FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 25 May 1926, Page 2

FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.

LEAVES FROM THE PAST. (Reprinted from the Hawera Star of May 25, 1881.) A large audience attended the memorial service held in the Hawera town Hall on Sunday evening in connection with the '1 ararua disaster. The service was conducted by the Rev. Mr Luxford, who chose as tne text for his sermon “There is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet. (Jeremiah 49: 23.) [The disaster referred to was the wreck on the Waipapa reef on the south coast of the south Island of the steamer Tararua, with great loss of life, on April 29, 1881.] A pigeon match was lired yesterday on the Hawera crichet ground. Thirteen contested the club match. The winner, Mr C. Coomber., who scored 10 points, grassed six out of seven birds with eight shots. The match was seven birds, hi yards rise, two points being allowed for every bird failing to the first barrel, and one point only if both barrels were fired. .If. Lysaglit (five birds) and (1. McLean (live birds) tied for second place with nine points each. J. iN'icoll and A. Owen (four birds each) tied lor third place with eight points. Some sympathy was expressed with Mr Lysaglit, who grassed his last bird, with his nrst barrel, and was thus held to have won the match with 11 points. On going to gather it, however, it rose ana lit on the pavilion, and was accordingly ruled “no bird.” After this mishap, he tied for second place. Manaia. —Manaia township has grown so rapidly that there is already some agitation in favour of a Government l'ost and Telegraph Office beingopened there. . . The Government has retained ample reserves suitable for such purposes. There is an estimated population on the Plains of 500 persons, and the number is rapidly increasing. The sale of the township reaiisea several thousand pounds, consequently the residents feel that they have a strong claim for consideration.

Those who have not visited the “City of the Plains” recently will be surprised on their next visit to note the rapid growth of the new township. Mr Lloyd’s new hotel is superior to most first-class hotels in new townships, and will when finished add greatly to the convenience of the travelling public. On the south side of the hotel a boarding-house is in course of erection. Adjoining the Manaia Hotel, additions are being made to Mr Langley’s store. Mr Nicoli’s store lias been completed, and is the handsomest shop in the township. Nearly opposite, Mr Cockburn’s blacksmith shop has been opened, while a similar shop has been erected by Mr Cameron. Mr Way, painter till lately in business in Hawera, has also had a small shop erected in Manaia. Looking out of the windows of the hotel a Star reporter counted some 20 houses- and cottages within a few minutes’ walk of the centre of the township. These included those belonging to Messrs Vine, Patterson, Sinclair, Power, Collins, Goldup, O’Brien, McGovern, Hughes, Kelly, Murphy, H. Bayly, J. Morrin, H. Boyle, W. Martvn, C. Tait and W. Dingle. * Opunake.—A general order has been issued to the A.C. force on this coast prohibiting members from leaving their respective quarters after sundown. Considering the good relationship existing between the men of the Opunake station and the natives, it is a pity such extreme measures should have been adopted. The natives recently discharged from gaol are beginning to show out, but are enjoined by Te Whiti not to remain long from Parihaka.

At a meeting of Opunake householders, a resolution was passed expressing agreement with the boundaries of the school district as defined by the Taranaki Education Board. Now that the school district is defined it is to be hoped that the board will, without further delay, establish a school, the want of which has for so long been badly felt here.

Waimate Bush Land.-—Th following are the results of the sale of land thrown open on application at the Hawera and Patea Land Offices on Monday :

Kanpokonui Survey District.—Block XV, section 2, 101 acres, £2 by E. Kempthorne, Hawera. Block XV, section 13, 111 acres. £1 10s by R. Smith, Manaia. Block XVI, .section 9. 98 acres, £1 10s by H. Horne, Wanganui. Ngaire Survey District. —Block XIII, section 38, 200 acres. £1 10s- by Wilson Milne, Waverley. Block XIH, section 39, 179 acres, £1 10s by Wilson Milne, Waverley. Block XIII. section 45, 100 acres, £1 10s by Wilson Milne, Waverley.