ANNIVERSARY DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1344, 23 January 1912, Page 4

ANNIVERSARY DAY.

A GLAD HOLIDAY. Yesterday was Wellington's seventysccond birthday, and in keeping with the occasion - the city- and its vicinity smiled graciously under azure slaes. It was a perfect day. In the forenoon, the heat was tempered by a soft zephyr from the south, which died-down at midday. During the afternoon what wind there was chopped round to the north-west, just sufficiently strong to fill the sails of the yachts taking part in the Anniversary Hegatta on the harbour, but not nearly strong enough to raise even the tiniest cloud of dust. That work was left to the arrogant motor-cars, which raced to TreiUham and back as if' life and limb depended on their going at a pacc which demanded the full capacity of the engines. Some day somebody will do the obvious tiling—make laws to restrict the rate of speed for cars within the city, and where tliero is heavy holiday traffic on suburban roads. All holiday-makers did not go to Trentliam. The meadow lauds of the Lower llntt and Belmont were dotted with happy picnic-parties; there were nuriierous holi- - day-makers enjoying themselves in the 1 sylvan shades of Mason's and tho Bcllc- - vue Gardens at the Hutt. A big crowd journeyed to I'icton in the Maori, and manv "thousands of men, women, and children spread themselves on the beaches at Lyall Bay, Island Bay, Seatoun, and Day's Bay. There wore many visitors to -the Wellington Zoo at Newtown Park, where the big brown bear, recently acquired from AVirth Brothers, which was only placed in its new home iii the morning, attracted a great deal of attention. In town the picturo shows and Bren- - nan's Vaudeville Company attracted fair i sized audiences, but it was not a day - for the theatres. Sunshine such as we - had yesterday is all too rare an element t to waste within the walls of a theatre. r Last evening all the theatres were packed r to capacity. 3 i Largo numbers of people went out to - Miramar yesterday and spent the holiday ? at Wonderland. The bright day and tho - many amusements combined to make tho day one of tho most enjoyable of the 1 holiday season. l Perfect weather favoured the Maori on - her excursion from Wellington to Picton - and back, "11 people making' the trip. b Tho favourite turbine steamer left tho - Queen's Wharf a few minutes before 8 i a.m.. and after a run of three hours tied . up alongside l'icton Wharf a few minute# ( before 11 a.m. She left again at 3.30 f p.m., and arrived at Wellington at fi.ls s p.m. Both going and coming the sea was r like a mill-pond, and all_ appeared to s have had a good day's outing. f Traffic by steam ferry to the various re- , sorts about Wellington Harbour was pnrticularly heavy yesterday, and especially f on the Day's Bay run. Tt is estimated , that 5000 people crossed the water, a great , number travelling by boat to and from Petone.