In 1889 the Evening Post Newspaper of Wellington, ran a competition and offered three prizes to anyone writing the best "Jubilee Poem". There were many entrants. The following poem, composed by H. L. James Esq., of Wellington, was reprinted, by Permission of the Proprietors of the Evening Post, on the back of a lorry float (see 17 below) during the 'Tremendous Demonstration' held 22 Jan 1890, to celebrate the Jubilee landing of the pioneer colonists, 50 years previously, on the "Aurora" 22 Jan 1840 into Port Nicholson
* Remember that this was 1890 and the lorries in the parade were horse driven
THE SCENE IN THE STREETS .. as the procession made its way southward with banners and regalia flying, between rows of decorated shops, was one of extraordinary animation. Each footway was lined with crowds of spectators and every balcony, prominent window and other vantage point, was occupied by excited holiday-makers, who cheered lustily as each section passed along, the processionists taking up and echoing the chorus. The route taken was along Thorndon-quay, Lambton-quay, Willis-street, Manners-street, Cuba-street, Vivian-street, Upper Tory-street and Buckle-street to the Basin Reserve. When stretched at full length along the streets the procession must have measured considerably more than a mile. The leading school was opposite the Opera House when the rear-guard was somewhere in the vicinity of the Government Railway Station.
According to actual observation, the time occupied in passing a given point- the Evening Post office - was more than 50 minutes. Street traffic had been stopped during the time the demonstration was going on and an effective force of policemen under Inspector Thomson and Sergeant-Major Morice, regulated the pedestrian traffic in the most systematic way. Heavy dust was unavoidable, but was much less troublesome than might have been expected under the circumstances. Soon after the procession was begun, however, another and serious source of discomfort made itself felt, in the shape of clouds of smoke from a bush fire on the hills behind Ngahauranga and considerably discounted the pleasure that would otherwise have been enjoyed. Light wood ashes were also borne along by the breeze and proved very trying to the eyes. However, this had not become very bad until after the procession had reached the Reserve, which it did at about 1.30pm. From the official records it would appear that there must have been fully 8,000 people in the procession, including the school children and, as to the spectators, a moderate estimate puts their numbers at nearly 20,000. The outbursts of enthusiasm were such as will never be forgotten by the youngest child who took part, even if he should live to be as old as those surviving veterans who first brought civilisation to our shores
NOTE Other great stories of what was happening that day can be read by going to the link below. They include IN THE BASIN RESERVE & THE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL


