Bad Luck At Whirinaki

Northern Advocate, 18 July 1939, Page 2

Bad Luck At Whirinaki

Whirinaki boys and girls planned everything to the minutest detail for the grand occasion when Percy P. and Kupe visited their district.

Only one thing was overlooked, and that one thing spoiled the whole show. It was the weather. Not a minute had they been given off school to make preparations, and yet a very full programme had been planned. Lunch times, play times, after school —every spare second was put in practising and everybody had a part to playBut when heavy rain fell just as it was time for the little people to leave for the hall, wlten the rain continued to pour down in torrents and the night became so black that one could not. see a yard ahead, there were many disappointed ; young Northlanders who simply had to stay at home.“We waited and waited for someone to come our way with a torch,” said' one gentleman. “In the end we put a candle in a billy and here we are.” To commence with only a small number of people was disappointing for everyone who had tried so hard to make the evening a big success. As the evening wore on I was sorrier, still for Whirinaki. Several times Mack Morunga, the announcer, had to pass an item over because the children who were to have taken part had been kept at home at the last minute. When “We Are Rabbits,” an action song by the primers, was announced, only Les Rawiri walked on to the stage. He was the only member of the primer classes who had been .able to attend. Emma Taylor also knew the piece, joined him, and the result was entirely satisfactory so far as the audience was concerned.

Folk dancing by Standards 1 and 2 promised to be quite successful, but lack of numbers spoiled the movements, and we will have to wait for a finer night to see the dance done properly. It was a shame. Girls were equipped with piu pins, and there were action songs and both long and short pois. We were treated to rare singing, considering that so many of the artists were away and some boys and girls had to be hastily substituted. “Gentle Spring,” a duet, was sung by Eva Wikira and Marshal Leaf, and another duet was sung by Maraea and Selvvyn Leaf. Mack Morunga recited and Marae Leaf, Ellen Kingi, Mack Morunga, 1 and Dick Rawiri sang a group song, and the final item was another song, “Down by the Stream,” by Ellen Kingi, Agnes Rawiri and Marae Leaf. To show a jolly spirit and put on a most enjoyable entertainment under these difficulties was a real test, yet ■Whirinaki came through it with flying colours. We left the hall feeling that there arc real workers- at Whirinaki —- workers who will leave no stone unturned to ensure that several of their number accompany us to Wellington. But somehow that night was fated-. The Kaikohe representative and I set out for Kaikohe in the vicinity of midnight, after inspecting the handwork undertaken at this school. (Tire handwork includes models of thatched Maori houses, one of which is to be sent to the Centennial Exhibition.) During the evening I developed a severe bout of ’flu, and. with headaches and shivers. I thought my luck was well and truly out. And then on the way home our car was held up by a slip. How the Kaikohe representative and I trudged round over bur ankles in mud on a very dark night with a very dim torch locating shovels and planks and stones

would not make classicai reading. For two hours we shovelled and puddled and carried rocks and planks. But our energy was rewarded, and we got our car through. Princess would have been horrified had she seen my suit next morning; but, happily, Rawene mud brushes off easily—otherwise I’d have probably operated Percy P for the rest of the week in pyjamas and a dressing gown; I took only one suit North with me! All’s well, though, that ends well. Whirinaki is: keen to a man—or a maiden—arid we know we’ll hear more from them in the very near future. We wish them luck—and may the Weather Man be kind!