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Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 10832, 2 April 1932, Page 2

PAGE FROM THE PAST.

TAURANGA FIFTY YEARS AGO. Among the notes from Auckland appearing in the Bay of Plenty Times of April 2nd., 1876, we And this somewhat amusing item: “Freeman’s Bay was the scene of a riot last week, in which the comical element preponderated. A Mr Lye, in that neighbourhood, had the indiscretion to bring home to the house shared with him by his grown up son and daughter, a second Mrs Lye, whom, however, mother church had not provided with the right to the appellation. The daughter and son both objected to their illegal mamma, and resolved that she should not take up her new position unresisted. So, when papa appeared with his enamorata, there was a general shindy at the door, a.nd such a noise was made that nearly 500 people from the neighbourhood asembled to watch the fun and call shame on ‘the old man.’ One virtuous father of a. family named Souter, gallantly challenged Lye to fight, but his fate is an example. Lye would not fight, but next day hauled Souter up for using threatening language, and the champion of domestic purity was bound over to keep the peace for six months. The row was not quieted till late into the night, and next morning any amount of black eyes, together with a cut from a hand saw, on the son’s arm, bore witness to the severity of the conflict. I am sorry to learn tha.t virtue was not triumphant.” Another paragraph plates;—“Allotments in the town are rising rapidly in value. An acre on the Devonport Road changed hands a few days ago at £300.”

“Captain Marks,” (the harbourmaster), says another item, “reports whales very plentiful in the Bay at the back of the Pilot Station, Maungauui. A large school of humpbacks was disporting itself quite close in shore last Sunday afternoon.”