THE JUBILEE PROCESSION (go to link for full story)
The reclaimed land alongside the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company's station had been selected as the general mustering ground and here all the adult participators in the demonstration assembled .. the first incident of importance was the competition for the prizes offered for the best dress carts, Messrs C. W. Benbow, J. Woods, J. Hicks and P. C. McEwen acted as judges and awarded the first prize to the Happy Valley Meat Co, for an ingenious device characteristic of the butchering trade. The second prize went to Messrs Rowe & Sons, grain merchants; the third to Mr A. Williams, blacksmith, who had decked up a milk-float for the occasion; and a special prize was given by Mr McEwen to Mrs C. W. Brodie, aerated water manufacturer. All the arrangements of the marshals having been completed, the procession moved off the ground in the following order:-
1. The Protestant Band, under Bandmaster E. L. King
2. Day-school children, to the number of about 2800, from Mount Cook, Clyde-quay, Newtown, Vogeltown and Kilbirnie Schools, each furnished with a banner
3. Tinakori-road Drum and Fife band, under Bandmaster Sovereign
4. Another section of the school-children, from the Roman Catholic Schools, the Te Aro, Terrace, Thorndon, Wadestown and Kaiwarra Schools, numbering about 2,200, with their banners
5. Brake with the maypole dancers, under Mr R. P. Johnson with Miss Nellie Norton as May Queen and Masters August and Max Eller in the costumes of Captain Cook and his lieutenant
6. The pioneer settlers of Wellington, of both sexes, in carriages and on foot. Mr C. W. Keys, of the Hutt, who rode on the box seat of the foremost carriage, bore the original flag of the New Zealand Company. Captain Lancelot Holmes, until lately Chief Pilot, acted as marshal
7. Carriages containing members and ex-members of the local bodies as follows:- His Worship the Jubilee Mayor, Mr C. J. Johnston and several of his predecessors, viz., Messrs Joe Dransfield, George Fisher M.H.R., A. W. Brown and J. Duthie and Mr George Allen, who was elected Mayor by the Council in the interregnun between Mr Dransfield's resignation and Mr W. Hutchison's election and held office for about 20 days. Mr John Plimmer, as an early settler, also rode with the Mayors. Other carriages contained the members and ex-members of the City Council, the Chairman of the Barbour Board, Captain Rose and several members of the Board , the Municipal officers and Messrs C. W. Benbow and George Crichton, secretaries of the Jubilee Committee
8. natives, about 30 in number and including the following representatives of high rank in their respective tribes:- Major Kemp of Wanganui; Piripi te Maari, Patara, Mikaere Maru and Aperahama Matenga, Wairarapa; Wi Hapi Pakau representing the late Hon. Wi Tako's tribe of the Hutt district; Mawhini Hohua, Petone; Hare Hongi (grandson of the celebrated warrior Hongi Hiki) and Titiri, representing the Ngapuhi tribe Bay of Island; two grandsons of the chief Te Puni - Nopera and Honiana - and Te Teira, nephew of Te Puni; besides natives from Otaki and elsewhere
9. The Pahautanui (original spelling of Pauatahanui) Band, under Bandmaster F. Bradey, jun
10. Bakers' Union, with a lorry bearing an excellent assortment of bread, cakes, wedding cake, a small bakehouse, complete even to the oven, being in operation underneath the canopy on which the goods were displayed. About 30 bakers followed on foot, in the white aprons and caps of their daily wear - Mr Hogg acting as their marshal - several of them shouldering their peels. Scones were made in the little bakehouse and distributed ot the spectators
11. Boilermakers' Society, about 30, Mr T. Jaffray marshal. On a lorry was mounted a boiler-frame, at which several artizans were industriously engaged driving rivets
12. Bootmakers' Society, about 60, Mr G. Osborne marshal. Two lorries were contributed by this branch of industry. One of them was arranged to represent the benching and finishing department of a boot factory, with benchmen, pressers and finishers hard at work. The other lorry represented an "upper department" with sewing machines, managed by young girls in full swing. "king Crispin" a regally-decked personage - known in ordinary life as Mr R. McCleary - headed the tradesmen who honour him as their patron saint
13. Butchers' Society, about 60, Mr D. Taylor marshal. There were a large number of hawking carts and mounted order collectors, besides shopmen on foot
14. Plumbers, Tinsmiths' and Gasfitters' Union, about 40, Mr E. J. Piercy marshal. The representative lorry in this case was an excellent one and displayed all the latest designs in sanitary plumbing, in an admirable little workshop
15. Seamen's Union, about 40, Mr C. N. McCaull, marshal
16. Tailors' Society, about 40, Mr J. B. Graham marshal
17. Typographical Society, about 80, Mr C. Monaghan marshal. On the society's lorry was mounted a small printing office - complete with cases, imposing stone and press- in which copies of the Evening Post Jubilee Poem and the programme of the day were printed as the procession went along and distributed to the public. In a carriage which followed were seated Messrs J. R. Blair (Lyon and Blair), E. R. Bock (Bock and Cousins), George Didsbury (Government Printer) and John Blundell (Evening Post) as representatives of the officers in the city recognised by the society. When passing Messrs Lyon and Blair's printing office and the Evening Post office three hearty cheers were given by the typos for each establishment
18. Garrison Band, under Bandmaster T. Herd
19. New Zealand Federatd Labourers' Union, about 400, Mr J. Crawford marshal. On this society's lorry were shown a party of lumpers in their working dress, engaged in the handling of wool and flax bales, huge cased of merchandise etc
20. Wellington Harbour Board's pilot boat, manned by the full crew, under Pilot Shilling, each man wearing his life-belt and with a string of flags running to and from the masthead - conspicuous amongst which were those of the principal shipping companies - the Union Jack at the bow and the New Zealand Ensign at the stern. The decorations of the lorry in alternative strips of red, white and blue were also conceived and executed in exquisite taste, the whole making one of the most effective features of the procession
21. The divers engaged in raising the wreck of the Willie McLaren, equipped in diving-dresses, with air-pumps at work and mounted on a trolley embowered in masses of kelp
22. Wellington Woollen Company's employees, about 100, with two lorries. One of them bore a loom in operaiton and on the other was an effective display of tweeds, shawls, blankets, wool in skeins and other goods manufactured at the company's works, Korokoro
23. Six-horse lorry sent by Rowe and Sons, grain merchants, typifying "The Land of Plenty," and liberally decorated with grains and fruits, with a sleek-looking horse in its stall
24. Six-horse lorry representing Mr T. Munt, "the original carrier," and heavily laden with cases of goods
25. Municipal Fire Brigade, about 40, under Captain Kemsley. There were five vehicles representing the brigade, the foremost of which was of the type of engines that were in use in 1840. Then came a conveyance such as was used at a later date to carry the hose-reel; the next was a lorry bearing a series of transparencies, intended for the evening display; and two vehicles, carrying the most modern description of hose-reel (manned by the brigade's representative team) and the ordinary working appliances, brought up the rear. Everything was so arranged by Captain Kemsley that the brigade could have fallen out of the procession at a moment's notice to answer duty's call, had the necessity arisen.
26. Johnsonville Band, under Bandmaster G. Gray
27. Ancient Order of Druids, about 250 members, including juvenile lodges; Mr E. Jones, marshal. Of all the friendly societies, this body made by far the most artistic and elaborate show. The leading lorry carried on its front a tableau vivant representative of Britannia, surrounded by Scotland, Ireland and members of her army and navy. On the back of the same lorry was another allegorical group, dressed to represent Zealandia, supported by justice and benevolence, with a sturdy digger in the foreground. On the second and principal lorry a series of allegories were presented, one representing Queen Boadicea, with two attendant maids; another Caractaous, Prince of Ancient Britain, in captivity, surrounded by Roman soldiers; while in the front part of the vehicle came a group of Druidic priests in their many-coloured garments. The costumes, grouping and posing were exceedingly tasteful
28. Hibernian Society, about 200; Mr E. Carrigan, marshal
29. Rechabites and other temperance bodies, about 250; Messrs F. H. Fraser and J. Ward, marshals
30. Loyal Orange Lodges, about 200, under Messrs C. J. Hicks and A. Crowe
31. Jenkins' Band, under Bandmaster C. Jenkins
32. Ancient Order of Foresters and Shepherds, about 400, Messrs H. Birch and E. Gray, marshals. Three lorries with capital representations of the Societies emblems
33. Manchester Unity and British United Orders of Oddfellows, about 400. under Messrs J. Henshaw and S. Waters
34. Private carts, headed by those who had won the prizes in the competitions for cart-dressing and bearing displays of ironmongery, by Messrs Wilkins & Field; American organs by Mr F. J. Pinney; boots by Mr T. J. Leighton and groceries and general goods by Messrs G. Webb and E. B. Vrespin
* There is a great deal more at the above link. A great day was had by the city of Wellington. There are many names of pioneers mentioned ..

