CLOSE OF CENTENNIAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 November 1940, Page 3

CLOSE OF CENTENNIAL

HON. W. E. PARRY’S REVIEW WIDE RANGE OF CELEBRATIONS. WORTHY TRIBUTE PAID TO PIONEERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. . "Today is the 100th anniversary of the issue by Queen Victoria of Letters Patent separating New Zealand from New Soutn Wales. It marks the end of the period fixed for the Centennial celebrations and the conclusion of five years of wholehearted work by the people of the Dominion in preparing for the great event in the national existence of their country," stated the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister in Charge of Centennial Celebrations. "The Government expresses admiration both for the spirit in which (he people undertook this labour of love and the manner in which they carried on the eelebations through the trials of a year of strenuous war effort. "Seen in retrospect, the Centennial, from every point of view, has been a remarkable achievement. The machinery of organisation, from the National Centennial Council down through the Provincial Councils io their zone and interzone committees, not only functioned admirably but by its ready adaptation to the needs of our patriotic effort, during the present war. has shown itself to be an almost perfect means of organising the people as a whole for the purpose of securing co-

ordination of national and local effort in any great cause. HISTORY RECALLED. “The Centennial was approached in a spirit of reverence for the pioneers, of pride in a hundred years of achievement and faith in the future of our country. It is now appropriate to review in broad outline the fruition of the four years of planning and preparation. In every province and in almost every locality celebrations were held at appropriate times during the Centennial period. In commendably many eases these celebrations embodied historical pageants and re-enact-ments of historical occasions giving scope for creative imagination in planning and carrying out programmes worthy of the gleat national cause. "I am pleased to express the Government's thanks to the Centennial organisations and to the people generally for the manner in which they responded to the Centennial appeal. It was only by their enthusiastic co-operation that success was achieved. "The main purpose and spirit of the Centennial celebrations were well summarised by the late Right Hon. IVI. J. Savage in a passage bf his message on the opening of the Centennial year. •This young nation has come of age,' he said. ‘This means a new era, bringing greater responsibilities to every one in the common duly of securing peace, democratic freedom and national development. 1 feel sure that the people will not flinch at the tasks ahead.’ "The Government’s decision to go on with the celebrations, for which the preparations were well advanced when Germany plunged the world into war. was supported by messages from all parts of the British Commonwealth. "In addition to the main hatidnal expenditure on the Waitangi. Petoiie aitd Akaroa Celebrations, the Music and Drama Festivals, Art Exhibitions, and the publication of historic books, the Government, by way of subsidies has paid out a sum of about £51,000 for provincial and local memorials and celebrations. It is anticipated that a further sum of £25,000 on that account will be lifted by March 31 next? A full review of all activities would convince any reasonable questioner that New Zealand has received very good value for the expenditure. It must also be borne in mind that the inspirational and cultural results of the. Centennial enterprise cannot be measured in terms of money.

VARIOUS MEMORIALS. “The number of memorials approved by the National Centennial Council was more than 250, including various kinds of buildings, monuments, parks, playgrounds, swimming baths, and tree planting. Some of the structures have architectural grandeur; they are impressive aesthetic assets. The proportion of Plunket Rooms and Women’s Rest Rooms well supports the leading part, taken by New Zealand in the progressive movement for the welfare of

women and children, and it is natural that this fact should find widespread expression in Centennial memorials. "On the cultural side, the influence of Centennial events will reach far into the future. It has been truly said that for many New Zealanders the main memory of the Centennial celebrations will be the Music Festivals. For others it will be the Dramatic Festivals or the Art Exhibitions.

“In the literary field, the national schedule made, liberal provision for the encouragement of New Zealand writers in a wide range of competitions. "Of course history had a splendid run al! through Centennial year. In daily and weekly newspapers and other publications there was a continuous appearance of. special articles of local and national interest. In the granting of plenty of space for historic chronicles and Centennial activities, the Press showed an admirable public-spiritcd-ness. The Broadcasting Stations of both the National Services also responded well to the Centennial call. “The national enterprise included the regular supply of historical articles to newspapers, a series of thirty ’Pictorial Surveys,’ a dozen historical books, a ‘Dictionary of New Zealand Biography,' and the publication of a magazine ‘The New Zealand Centennial News.’ Publication of the greatest Centennial work, the ‘Historical Atlas’ will be delayed until next year because of the shortage of suitable paper. “Other productions were the special series of Centennial postage stamps, the Centennial half-crown, and the Centennial medals of the New Zealand Numismatic Society. “In addition to the Government’s extensive output of Centennial literature, many historical works were published by provincial and local Centennial organisations. churches, banks, shipping companies, and individuals. High praise is due to the staffs of the Government Printing Office and private firms for the excellent printing and format of publications which in themselves are notable Centennial memorials of New Zealand printing.

CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. “The Centennial Exhibition, with which the Government was very helpfully associated, under my colleague the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, was a triumph over difficulties created by the war. It showed the whole scope of New Zealand’s development and progress during a century; it emphasised the truth of a prediction that it would be more representative of a whole country than any other exhibition elsewhere had been.

“A fitting finale to the spectacular part of the Centennial is the film produced by the Tourist and Publicity Department by direction of the National Centennial Council—an excellent portrayal of a century of history, which should appeal strongly to people in New Zealand and other countries of the British Commonwealth and to folk in the United States of America.

THE MAORIS’ PART. "Appropriately, the Maori people were well represented in the celebrations. They had the honour of stag!ing on January 2 at Maketu, one of the first two Centennial Celebrations, and the last one, the opening of the Arawa Meeting House at Whakarewarewa told ay. They had conspicuous parts in the (national celebrations at Waitangi, Peptone. and Akaroa. and they had a good [representation in the Centennial Exhibition. The splendid relationship ex- | isting between the two races was further strengthened by the Centennial contacts.

“Throughout the Dominion, by the co-operation of the Education Department teachers and local organisations, the Centennial was memorably impressed on the minds of young folk. They had a practical part in many programmes, which included well-planned planting of trees—those living memorials which are the most important of all. in the belief of many thousands of New Zealanders.

.“The competitions of schools in historical and topographical surveys of their districts showed a surprising excellence in many pupils' work."