MANAIA TOWN JUBILEE

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 23 May 1932, Page 4

MANAIA TOWN JUBILEE

FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY TO-DAY. GOVERNOR’S PROCLAMATION. On May 23, 1882—fifty years ago today—a Gazette notice was issued over the signature of the then Governor, Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon, proclaiming the constitution of the Manaia Town District. A copy of the notice was attached to the first minute book of the own board which was saved from a fire when the town hall was burned many years ago. The first meeting of the town board was held on July 1, 1882, when there were present the following commissioners: Messrs. A. E. Langley, J. Jackson, Philip McCarthy, O’Brien and C. Days. Mr. Langley, who was one of the* first storekeepers in Manaia, was elected first chairman and Mr. G. A. Hurley was appointed clerk at a salary of 10s per week. The jubilee of the town will be celebrated early in June in conjunction with the jubilee of the school, which was opened on July 31, 1882. A splenddi programme of activities has been arranged and a large re-union of old residents is expected duiing jubilee The first event will be a special thanksgiving service' on Sunday, June 5, arranged by the combined churches. On the following Wednesday there will be a big procession and a demonstration is to be given by 300 natives. In the evening a tug-of-war will take •place. On Thursday a re-union dinner has been arranged for, and a hockey tournament will be held in the afternoon, followed hy a concert and community singing in the evening. On Friday a' special school display is to be held, and in the evening a plain and fancy dress ball is to take place. The celebrations will conclude on the Saturday with a street carnival and the cutting of the jubilee cake. Programmes will be issued during this week. The secretaries are Messrs. D. G. .Sherson and J. A. G. Cosgrove, Manaia.