THE POEM TO THE MEMORY OF 1839-40
Silent the mountains stand, their icy peaks
Cleaving the blue of heaven - awful forms,
The mighty guardians of a lonely land!
A lonely land! - Far over hill and glen
The trackless forest glooms; the rivers flow
O'er-arched with shade and choked with fallen trees
The giant moa stalks the plain secure;-
For man is not, nor any fear of man

And so the ages pass and then - a change
Lo! across the boundless ocean,
O'er the floods of Tangaroa,
Come the children of Hawaiki.
The the Eastern Whanganui
Comes the fearless sercher, Kupe,
Leaves his daughters there for islets,
Leaves Mateu and Makoro.
First was he to view the lonely
Lovely Aotearoa.
Proudly floats the gorgeous "Awara,"
With her stern-post decked with streamers,
Best of war-canoes the "Arawa!"
And "Tainui" - big sea-water -
"Takitumu," "Kurahaupo:"
Oh! the war-boats, decked with feathers!
Oh! the war-men, scorning danger!
Soon the nations of the Maori
Spread through all the lonely country,
Fenced pas on every hill-top,
Kaingas in every valley;
Footpaths through the tangled forest,
Swift canoes upon the rivers;
Dusky warriors moving wary
On their savage course of bloodshed.
And the giant moas vanish,
Man is here and Death is with him!

