新西兰英语 93 Anniversary Days

　　Monday 19th January is Anniversary Day for Wellington and Southland. Each province has an Anniversary Day holiday to remember the day that the first Europeans arrived there to settle and live there. In Southland, the Anniversary is a celebration of when this province became independent from Otago province.
The first ship from England bringing new settlers to live in Wellington arrived on 22nd January 1840. It was a sailing ship called the ‘Aurora’. The passengers were brought to Wellington by the New Zealand Company which planned settlements in New Zealand. The ship landed at Petone which was originally going to be the site for a town. However, in March that year, the Hutt River flooded Petone so the town was moved to Thorndon in what is now Wellington city. The town was named after Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington. Wellington now celebrates Anniversary Day with a horse racing¹ and wine carnival², as well as many other events for local people to enjoy.
Most provinces hold their Anniversary Day on a Monday to give workers a three-day weekend. However, Hawkes Bay has their Anniversary Day on the Friday before Labour Day which gives workers a four-day weekend. Canterbury moved their original Anniversary Day from December 16th which business people felt was too close to Christmas and could affect Christmas shopping.
Canterbury Anniversary Day is now celebrated³ as Show Day, on a Friday in mid-November. The A and P Show is a time when the farmers come to town. City people go to the Show to see farm animals and find out about rural New Zealand.
Auckland Anniversary Day is 26th January this year. Auckland always has a yacht regatta on this weekend. There are races for yachts of all sizes and sailors of all ages. Auckland’s anniversary is a reminder⁴ of when New Zealand first became a British colony, with the arrival of William Hobson, the first Governor of New Zealand. He named the town after the George Eden, the first Earl of Auckland.
The New Zealand Company was formed by an Englishman, Edward Gibbon Wakefield, in 1839, with the idea of helping⁵ people to emigrate from England and buy cheap land in New Zealand. The Company sent emigrants⁶ to Wellington, Nelson, Wanganui and Dunedin. Wakefield bought land from some Maori, using guns, soap, iron pots, axes, fish hooks, clothes and other items as payment. When the Treaty of Waitangi was signed on February 6th 1840, Maori could only sell their land to the Crown, which meant to the government. Soon, the New Zealand Company had financial problems and that brought the end of the Company.
For dates of public holidays, go to: http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/holidays_act_2003/dates/2006_9.html

1 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

2 carnival   

n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演

参考例句：

• I got some good shots of the carnival.我有几个狂欢节的精彩镜头。
• Our street puts on a carnival every year.我们街的居民每年举行一次嘉年华会。

3 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

4 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 emigrants   

n.（从本国移往他国的）移民( emigrant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At last the emigrants got to their new home. 移民们终于到达了他们的新家。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• 'Truly, a decree for selling the property of emigrants.' “有那么回事，是出售外逃人员财产的法令。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记