MARCH OF TIME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23602, 11 March 1940, Page 9

MARCH OF TIME

KUMEU SHOW SCENES MR. COATES' NEW ROLE DRIVER OF BULLOCK WAGGON Clad in working shirt, trousers girdled with string, heavy boots and an old battered hat. the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, created a marked impression as the driver of an old four-wheeled bullock waggon which led the grand parade in the Kuineu show on Saturday. Thousands of people were present and they gave the driver of the bullock team a rousing reception. The occasion was the Centennial show organised by the Knmeu Agricultural and Horticultural Society, and the parade in the afternoon depicted the march of time in the past 100 years in the district. Many entrants had taken great pains for the sake of accuracy, Use of Old Waggon The old waggon drawn by six bullocks and driven by Mr. Coates. for example, was the original which used to go between Kaukapakapa and Riverhead a great many years ago. Incidentally, many bystanders were intrigued with Mr. Coates' skill as a driver, and his neat cracking of the whip as he drove the team twice round the ring. From the top of the old waggon he made the opening speech, and responded good-naturedly to the chaff he occasionally received. Behind him were floats and vehicles of all descriptions showing the changing trend of transport, farming and life in this country. Many Interesting Features

Some of the more interesting features were hand and machine methods of shearing, a dairymaid milking a cow, old-time buggies and dog-carts, and the various intermediate and latter-day stages right up to milking machines and motor-cars. Pioneer kauri gum diggers strode across the paddock, driving their long spears into the ground, while men in another part demonstrated the old pit-sawing method of cutting shingles for roofs, and just when the parade was about to finish, an Air Force machine flew overhead and dipped in salute. All these things engrossed the crowd, but the most picturesque figure there was undoubtedly Mr. Coates, in his role of bullock-driver.