DOMINION DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 296, 8 September 1920, Page 8

DOMINION DAY

NATIONAL THANKSGIVING SUGGESTED. (Contributed.) Tho arrangements for tha annual winter reunion of pioneer settlers and their descendants, made by the Early Settlers' and Historical Association, are well in hand, and everything promises \vell for a successful gathering. Those pioneers still left to us to-day may look forward with pleasure to meeting their friends of earlier years in tho Town Hall (where the reunion is to be held) on Monday, September 27. This year the association wishes to go further than in previous years, in the observance of Dominion Day, and thn fact that the coming anniversary falls on Sunday, September 26, suggests some religious observance. With this in mind, the assistance and co-oper-ation of aU churches and denominations have been sought and obtained, so that this day will be marked in a fitting manner by referenced to the work of the pioneers, and by a general thanksgiving to Almighty God for bringing ns to our nresent state— notwithstanding tho trials and tribulations we have had to. endure. It is only when we look back on tlio progress we have made during the past eighty years, that we recognise the debt we owe—the debt we can never repjyto our Maker and those grand old pioneers. So much sympathy was met the representatives of the different churches interviewed that tho association's representatives could see they were on the right track; that something had been missed from the churches and opportunities let pass by not celebrating j in some such manner previous Anniversary and Dominion Days. It was sug-1 tested by ono Church dignitary that wo might have a national thanksgiving day, and he referred to tho way in wluc.li Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in the United States ' The question at once arises, Why have we not such a day? Surely wo have much to be thankful for. Is it that we live in too materialistic an age, and take everything for granted, not recognising the great debt of gratitude we owe to Almighty God, the giver of nil things? Dominion Day is national ill character, iust the one and only national holiday of New Zealand. When New Zealand was proclaimed a Dominion wo arrived at a notable period in our existence—wo had made good. The years of toil and endurance had shown us . worthy of a higher 6tatu6, Then wa6 tho time for thankfulness and praise. For this rea- j sou tho celebrations of Dominion Day by I gci.eral thanksgiving must appeal to all thinking men and women of to-day. Let us, therefore, unite together and join ill remembering Dominion Day,' Sunday, September 26, 1920.