GOLDFIELDS JUBILEE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1954, 10 January 1914, Page 5

GOLDFIELDS JUBILEE.

MEETING OF PIONEERS,

.WEST COAST CELEBRATIONS.

(By Tclcsrap.il.—l'rera Associates.)

.... , Jinniarv 9, J <•!',. « weatlser mnlimtes' for '\Ve.st« land (joklfields Juljilo? Celebrations today.

The pioneers w being driven tn tho old mining centres of Kanieri, llii; Paddock , StuliVml, «;>tc., this aft<-i:;•) i : ,. and Ni.il bo entertained t ;i garden p;-i.;tv tt "'' at a "social" and bail to-night. ' His Excellency tlio Governor and the Countess of Liverpool are visii'iu ,r hokatahi and' Ross tu-dnv, :tnd.' will attend a special ball. to-night. Tliey will visit Givymoiith ..Sir Joseph Ward attends the ball tonight, leaving aitenvards I'or Grermoiith. To-in.::.n'ow morning .bo leaves overland fa,. \y<> s hx>rt, msvoil tlw •V'ddon incinonal clock, and returns to liAymotttli on Jlonday; then goes overiand to Clinstehnrcli on TuesTOV. ihi> Minister of aiines (tlio Hon W rrasor) is leaving for Groynxwth this nfternooH, going ovcri;,;,:! to Christ--031 Rfitwday Ht> rccoivou n Juimbor of dcpuialkns thif Jaoruing focal mattors.

The Governor's Siiccch. ,% l « f Jjivorpool, an his sjipceh at Hoksuka,. said that this jnliileo Jialmally brougliii to miful live jubilees of .18.87 and 1897, events in tin, filorioHs reign 0 f a great C l(imu D ur ; ni> ' tho past hily years more progress liall been made m science njni indnstn- than ui ally preceding jie'riocl. Ti'.! v 'rece insert tho industry of :l;o pioneers, hTo laced enormous difficulties. Wbeii thev came here it was in saiiiiig s : him. ']'<). day a. modern liner vfe«ld ns\iiiv carrv mo-st- of tlmso ships with eaii-o. lii te egraphy, wireless, and innumerabk ot-ier ways progress had been made. J ho pioneers had done their share, huf as people grow old they grew wve, and thousht tli.nt thiues wero better done in their young d»vs. fc shonW recognise, however, that the younger generation was doing its brst His interest m New Zeahnd wan of W,. : standing, for his father fought in tlm Maori wars, j)c.:ico i ! ow prevailed here, but in South Africa ih« young Now Zealander had proved liis vyoith. Events .such as thin sank deep into the mind. With L:\dv Liverpool he joined in wishing tiieni pwie® and jirosix-nty. (Cliecrs.) Hon, VI. Frasar with Old. Friend!, The -'Horn W. Vrasfee siriil that ahic«a nreveiiten tlio RiY;IH; llwi. W. ¥. M«ssev irom attending, but ho sent a meWo of oangratiilatioti, arid hoped that tho ;i\ii)hoc svould bo a groal suoeos.s V). though not. a miner ho (Mr. Kras'er) had met. friends hero who remembered hiin at tho Dunstau over fifty years 110 knew of the supwljmnan'diffi. culti'O.'j 13icy jiad fpcod and overrule* traversing trackless country and fording dangerous rivers, and to-dav t.iiev could see. tho results. AH lionour Was'due Ui thorn. The true spirit, of adventure '-erf tliem on. Tlte West Coast had yent onfc maiij men whose names wero for ever associated with New Zealand historv. Ao reference to the Coast would bu complete- without mention of the lata Mr. Seddon, Some said that tho discovery of gold was no benefit to a country, and that it led to «stravaganco nationally. But baiws'ing was neePssary. True, somo of the money had been thrown away, but that was inevitable. The discovery of (told opened up wholo districts, Minerals wore still there, _ but there -wero also [rood land and timber and' iim West Coast should have an eKi of p,rp»t prosperity. Ho wished tiio pioneers happiiioss, peaeoj and plenty, and wa< delighted to join iu. doing them honoi:r. A feature of the proccssion on \Vcdnosday was the Kokatahi Band, Tlw members of that musical combination wero dressed in diggers-' clothes, with red shirt, and trousers tied below tho knee. The instruments included a violin, several concertinas, a few drums, and fifes. The music was quite ph-as. iug, and the band was a centre of great attraction,

THE GOVERNOR At ROSS, PRESENTED WITH AN OUNCE OF GOLD. Hokftilia, January f). ■ Tho weather' throughout the festivities Ims been glorinrist.v fine, enabling tlio pioneers to visit tiioir former favourite haunts, and they we.ro taken in conveyances Us Ilto various mining localities. In the afternoon, the pioneers n-oro entertained at a garden party, and the function passed ojf very enjovably. A musical programme was. arranged, and the veterans provided an interesting open air concert, whilii, local vocalists also assisted. Tho Vioc-ttcgal party visited Ross, and ivero entertained at luncheon by tlio Borough Council there. An address of Wilcoino wr.s pacsciited to Hi's Kxeellency, A visit of inspection was. afterwards mado to tho limit <l'Or Gold. Mining Sluicing Company's claim, and the party witnessed, the washing-up process. liis Kxceliency was presented .•with an ounce of gold ftw.n the return.