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Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIX, Issue 10626, 25 July 1931, Page 2

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TAURANGA FIFTY YEARS AGO

From the Bay of Plenty Times of July 23rd, ISSI. we take the following:--

“A requisition is being got up to ' Mr Vesey tSewart to allow himself to he nominated as a candidate for the representation of the East Coast 1 in Parliament. AVe hope to publish further particulars, with the names of the requisitiquists in an early issue. AVe believe that Mr Stewart will consent to stand in case that a sufficient number of signatures is attached to the. requisition.” "At the last meeting of the Waste Lauds Board, some correspondence was read with reference to the undrained portion of the Te Puke swamp under the Board’s jurisdiction. It was agreed to put up the swamp in one block at the upset price to he hereafter lixed. The Chief Surveyor recommended that the upset price be 7s 6d an acre.” "The damage done by the late lire is gradually being repaired, and we hope thiit before long all truce of tile disaster will have disappeared. Tenders are invited for the erection of the Tauranga hotel, - on the site of the old building. AVe have seen a copy <>f the plans, and judging from a cursory inspection we should say that the new building will he in many respects superior to the one it is intended to replace.” Here is something more about the great football match, Tauranga v. Katikati: "Distinguishing colours are to he worn, the home team playing in blue, and the visitors in black and red. This will make the game more interesting to the onlookers, as they will he able to distinguish at once how the game progresses.” In the same issue we notice the following announcement; “To the Electors of the East Coast Gentlemen.—lt is my intention to offer myself for your suffrages at the ensuing general elections.

Urgent family matters demand my immediate presence in England, Imt 1 shall be back in the Colony by the November mail steamer. E. M. Edgcumbe, Northern Club. Auckland.” I On Saturday. July 22nd.. ISSI, an election of five trustees for the Tau- ; ranga North Township Highway District took place, the poll being 1 held before Captain Tunks, Return- ; ing Officer. Mr John H. McCaw acted as poll clerk. ; In the Bay of Plenty Times of July 2Gth we read: “The poll opened at 11 a.m. and closed at (i p.m. During the day , ~le proceedings were very quiet. and , though a large number of votes were recorded very little canvassing was ; done by any of the candidates. The result was declared by the Returni ihg Olhcer at 7..'50 p.m. as follows: Mr J. W. Gray 102 Rev. Charles Jordan. . 101 j Mr Janies Bodell .... f)s Mr C. A. Clarke -■. .. . oo Mr R. R. Rhodes .... SO 'Mr It. c. Jordan .... s,S ( Mi- G, T. Davoren .. . ,S 5 ’ Mr A. Asher 72 Mr J. J, Bennett .... ;js The first live gentlemen were dei dared duly elected.” Another news item reads: | "It is rumoured that several Tauranga gentlemen are seriously con- ! ddering Hie queslion of lighting the | town with gas. It is suggested that ■ a company should be formed and gas j works erected at Sulphur Point. The idea seems to have arisen from the i success achieved in lighting the Star hotel with gasoline.” I Another paragraph commenting on j (he election says: "Good Templarism is beginning to make its power felt in Tauranga, if we are to judge by the fact that all the gentlemen elected to seats on the new Town Board are members of that body. The teetotal star is evidently in the ascendant just now. If wo may be allowed to prognosticate from the strength of the cold water drinking element on the Board, its deliberations during the year should he characterised by the strictest sobriety.” There seems to have been some (rouble in moving one or two buildings about this time fifty years ago, for we read in the Bay of Plenty Times of July 26th., 1881. First we read:— “The old building, which stood be- | lliucl the house on the Strand recently ocupied by Mr Banyard, was moved on Saturday to the top of Spring Street, prepartory to placing it on Mr eKlly’s allotment on the Cameron Road, where it is to be used as a grain store. On reaching the top of Spring Street the roof of the building caught the telegraph wires and dragged two of them out of the insulators for a considerable distance, besides damaging one or two of the arms. Telegraphic communication was ( interrupted for a short time in con- ( sequence of the accident.’ j Then someone got a knock on the head which rendered him unconscious, and the report says the blow must have been a particularly hard one. It reads:— “Mr Hartis Piercy met with a somewhat serious accident on Saturday whilst engaged in moving one of the old buildings from the Strand. At the corner of the Strand and Spring Street an attempt was made to turn the building by blocking the inside wheels and 'leaving the outside ones free. Six horses were liar- j nessed to the building, but the strain

I proved too much, and one of the beams on which the chains were fastened was dragged from its place j and struck Mr Piercy on the head, ; stuning him severely. He was taken to (lie Commercial Hotel, and after a short rest recovered, though the blow must have been a particularly hard one.” We fondly imagine that the flying machine is a comparatively modern invention. Read this taken from the Mail Summary in the same issue:-- j “Ex-Alderman Clancy, of Ottawa, I Canada, exhibited his flying-machine [ on the 2Sth (of June). He flew at at an average height of twelve feet, I and made a flight of a quarter of a j mile. The machine is the result off thirty years’ thought and labour. - ’ < Tlie same issue records the fact ! that “On Saturday .night a private ; ’ trial of the gas appartus was made | in the Star Hotel, and proved as sue- I cessful as the most sanguine could I expect.”