HUGE SUCCESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 7

HUGE SUCCESS.

MAORI CARNIVAL. GALA ATMOSPHERE. 22,000 VISIT NGARUAWAHIA. (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") XGARUAWAHIA, this day. To-day Xgaruawahia is transformed. Tt is no longer merely a progressive country town; it is the Rome to which roads from all parts of the North Island have led, bringing upwards of 22.000 people. Overnight a canvas town has sprung up, where you can buy anything from ft watermelon to an art union ticket. Its normally quiet street is crowded, for to-day is regatta day, the 42nd Maori carnival of the Xparuawahia Regatta Association, and it is one of the most successful ever held. Ever 'since comparatively early morning the gala atmosphere has l>een growing. Side shows are busy and a hundred and one things have to lie done in connection with the more serious business of the regatta itself. Then come the races, and though the pakeha events may have been a.s strenuously fought on the river itself, the Maori races were twice fought—once by the crews in canoes and again bv their supporters. Thus it was that the banks echoed and echoed again with excited voices, voices that rose in volume and pitch as the finishing post drew near. Spectators Thrilled. During the hurdle races everyone felt the thrill that these races alwavs bring to the layman. It is amazing that these long, slender craft ever manage to wriggle over at all, let alone do their wr iggling and still keep an even keel. A number of reasons have combined to make this regatta outstanding. To begin with the occasion at the pa across the river has brought together the greatest number of Maoris seen in the Waikato for at least nine years—it was in 1929 that the great meeting house, Te Mahina-a-Rangi. was opened—and they provided colour and excitement for the dav.

Again the wraUier was gorgeously fine, so conditions Mere ideal. Again the war canoe. Tc Winika. which yesterday took the Governor-General, Lord Galwav, from, town to pa. was oil exhibition. Jt alone was worth seeing. Xot since Tahere Tikitiki. the canoe of the late Maori king, Te Rata Mahuta. was lost some 30 years ago. lias a canoe this size been seen on the Waikato. As it passed the river banks below the bridge it might have been a distinguished guest, such an ovation did it receive. Reasons for Success. Tlwse were all good reasons for tlie success of the regatta as a public occasion, but from'the point of view of the regatta itself there were others. In the piping and dancing section tlie Xew Zealand championship for piping was. held here the first time it has been held away from the South Island. Thie event carries with it a shield valued at 50 guineas and the Lawrie pipe chanter. In the rowing section there were 155 competitors, the largest for ten years. This is still further evidence of the growing popularity of this sport. Officials of the Regatta Association say they have never seen a larger crowd. The park and all side streets near the domain were packed with cars. Five special trains arrived from Auckland, while on the Great South Road there was a continuous stream of traffic. Results were:—Maori Girls' Canoe.—O.K. 1. Maurea 2. Tirohia 3. A close finish, with the winner half a length ahead. Canoe Hurdles, Waliine (women). — Maurea 1. O.K. 2. There were only two entries, the winners coming home easily. Neither crew did well at the first two hurdles, both almost tipping over. Tlie winner, however, took the third and last hurdle like a bird, shipping hardly anv water, and came home to win by perhaps a dozen lengths.