Dominion Day.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 331, 27 September 1907, Page 2

Dominion Day.

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to the Settler ) Wellington, Friday. Dominion Diy was celebrated in Wellington in a manner worthy of thegreut event, Lbnngb tbe weather yister 'ay was stormy. D jmini ij Day i 1 the Capital City was favoured with King’s weather, and theciremony of pr claiming N=w ZaaZealand a Dominion was a brilliant one. It to-'k place at 11 o’clock on tbe steps of the Parliamentary Buildings in the presence of several thousand people. Immediately on tbe arrival of His ExceHaney tbe Governor tbe Proclamation was read by tbe Premier, the Right Hoa Sir Joseph Ward. Then the following cable from the Secretary of State for Colonies was read: —"l am commanded by His Majesty the King to convey to you and to tbe Government and people of the Dominion of New Zealand, his congratulations on tbe occasion of the assumption of the title uf Dominion, and his earnest desire for their happiness and welfare.—Signed, Elgin ” Guns boomed from the forts around the harbour and H.M.B. Challenger There were cheers (or the King, the Governor, the Dominion and the Pre mier, and thus a brief but imposing ceremony ended. Congratulatory cables upon the colony's new status were received from the Premiers of the Australian Commonwealth, Nutal, Transvaal and Newfoundland. Over sixty thousand people were estimated to have witnessed the pre sentation of Dominion colours to tbe troops by Lord Plunket in the af rernonn at Newtown Park. In further celebration of the event a reception was held at Government House, about two thousand guests be ing received by His Exeellency and Lady Plunket. A torchlight procession of military and firemen marched to tbe Town Hall in the evening where patriotic speeches were delivered by Lord Plunket, Sir Joseph Ward and the Mayor of Wellington. Tbe famous soprano, Madame Albani, led the audience in singing tbe National Anthem. The Government House, Parliamen tary Buildings and Government Buildings were brilliantly illuminated with appropriate designs iu electric glow lamps after dark.