WHAKAPARA

Northern Advocate, 9 March 1936, Page 8

WHAKAPARA

RED LETTER DAY. Every calendar has its Red Letter days and Thursday, March 5, was Whakapara’s. Otonga-Kaimamaku and Whakapara school districts combined in their annual school sports in Mr Finlayson’s paddocks, near the railway station, and a record gathering and a real gala day eventuated. Mr Venn, of Whakapara, and Mr H. Matheson, of Kaimamaku, are school commissioners for those districts, and Mr E. Thomas (chairman) and Messrs Billington and Dreaver, the committee for Otonga. Mr P. Stone is master of the Whakapara school and Miss McDonald mistress of Otonga and Kaimamaku schools. The school teachers and committee left no stone unturned to make the function a big success.

Among the visitors present were Mr Riddell’s,. of Puhi Puhi school,. Miss Rutherford, of the Native school, and Mr P. O’Donoghue. There were one or two very exciting and outstanding events in the novelty contests, which added greatly to the fun and frolic of the day. Here is a funny side to the picnic. A family living five miles away arrived all spick and span on the picnic grounds, only to find they had left the eatables at home. So back went Dad to search every nook and corner and cranny, without any reward. No eatables could be discovered. Reporting his vain trip,, another search of the car was made, and the missing hamper found under a seat! The following is a list of the racing:—

Boys, 5 to 9 years: Ray Moody Lloyd Brydon 2, Bruce Churches 3

Girls, 5 to 9: Marie Forsyth 1, I Louise Brydon 2, Laurel Thomas 3. Boys, 9 to 15: Alex Scott 1, Rex Thomas 2, Eric McKellow 3. Girls, 9 to 15: Judy Moody 1, Isabel Martin 2, Myra Smith 3. Sack race, boys and girls under 9: Louise Brydon 1, Edwin Churches 2, Laurel Thomas 3. Boys’ 440 yards: Alex Scott 1, Rex Thomas 2, Tom McGee 3. Egg and spoon race, boys and girls under 9: B. Churches 1, R. Moody 2, L. Thomas 3. Girls, 9 to 15: Mary Billington 1, E. McKellow 2, J. Moody 3. Sack race, boys, 9 and over; H. Brydon 1, G. Geard 2, H. Williams 3. Sack race, girls, 9 and over: Isabel Martin 1, Joan Brown 2, Shirley Jones 3.

Tiny tots race: B. Thomas 1. All received a prize.

Boys’ three-legged race; A. Scott and T. McGee 1, R. Thomas and McKellow 2.

Egg and spoon race: J. Brown 1, S. Jones 2, A. Billington 3. Boys, 9 to 15, 220yds: A. Scott 1, R. Snell 2, G. Geard 3. Three-legged race, under 9. 35yds: Louise Brydon and W. Brydon 1 • Girls, 9 to 15, 150yds; J. Henry 1, J Moody 2, Audrey Billington 3. Obstacle race, boys 9 to 15: A. Snell 1, A. Scott 2, H. Brydon 3. Three-legged race, ’ girls, 9 to 15, 75yds: J. Brown and S. Jones 1. Steeplechase: A. Scott 1, H. Brydon 2, G. Geard 3, R. Moody 4. Boys’ egg and spoon race, 9 to 15, 75yds: H. Williams 1, E. McKellow 2 T. McGee 3. Girls’ obstacle race: Myra Smith 1, Jean Churches 2, Shirley Jones 3.

Tyre race handicap, boys and girls under 10, 50yds: Bruce Churches 1, Edwin Churches 2, Ray Moody 3. Single men’s race: G. Finlay son 1, M. Finlayson 2. Single ladies’ race: Miss M. Cotter 1, Miss Jones 2. ■Married men’s race: Mr T. Toki 1, Mr Riddolls 2. Married ladies’ race: Mrs Davis 1, Mrs Edwards 2.

Ladies’ nail-driving: Mrs Gardiner 1, Miss G. Gardiner 2. Men’s obstacle: J. Jones 1, T. Aldridge 2. Boys, 9 to 15, 880yds: A. Scott 1, H. Brydon 2, E. McKellow 3. Hop, step and jump: Mr Jones 1, Mr Toki 2. Relay race: Native school 1. Cigarette race: W. McGee and Mr Toki 1.

School Cups. For Whakapara girls, Ethel McKellow (7 points) and for boys, R. Snell (with 6 points) were winners. A. Scott, with the maximum 12 points and J. Moody, with 8 points, were winners for the other schools. POST OFFICE. Our local post office has been enlarged to cope with increased business, but this means a smaller accommodation for the station, which really needs a ladies’ waiting room. THE CIRCUS. Wirths’ circus, as it travelled northwards, was watched by crowds of residents from every vantage point. Horses and cattle took fright in the paddocks, evidently at the smell of the wild animals.' On the return journey the circus train waited a while at Whakapara, and soon a number of children were having a look at the feeding of the different animals. The chance of a lifetime for them! >

PERSONAL. Mi’s Davis, of Cambridge, with Mrs Buckman (her daughter), of Te Kuiti, have spent a very enjoyable holiday as guests of Mrs G. Martin, of Otonga Road. Mr J. McLennan, with his sister, Miss S. McLennan, of Kauri, is spending a few days at the Ngawha Springs. Miss K. McDonald, of Ruatangata East, has taken up her residence with her sister, Miss McDonald, at the Otonga schoolhouse. After a residence of one year ? Otonga, Mr and Mrs Woodward have left to reside in Whangarei, where they will be joined by the other members of their family. Douglas Thomas, of Otonga school, had the misfortune to run a needle into his foot and broke the point off, necessitating an, operation in the Whangarei hospital. Douglas is now making rapid recovery.