THE PILGRIM FATHERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 949, 17 October 1910, Page 5

THE PILGRIM FATHERS.

PIONEERS OP AUCKLAND.

■ Many interesting memories of the past were - awakened, amongst -.the ! old- pioneers of Auckland^.last -week- 1 (says. the-Auck-land "Herald"), when they and ' their, descendants, foregathered' once more ' to -take' part.ihi the anriual thanksgiving 6erand' social'gatliering arranged 'by: the' :New! Zealand Old; Colonists';, Association,'. : iin' ; commemoration ■ of: the,, founding'v of- ' Auckland, .and-the'anniversary, of the:ar,'rival; o£ the pioneer colonists by the ships Duohess of Argyle,' ; Jane . Qiffofa,'C ! Bril-i liant, and other Ipioneer vessels/-'There was again a good: attendance lof the early 6ettlers,'whoamved-in : .the. early ifortiesiMany of these have : attended-: all'of ..'I the. numerpus, gatherings:, of the:./kind; .that' have been held since tho, commemoration' piovement was'; inaugurated. Several ',',: of! the old. faces:, seen 'at;, previous: reunions ■wore missing on this occasion; The hardy baud of old settlers is gradually liecom-' ing fewer in-number, arid the ..steady-thin- . !ninp of : their ranks has been particularly: noticeable during the'..pastv,tyro. :or fthree years. . , ' - ?'■ :.- There; were present ■ the only two surviv r ing passengers .by the Jane, Gifford—Mr. • Thos. ■ Wylie,;; : aged 96, , and Mrs. Jona:thah"Winks, iyho was two years old on'-ar-' rival in the-colony. Otlior. notable veterans woro Mr. Jas. Emblin, aged'9o, Mrs.' Susan Robertson,- aged 86, who came by -the Duchess "of. Argyle, : 'and-Mr.: A, 'Fair-' burn, aged 86,'' who .was ;in : New . - Zealand before;either the Duchess of, Argyle or the' Jane Gifford sighted these shores. Mr. Richard Monk msdo a patriotic; appeal'to the'rising generalion in New'.Zea-; ' land for- ! a high ideal of cititonship," Why he had been so' long spared' to meet the old pioneers, every/ year he did not know,, for the doctors had told him he .would' die'.'many years agOj;yet:he' liad survived.', (Prolonged applause.) :'vj; last year Mrs.-Coj-le. as tlip.last piotf' eer who arrived by the ship Brilliant, was tho recipient •of the. -jESi" bequest granted annually by the late- Mr. John M'Lachlan, in memory .- of his .'mother. Mrs. Coyle having died, tho money iiow goes to her, eldest son,, to whom it was presented' by the Mayor. In the' course of his response,. Mr. Coyle mentioned that it was 69. veai's-,lthis month since the Brilliant sailed into the Manukau.'