ESSAY COMPETITION.

Patea Mail, 13 March 1936, Page 4

ESSAY COMPETITION.

“ A DAY IN PATEA.” THE WINNING ESSAY. 'Tin.' following is the winning essay in the competition .for an essay on “A Day in I’utcn. ’ J written by Miss Athalie hoots, Patca School, age 11 years: Two days before Xmas father bought a n.; 1 w sedan car. We live away back in tile coii'iitry, so imagine our surprise •and delight 'when we were told that on Ninas Eve we would be taken for a trip to I’aleu. Hurrah! 1 had only passed through Jhi tea station once, when on a train journey to Wellington. That was a wonderful trip, but this w.is a real thrill. Just fancy! We were going to Patca, the town which I had often read about, the town by the - seashore, where the boys and girls span I their summer holidays fishing find swimming. .My two older brothers had been two or three times before.

Next morning, every one of us was up bright and early preparing for the trip. At. about half-past .eight wo set oat on onr journey, all very eager. o.n a rise one of my brothers called out, “Look! M for there, about seven miles in front of ns, could be seen Patea, which seemed to be built right on the water’s edge. Ae we. descended th? Patca HIT about twenty minutes later wo -could sec the sea and the river, which is the 'entrance to the port. On our left at the bottom of the hill -were , the Chinamen’s gardens, whence the greengrocers and residents of Pa tea buy their fresh vegetables. The next place we noticed was the station, which is quite handy to the main road, at the entnuiC'O to the town.

Wo now approached the bridge, .set 'up across the river, which •is about fifty yards wide. Three boats were at the 'wharf loading, the Inaha, the Kapuni, and the Foxton. which trade between Patea and Wellington. Close by the station w?re the meat works, where our mutton is frozen, ami cur beef chilled for. export. Close by the wharf arc the large grading stores. These stores have the largest export trade in choose in the Southern: Hemisphere, if not in the world. The first place of interest after crossing the .bridge was, Aitehisou’s timber yards. Father said that ■ the timber we saw was'brought down from the forests on the Main Trunk line. Another big building on our left was the Masonic Hotel.

After ascending the Bedford Street hill 'we noticed a grocer’s shoj) on onr right, Haworth and Harris ’, opposite which was Bccd’s,’a very inviting shop with its Xmas cakes and other decorations. The Fire Brigade station also stood opposite Rood’s, on the loft side of Egmont Street.' , Further up the road was the 'Press'' Office, wire re the "Patea and Waverlcy Press"- is printed and distributed all over the district. 1 I would have liked to have lobked 'through the printing department, but wo did not have time, so I hop? that on some future occasion I shall have that pleasure. , Egmont Street, the main thoroughfare, is a line wide one, unlike the harrow streets of Wellington. Situated in the middle of the town is a trinngloj in the centre of which stands a monument in memory of soldiers who fell in. the. Boer War. This is one of the oldest memorials: the -town possesses. ■

We then passed the Central Hotel, a very prosperous looking place. . As we pulled up by Miss 'Taylor’s, the chemist, we noticed crowds of people and cars in town. One of ns exclaimed; “There is Mount LOgmout 1 ’ ’ And (hero, right ahead of us, could be seen cur mountain, which seemed to glisten in the morning sun, and also to stand like a sentinel guarding the residents, perpetually, night and day. Looking, eastwards, between the Chain Stores -nd the electrician’s, wo could see Mount Ruapehu, a beautiful, snow-capped mown tain, 1 and looking down the Beach Road, wo could sc2 a- ranee of snow-clad mountains, the Turarnas. Just. imagine, two 'mountains and one mountain range to be soon from the one spot.

Continuing our journey through the town, we came to the Albion Hotel, ami then the Post Office,. another duo two-storeyed building in' grey concrete. Wo passed the Courthouse, a comparatively now- building, alongside’ of which was the County Council office. Set back a little from the main street was the Town Hall and Borough Council chambers, a very imposing building, in front of that being a unique memorial erected to the memory of Tun and his ancestors, who established their pa at Patea over 600 years ago, whore the pilot station now stands. This information was given to us by Mr. H. .Locker,' an old and very interesting resident of Patea. Ho talked to as for a while about other places worth seeing around the district.

After leaving Mr, Locker we stopped bv Hunter’s bowser station.

