be definitely said to have been one of the greatest events in the town's history and will long be remembered by all those privileged to see the various displays which went to compose the full and impressive programme. The procession to the Heads was one of the longest seen in the Bay of Plenty and contained no less than four thousand marcners, comprising every town and country organisation, with the children from seventeen schools bringing up the rear. This huge congregation an impressive audience at the Heads Park, which was officiary opened by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Minister was particularly impressed with the whole-hearted manner in which the town's people and country residents rallied for the occasion and paid a glowing tribute to the historic re-enactment of the morning, which commenced with ih=j tribal muster in the Domain and led up to the impressive staging «>f the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in the shadow of the Pohaturoa Rock. The unveiling of the two memorial • plaques at the Heads, one commemorating toe landing of t i'r; i*Jtt.aiua Cn»;oc and tne oiner, the establishment of the Park itself, was a feature of • the afternoon's proceedings. The Maori portion of the proco:dings, covering the entire morning-, was enacted by no less than four thousand natives representing the' Matatua confederation of tribes. These, together with children from the jNalive schools pro ,ided a picturesque ceicti*o:>sal and native entertainment which, in all probability, will not be seen again on' the same scale. One and all are to be congratulated on the truly magnificent performance, which reflected the greatest credit on their tribal heads. Tho?c participating cams from Te Teke, batata, Galatea, Taneatua, Ruatoki, Waimana, Waiohou, Matahi, Tana Tana, while visitors were present from Taurar.ga, Te Puke, Rotcrua, Opotiki, Te W hail J, and m:iay other neighbouring centres. The Maori hospitality v. as fs '-y -demonstrated at the mid-day hit?, when the hesls catered for no lesc than two thousand people and a i'uil pre.gramme of entertainment was maintained during the process.