Early Settlers' Picnic.

Manawatu Herald, 28 March 1896, Page 2

Early Settlers' Picnic.

» The above picnic was held at the Manawatu Polo Club's grounds at Hukowhitu yesterday. The weather was all that could be wished for, warm but with a light breeze. There must have been a very large number of " early settlers " years ago judging by the number who attended yesterday. The procession formed up in the Square about noon and was headed by the Palmerston Brass Band, in Messrs Richter Nannestead & Cos', brake. The length of the procession can be best judged by mentioning that 60 conveyances all loaded below " Plimsolls mark " formed part of it with many also on foot. The procession reached the ground to which it had been conducted by Mr h. Q. West, as Marshal, mounted on a fiery grey charger. Mr West bore aloft on his right hand, not exactly a banner, but a substitute for one in the shape of along flax stick ornamented with a piece of green and dressed flax. The band car was also decorated with a banner on which was this strange device " Early Settlers." The fun was that the car contained no early settler, as in those days music was not forthcoming except through the nasal organ of a sleeper, or from the buzz of the mosquito. Again the joke was apparent as that car branded " Early Settlers " had a lot of bras?, of course, in instra* ments, and also gave forth a lot of wind, neither of which could be in the least way said to be applicable to the real early setller. On the ground the first part of the programme wa3 the delivery of addresses by Messrs Snelaon, Linton tfhd Thynne. It was an old eircum* stance that thus brought the three men most intimately connected in opening up the district, to address such a gathering one after another. The audience was very good tempered and accepted all remarks in 4 kindly manner. The speeches were perhaps not of the order worthy of reporting in extenso, but Mr Thynne seized the opportunity to thank the Early Settlers of Palmerston for the invitation sent to him and the other early settlers of Foxton. An important event of the day followed next, viz., lunch. Every pre«« paration had been made to treat bo serious a matter in a proper spirit. A large marquee had be2n erected to prepare the food, supplied, so we, were informed, by one and all, en I ■greatly to their credit be it said, most excellently cooked. A long table had also been laid out in t ie sun, but plates were there filled and then a walk was taken to the shelter of the pretty shrubbery growing close bye. In the tents some ladies, most prominent among whom we noticed Mrs Richter, Mrs Nannestad, Miss Moller, Miss Sorrenson, and after the procession arrived Mrs Snelson and other ladies also aa« sisted in the work. The gentlemen did their share, Mr Nannestad daring the earlier part of the day being attired in apron and shirfc3leeves, besides other articles of dress, catting, arranging, in fact doing the many things left to the willing ones to do. Mr Anderson, and a number of others also worked hard. The eatables were of all kinds, fowls, ducks, hams, sucking pigs, &c, &c, sweets, cakes, lollies and fruit. The Maoris roasted a small bullock whole and cooked potatoes and corn in the old Maori oven. Games were indulged in by young and old, further particulars of which we must hold over for anether issue. The day will ba long remembered as a most pleasant gathering and the committee are to be heartily congratulated on the way the whole programme waa gone through.