"I REMEMBER...."

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13171, 1 February 1936, Page 4

"I REMEMBER...."

PAHIATUA—AS IT USED TO BE

[Wherever old-timers meet, and pause, and reflect, the doings, the places and the people of those early days of Pahiatua flash through their thoughts and find expression in happy reminiscence. To those ot ® ur readers who take a pride in the district’s transformation oyer fifty years and a curious delight in what used to be we offer at intervals, the recollections of these pioneers.] By “NGA KOROUA.” I see tlia Pahiatua Horticultural and Industrial Society called a meeting recently. I remember tne first show the .Society held. It was opened on a Friday in 1892. Considering the size of the town and that it was our first effort, the show was quite a success. Mr J. Vile was president, Mr A. Black vice-presi-dent, and Mr -George Moore was secretary and treasurer; with these gentlemen and a hard-working committee all went off with a swing. Nowadays, with cars, etc., people find it an effort to get their entries in before 10.30 a. m. but afi that show, with everybody busy breaking in fresh country, bad roads and horse transport, all the entries reached the hall before 9 o’clock. Those were the good old days, and we enjoyed ourselves and made our own iun, and did not have time to growl because Pahiatua did not oiler as much amusement as the cities. That’s the trouble with the young people ol to-day. They spend so much time growling because there is nothing to do that they never have time to enter into the iun of the town. The xirofits of the first show amounted to something like CTO and 1 can tell you the Society were more than pleased with the result.

It was about the same year that we decided to form a swimming club in Pahiatua, and although we had not the advantages offered in Pahiatua now, having only the river to swim in, still the meeting was well attended. There had been one or two unfortunate drownings just at that time and everybody was keen to be able to swim. We did not have many bridges then and sometimes travellers got quite a ducking when crossing the numerous rivers. Anyway we set up a committee to examine the most suitable place to hold acquatic sports. After inspecting the various swimming holes it was decided to hold the gathering on the Mangatainoka river at Hall s Road. I remeniber a rule regarding the togs which would upset some of the girls these days. It was decided • that every competitor must be clothed from neck to knee. None of this new-fangled gear with only a halter round your neck to keep your togs on. Wj took this function pretty seriously and although a hole near the swing bridge was fixed for practice most of the competitors found places of their own for practice to keep away from the watchful eyes of the handic-appers. At last the great day came and although the weather was not unpleasant for the spectators it was rather on the cold side for the competitors. A large crowd turned up and we all had a good days lun. There was not a single protest during the programme, although conditions were anvthing but good.