THE CENTENNIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 213, 9 August 1937, Page 3

THE CENTENNIAL

EVENTS IN HISTORY. AIMS FOR, COMMITTEE. Preparations by the Wellington Provincial Historical Committee in connection with the New Zealand Centennial in 1940 were the subject of an informative address given by the chairman, Mr T. Lindsay Buick, C.M.G., at a recent meeting of the committee, it has been suggested by the National Historical Committee that one of their first duties should be the selection and recommendation of: “Local celebrations commemorating in a particular locality an event, or events, which occurred there in 1840.” In districts where no event of importance occurred in 1840, it was suggested that celebrations should be held in honour of the centennial generally. “Fortunately we here in Wellington have no dfiiculty on that score,” said Mr Buick, “for 1840 was a year pregnant with incidents of vital importance to the province. In this connection 1 should like to say that I do not consider that our deliberations should he confined to the city of Wellington, but thought will have to be given to such districts as the Wairarapa, Wanganui, Rangitikei, and Manawatu. Whether it will be the wisest course to invite those districts to send representatives to this committee, or to recommend the formation of local, committees in each of those centres, may he a matter for future decision, but they should not be altogether left out of our calculations or deprived of our help if we can give it. Personally, 1 would favour the formation of local committees in eacli of these districts.

“Without presuming to influence the mind of this committee in any particular direction, but merely as a basis of discussion, I have prepared a list of dates and events which have occurred to me as suitable for commemoration. This list will be submitted to you for consideration later. . . .

“The general plan of my suggestions is to provide at least one celebration per month during the year 1940. In some cases this may not be a local event, for there are several national events that may cut across the provincial programmes. For instance, there are the dates on which the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, of which notice may have, to he taken in a national sense, and November 16, the anniver sary of the date on which the Government of this country was separated from that of New South Wales and New Zealand was given the status ol an independent colony, is another date that seems to fall into this category. AN EARLY SURVEY.

“In effecting whatever celebrations are finally agreed upon, I am in hopes that we will he greatly aided by the different organisations concerned arranging to hold the annual conferences of their bodies in Wellington that year, and on that date,” Mr Buick added. “For instance, I have suggested that on January 6 the surveyors, civil engineers, architects and builders should celebrate tho beginning of tile survey of the district, for we know from one of Captain Mein Smith’s letters that on that day, in 1840, he and his staff commenced the reconnaissance of the south-east corner of the Hutt Valley. This, I take it, represented the first step in the first scientific lay-out of the district, and it would, I think, greatly strengthen the hands of the local surveyors, civil engineers, architects and builders if they could induce their brother professionals and associates to come to a Wellington conference at that time, and to participate in their celebration of what was, not perhaps the first surveys in New Zealand, hut the first surveys in this part of the Dominion, and the forerunner of the ordered settlement of the district.

“Tlie same principle could he applied by all our other local organisations whose celebrations come within the ambit of 1940. PART OF THE CHURCHES. “There are just two other points about tin’s list that I would like to mention at the moment, in order to elucidate the position. To each of the major religious bodies in our community in the order in which their first services were held I have given a place because I feel that we should not lose sight of the religious side of the Centennial, and all of these bodies find their appointed niche in the history of 1840. I may be wrong, but it has always impressed itself upon me that there is a striking analogy between the coming of the first colonists to Wellington and the gracious promise given to Isaac of old: ‘Dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. Sojourn in this land, and I will he with thee, and will bless thee.’ That British pluck and British perseverance had much to do with the ultimate success of the Wellington settlement is undoubted, hut 1 cannot help feeling that this pluck and perseverance must have been largely fortified and sustained by a supreme faith such as Isaac had, and that in the midst of their manifold difficulties—for there were difficulties—many of these pioneers must hav» derived great comfort and consolation from the religious observances provided for them by their respective churches. To me, therefore, it seems' not inappropriate that, tit a tiipe such as this we should make an effort to recall and recover some of that simple trust which our forefathers reposed in the guidance of Him Who never slumbers nor sleeps. WOMANLY FIDELITY.

“The second point to which I would like to refer is that in the month of March I have provided for a ‘Women’s Week.’ This date may not be entirely suitable, but, if not, it can be adjusted, for it is not dependent upon any particular anniversary or ether circumstance, except that a large number of women came by the ship Adelaide, which arrived on March 7. 1840. 1 have suggested that during tliis week women’s conferences might be held at which papers on the pioneer women of Wellington, and perhaps of the other provinces also, might be read. To me, one of the most impressive features about the colonisation of Wellington has always been the amazing courage and devotion of the women who came out to New Zealand in 1840. It may be a moot point whether in the marriage service any woman ever gave to the word obey its full face value. It is sometimes thought that some of them reserve that for future consideration. But there can be no question that the pioneer women of New Zealand, and no less those of Wellington, did take seriously the words for better or for worse, and the devotion with which they followed their husbands upon this great adventure and often sustained them in what seemed to he their darkest hour provides an example of womanly love and womanly fidelity which calls for nothing loss that our unbounded admiration. Many ol these were young and inexperienced women, brought up in refined homos in England, who virtually walked from the altar to the ship’s side, and who, when they arrived here, had, without any period of probation, to adapt themselves to colonial conditions. With only the most primitive conveniences and rude equipment, they had to learn to cook and to bake, to wash and to mend; to hear and rear their children in the midst of privations, wild alarms, and almost every circumstance ■ that

could create a disquieting environment. While so engaged—sharing hardships with their husbands —they were ever working, contriving, helping to build up the fortunes of the family, and incidentally playing no small part in building up the stability of the colony. “The exercise of this benign influence, he it remembered, was something that was not confined to 1840. It has been going on modestly, unobtrusively, but none the less surely, for the past hundred years, furnishing this country with a manhood and a womanhood who for their manly and womanly qualities have alike strengthened the Dominion and enriched the Empire. “In these circumstances I cannot see hoiv we can leave out of our consideration the feminist movement in whatever form it may take in our midst to-day. It is something that can be neither forgotten nor neglected in our commemorations, and for that reason I have made a place for it in the programme of events to he celebrated which I have prepared. “There will doubtless he many other phases of the centennial to be considered besides the fixing of dates, etc. These features I will not attempt to anticipate; we will meet them as they arise,” Mr Buick added.