And so the years foll on, and then - a change.
Borne on the western breeze, like the wandering white-breasted sea-birds,
Come the great flying canoes of the wonderful, magical pakeha.
But Tasman is stricken with fear and flies afar off to the northward;
For war-horns resound on the shore and war-canoes glide on the billow.
And then the great Scorner of Death, defier of tempest and danger,
Son of Tangaroa himself, lo! Cook comes from the ocean!
Him can no-way show dismay, for Fear is afraid to look on him.
Him must the maori greet and with food and with friendship receive him;
For his is the loadstone of love and his the dread death-dealing thunder.
Nor leaves he them unrecompensed, - in the woods, lo! the root-grubbing porker,
Goats on the steep-handing cliffs, and the riwari in fruitful plantations
Him shall Raukaua know, and vast Aorangi. cloud-dweller:
No more shall be heard their old names, but Cook's Strait and Mount Cook shall be told of.
And now how, the pakeha swarm! nor come they for good, but for evil:
Thunder and lightning they bring, and death in the terrible fire-tube.
And pleasant but poisonous drinl, "waipiro," - ill-smelling water;
And death, eveil passions, and sickness lay hold on the Maori people.
Lo! Hongi with pakeha thunder clothes the far-dreaded Ngapuhi;_
The mothers of Thames and Waikato bush their children with "Hongi! 'tis Hongi"
Mokoia, sweet isle of legend, is wasted - its singers are slaughtered;
By the blood-reddened stream of the Waipa, lo! thousands of cannibal ovens

And so the years roll on and still - a change.
In the vasty home of commerce,
Hugest city of the pakeha,
Gather now the chiefs and captains,
Gather now the crafty traders,
Saying, eager, to each other,
"Wealthy is the wondrous country
Thousand leagues across the surges;
Let us take the Maori islands,
Seize on Aotearoa;
Let us name the land New Zealand -
We its Company traders"
Thousand leagues across the surges
Speeds their great canoe, the "Tory"
Laden deep with pakeha settlers, -
Brings their crafty leader, Wakefield,
Brings the craftiest of traders, -
Enters soon Raukaua Moana,
Crossed of yore by Cook and Kupe.
Sails she round high Terawhitei,
By the blood-stained cliff Tamure,
Where of old the searcher Kupe,
For his Taiapua wailing,
Moaning for his self-slain daughter,
With sharp tuhua hacked his visage.
Soon the jagged rocks, foam-sprinkled,
That beset the cliffy gateway
Of the Eastern Wnanganui,
Rise from out the snowy billows,
Rise on every side around her.
Safely glides she through her danger.
Safely folds her wings within there
Where the daughters of great Kupe,
Where Mateu and Makoro,
Watch the Eastern Whanganui,
While to men they seem but islets,
Now the crafty Wakefield landing
Sees Poneke, sees Pitone,
Sees the vale of Eritonga;
And the thoughtless Ngatiawa
Sell their lands for deadly weapons,
Give their lands for guns and trinkets;
And by hilly, high Te Aro
Cluster thick the pakeha dwellings,
And the town of Wellington rises.
Next, by sad Waitangi's waters,
In the land of fierce Ngapuhi, -
By the stream of Lamentation, -
Gather chiefs of all the nations;
And they cast their "mana" from them,
Bow themselves to pakeah rulers!
By the waters of Waitangi -
Rightly named the "Stream of Wailing" -
Passed away the Maori "mana"
To the realms of Hine-nui,
To forgetfulness and darkness!

The ruthless years roll on, and all is changed!
O'er the wide lands of fair New Zealand rise
The homes of foreigners. The Maori pines
And fades away. A little while he strives
To stem the tide of Fate; in vain, in vain!
He knows no thought of fear; but shall he dare
Lightnings of death and blast of fell disease
And live? Alas! although Tauranga Gate,
And Orakau, and Rangariri - ay.
And hundred conflicts else, shall bear his fame
To Time remotest age, his sun doth set
Behind the looming massive of the West!
No more the populous pa shall top the hill,
No more by rill and wood the kainga stand;
No more the graceful war-canoe shall stem
The stream, or risk great Tangaroa's wave.
The Maori and moa both must pass,
They vanish fast away as morning mist,
For Europe's art is here and Europe's might.
Far falls the forest pride before the axe;
The stony road winds over hill and lea;
The swamps are dry, the moors lament their fern;
The wild things of the thicket flee and die,
And strange four-footed beasts usurp their sway.
Smoke of great cities on the harbour-shores;
Screams the swift iron horse in glen and wold;
Enormous steamers wallow in the waves,
Like monstrous taniwhas of olden time;
And Art and Science strid on hand in hand.
New Zealand yet shall rise upon the world,
And shine the richest jewel of the South.
Hail!, hail, Zealandia! may they greatness grow,
While envious nations sigh, "Would I were thee!"
WAIATA MAORI


PHOTO
Jubilee poem
To the memory of 1839-40
composed by H L James, esq., Wellington
Shows the poem in a central panel, with inset views of Wellington in the borders: Wellington 1840; Wellington 1890; Arrival of the "Aurora" in Port Nicholson, January 1840; Thorndon 1840; Thorndon 1890; Wellington Wharf 1840; Wellington Wharf 1890.