A PLEA FOR HISTORIC PAGEANTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 616, 20 September 1909, Page 4

A PLEA FOR HISTORIC PAGEANTS.

I v';.''.-■ /.mNBW.ZKALAND. ■ :•; ■ Illy Tolegraph.-Ssoclnl OorreSDimiiiint!! ' ; ''■:■-'■:;■ '■;•■/';: Christchufch, September 18. '•': Mr. Johanu'cs C. Anderson has been inspired by tho success of English pageants to suggest a Canterbury pageant. "Writing to tho papers, ho remarks, that, at'tho close of next year, wo will be celebrating our diamond jubilee, and, :as some ceremony is almost certain to mark that opoch,-Why.,not let that ceremony tako tho form of a pageant? Thcro aro many incidents of both romantic and historic interest ■that could be represented without much jtrouble. For instance, tho opening day might tako placo in Lyttelton, when the lauding of Fitzsorald Dud others from the Charlotte Jane 'could,'in-a measure, be vopresented. An idea could be given of the camping out of tho first arrivals, and so on. ■. Then ; the scono might bo shifted to Sumnor, where the exodus to the plains could bo represented. Tho crossing of tho bar.by;tho boats with goods and passen■gers would ruako a realistic'scene, l and tho ascent, of tho Avoii by tho Deans, in 1843'. |:might : eyen bo represented. Then there-could'-i;be tho orossiyg of Iloathcoto l'erry, and 'tho tfok;to Christchurch. I'hcso would suifice for the, events of tho earliest:days! Later could come tho opening of tbo tunnel, and the liiyinr ;6V tho foundation: 'stone or tho' Government Buildings, Cathedral, etc. ■ . "I think," continues the writer, "that Canterbury, though young, has enough of historic events to make a pageant.-'possible." s[ost people, however, will' agree : with Mr.' Anderson's remark tWt 1U» SUggMtian"'ala"'y be tiromature," ■■■■•■■■