Anniversary Day.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1895, 29 January 1875, Page 2

Anniversary Day.

To-day, being the Thirty-fifth Anniversary of the Colony, has been appropriately observed as a public holiday. In some day in January, 1840, Captain Hobson arrived in the Colony from Sydney, but chroniclers a]jpear to differ as to the precise day. One authority states that New Zealand was-proclaimed a British Colony on the s2lst January—that Governor Hobson arrived in ftlew Zealand on the 27th, . and the Colony's Anniversary is the 29th. Another (a local chronicler of " Anniversaries, Festivals, Remarkable Days, &c") states that Governor Hobson arrived in New Zealand on the 27th January, 1840, and immediately after appears the item " 33rd anniversary of the Colony." Our own almanac column of "remarkable events" informs the world that Governor Hobson arrived at the Bay of Islands on the 28th January, ]840, and also that this 29fchdry of January, 1875, is the 35th anniversary of the Colony; so the 35th it shall be 'until somebody corrects *>. As to the remarkable event which fixed upon the 29th as the day on which the Colony was founded we are in the dark. Probably it was the hoisting of the British flag and some accompanying ceremonial on the occasion of Captain or Governor Hobson making the acquaintance of the white residents at the Bay or Islands—perhaps the signinjr of the Treaty of Waitangi. All these events will doubtless be collected one of these days, and we shall be able to learn more of the early history of our adopted country. There is one thins in connection with Anniversary Day which shows how disloyal colonists are • they celebrate their own particular Provincial Anniversaries instead .of the Colonial birthday. Consequently wo have -in Kew Zealand nine anniversanes instead of one We have it on authority of the Press Agency

that to-day is a close holiday in Auckland —the .Regatta being the principal event of the day. Some of the items in the programme of the Begatta will be inter-: iered with. Ihe pulling races may be ; postponed, as a strong breeze is blowing, r.w SlgUn °l rain' Additional iSI terest, will, however, attach to the sailing races on this account, the am *T«H es afforded by the a display of the sailing powers of yacht. crew. The ram which commenced to fall between ono and two o'clock has sadly spoilt sporim many directions. The Friendly Societies at Tararu and the School children at. Parawai will hare reason t« regret the change, especially^ the morning was so very fine aiid induced many to venture out who would not have done so had there been any sighs of rain. Ihe signs of holiday keeping are general JNot for months ha/there iSen a^Say on which business has been more rigidly suspended than to day. The Colonial Prize Firing went on as usual (at least up to the rain-fall), and many visitors went out to the camp. The result of the progress made to-day will be found in this issue, and for details of the various means of amusement which absorbed public attention, we refer readers to the following notice of each as procurable in time tor to-day s issue.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS. It has been the custom on the Thames to celebrate the anniversary of the colony by I a general turn-out and feasting of the Sunday school children. Perhaps no better day could be chosen, for, though the principal actors in this custom be but | small affairs on the whole, nothing will ; speak so significantly of the social, moral j and rehgious progress of the colony, and its progress m other respects, if we do but take. the trouble to trace the effect back to the cause. This year tha " cusJX o s»een maintained. The children ot the Sunday schools in thedistriet turned out. Since 8 o'clock this morning the youthful portion of creation on the Thames were up and about—children as well as their more seasoned elders, always anticipate half of the enjoyment which they are to possess by dwelling on the enjoyment itself The muster of youngsters, clad in their best (evidences of the industry of proud mothers) was most extraordinary and might well create surprise. There were 1,480 children altogether, gathered in the different schools to which they belong. The numbers run as follows •— English Sunday School, 350 children • Grahamstown Wesleyan, 300; Shortland Wesleyan, 280: Presbyterian, 230; Bap!S tf S?; Primi I tive ' 9°; Congregational, 50. The several schools on the Grahamstown side of the Karaka, with their superintendents and teachers; proceeded trom their own schools" to - Shortland where they were met by the bnortland children, according to ar- N rangement, and they then proceeded en masse to the Eichmond-street cricket ground, where they formed into lines to distinguish the different denominations It was a goodly sight io see nearly 1500 childrent boys and girls-the greater part of whom were dressed in whitelooking as orderly, clean and happy as could be wished. There were a numbe? of the parents and friends of the children present, besides some of the general public. Looking here, at these children, it must have struck the least reflective observer that the spiritual welfare of our children is well looked after, and be all praise due to those men and women who have worked in such a good cause--a cause upon which much of th« future of this country depends-nwr. perhaps than is by many persons sup*. posed. We would especially offer a word of encouragement to the superintendents and teachers, syhose work, as the result so tar shows, has been performed well Having been duly inspected, the children suns a hymn very sweetly indeed, and with wonderful unison considering the number of voices largo and small that were beine exercised at once The children subsequently sang the National Anthem The boys aid not doff their hats on this occasion. If it was from ignorance of how to act, they might be instructed to pay due respect to their "sovereign lady; if, however, the sun was con* sidered too warm, respect to the "sove? reign lady was not imperative. The" children then marched to Parawai gardens, where it had been arranged to spend the day. Arrived at the Gardens, the chil! d.ren took advantage of the various means of amusement which had been provided for them, such as swings, all manner of games, kiss-in-the-ring, & c . The cricket match was not completed, the rain having put a stop to the play. When the rain cleared off agam aU the fuu ra£ sumed save the cricketing. There were a very large \numbe? of ladies on as it makes them look forward tog Such occasions with pleasure, and probably