AFTER SEVENTY YEARS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 262, 27 March 1911, Page 7

AFTER SEVENTY YEARS

UNVEILING PIONEER MEMORIAL. It is seventy years next Friday, March 31, 1911, since the arrival of the first Taranaki settlers at Moturoa, and an obelisk has just been erected to mark the spot, which is a historic one in a province so brimful of history as Taranaki is. The obelisk is to be formally unveiled on Thursday next, the 30th inst. All arrangements had been made to hold the ceremony on the actual anniversary day, viz., Friday, but at the request of the business people the committee de- | cided to alter the date to Thursday, when it is expected that a whole holiday will be observed by the shops. On Saturday afternoon final arrangements were made for the ceremony. Pioneers and veterans will fall-in in front of the Post Office at 12.15, and march to the railway station. The order of procession of the pioneers will be according to priority of arrival in New Plymouth, as the survivors of each ship's company will march together behind a banner bearing the name and date of arrival of the ship. The vessels represented will be the William Bryan, date of arrival, March 31, 1841; Amelia Thompson, September 3, 1841; Regina, October 3, 1841; Oriental, November 7, 1841; Timandria, February 24, 1842; Blenheim, November 7,, 1842; and Essex, January 23, 1843. I On arrival at the station they will j proceed by train, leaving at 12.30, to Moturoa, where they will be entertained •. at luncheon in one of the large rooms jof the Freezing Works. Here again ar-1 rangenients have been made .so that shipmates of seventy years ago can sit together at the same table and talk over old times. An invitation had been forwarded to the Hon. Tlios. Mackenzie, Minister of I Agriculture, to attend, and, in response, I Hi.? Worship the Mayor has received j the following reply: "Thanks very much for telegram. 1 alii hopeful of being able to be with you on 30th, and am making arrangements accordingly. You can count on my attendance unless anything very unforeseen should occur." Invitations have been extended to Taranaki members of Parliament, the chairmen of various public bodies, and others. The unveiling ceremony will taki place at 2.30 p.m. The actual unveiling will be performed by the only two surviving passengers of the first emigrant ship—the William Bryan. They are Mrs. John Smith, of Inglewood, and Mrs. Wood, of Waitara, and it is quite in accord with the (fitness of things that thev should be called upon to mark what was the intial movement in the development of our prosperous province. An invitation is extended to the public to be present at the unveiling. A special train will leave New Plymouth station at 2 p.m.