Across the roiul were the Plunked rooms, combined with the library and reading room, u splendid and wry up-to-date building, which would'do credit ,o. any of the four cities. On fop. of this 'place, was the town clock, which is an electrical'one. • We learned afterwards that: these combined rooms were donated to the town with funds from the Hunter Shaw Estate. t)?hO "time was then twenty mini ton to . W;„> went up to see ,'.ths school, which is set on high giomuE, with a picturesqu? drive leading up to ami set ting oil the fine .concrete structure. Two paddocks also lie in the school grounds, on a lower level, these being ased for various games by the school children. As wo had a little friend who was ill in hospital, we went round to me her, ;just having enough time to go before dinner,. The hospital was also situated in beautiful grounds and was very well

designed. There is not only the hospital, but also the nurses’ home, which is another modern two-storeyed place. After’admiring the outside of the hospital and home, we went into the children’s ward, where we saw our friend, who was very delighted to see us. She said she liked the hospital and also the nurses and the doctor. Although we had only seen the children’s ward and the environments, we thought what a lowly hospital for so small a town. Having had our Hunch at Nansett'S tearooms, we were given five shillings each to spend, as we had some shopping to do, and father said he wanted to do some business at the Bank of New Zealand. First of all I went to 11. A, Adams’, where I bought some presents for the other members of the family. 1. also walked into Gunnison’s, evlv; re .1. made some purchases for my younger sister. After taking a rumble through the big Chain Stores, I went up the street further, when I came to Ellis’ bakery, also a very inviting shop. liming bought an ice ervam there I walked into .Miss Petrov's, where I bought more present,--. 1 also passed the Bank of Now South Wales, the Four Square drapery, the Cut Hate, and Mat-ken ’a garage. Situated on either side of Lincoln Street, were the two. banks, the■ Bank of Australasia and the Bank of New Zealand. At the latter one. I met father, who said he would take ns to the Domain and the beach, two places j Mr. Locker had mentioned worth seeing in Paten. "When we . had found the rest of the family we drove down to the Domain.

On the right hand side of the road were two churches, the Church of England and the Catholic Church, within fifty yards of 'each other, both being very attractive buildings. On our loft, a little further down, was the Convent School. At the entrance to the Domain, were the memorial gates, on which were inscribed the names of the brave soldiers in and around Pajtcu, who gave their lives for their country in the Great War, At one end of the oval are the tennis courts and croquet lawns, while at the other end arc the children's rec-saws, swings, and shelter shod, also erected with money donated by the Hunter Shaw Estate, Overlooking the sports field are the grandstand and a picturesque little summer house, not far from which is a spacious drill shed used by, various bodies. It is. especially .used by the Miniature Rifi? Club and Boxing Club in winter. The Domnin is not. only a quiet place for resting, buf also an excellent camp site, provided with all facilities for campers, and is very handy to the town and beach. As the beach was easily accessible by a good metalled road, father drove us right down to the water’s edge in the parking area. Didn't we wish wo had brought oner : togs with us, as the tide was right in, forming, a beautiful'little bay . A passer-by, hearing onr r cniu i’ks, asked us if we would care for the loan of kune togs. Wo wore grateful, and were soon having groat fun. My two -older brothers went round to : the surf. After dressing, in the bathing pavilion, another building of which the town and beach residentsshould be well proud, we took a walk up the beach. WV went on to the breakwater, which has electric light leading to the end of it. « By this time it was live o’clock. We returned the togs to their owner, .and wore starting on ou-r homeward trip, when father suggested staying the evening in town. We'were very glad indeed.'

After rounding a corner on our -way up froiu the beach we could see the Xmas lights * shining and. making a very pretty sight. Ww had our tea,at deed's tearooms, -and, then spent more of our ' money in. different shops. Though it was not easy trying to shop .vith the crowds ‘thronging the streets-, the shopkeepers were very bright and obliging. First 1 .went to Winchester’s to see all the window's sparkling with silver, gold, and precious stones. After going into Lash’s, 1 crossed -the road and made some purchases at Waiuwright's drapery store. 1 passed Larcombe’s, the boot shop, and Dempsey’s, the tailors. ' Next. was the Central Stores. PWalked into the showroom and bought something there. Continuing clown the street,-X passed several other shops, all very prettily decorated. On my way X passed a board on which were pasted the pictures that were coming during the week. How I envied -the c-hildren who could go to the attractive Town Hall almost any night in the week, to see them. Having had an ice cream to finish up our wonderful day, wo began our homeward trip, a ; little tired, perhaps, but thoroughly satisfied with our day’s outing'. As wo proceeded, how X wished I could live in Patea, the town so we 11 equipped -with all the modern- con vcnicnces ,of electric light, a plentiful artesian water supply, up-to-date taxi services, and also where the people enjoy so,, many luxuries,such as the Domain and beach, the library, the pictures, the golf links, the rifle range, and .well-stocked shops of every description, while all we have in the country are’ our rivers and some bush.