Gallery open Auckland Anniversary Day Monday 31st January Sun, 30 Jan 2011

International Art Centre gallery is open Auckland Anniversary Day 11am - 4pm. Be sure to drop by and view the wonderful summer exhibition.

For those non-Aucklanders, Auckland Anniversary Day is a public holiday observed in the northern half of the North Island even though the provinces of New Zealand were abolished in 1876. The holiday usually falls on the Monday closest to 29 January, the anniversary of the arrival of William Hobson, later the first Governor of New Zealand, in the Bay of Islands in 1840. Auckland Anniversary Day was established by Governor Hobson's direction, over Willoughby Shortland's signature, in 1842. The New Zealand Government Gazette of 26 January, 1842 (Volume 2, 4th Edition) carried a notice stating "Saturday, the 29th instant, being the 2nd anniversary of the establishment of the Colony, His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to direct that day to be held a holiday, on which occasion the Public Offices will be closed."

Email Frances Davies fran@artcntr.co.nz