WAIMATE SPLENDID RECORD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21959, 10 May 1941, Page 3

WAIMATE SPLENDID RECORD

Details Of Present Mayor’s Career Committee’s Summary In 1925 Waimate burgesses asked Mr George Dash to become Mayor. He was returned unopposed and has remained in office 16 years. Under his leadership, Waimate is now known as a wonderfully organised community centre for the surrounding territory, with a civic spirit envied far and wide. Under the leadership of Mr Dash, many Waimate facilities have become free, including the Ladies’ Rest anid Plunket Rooms, Public Library, Swimming Baths, Tennis and Basketball Courts, Football and Cricket areas and so on. Under the leadership of Mr Dash and his designing, Waimate has decorative memorials in the sundial at Victoria Park, thte Maori Cemetery, the Bell Tower Monument, the Jubilee Memorial, the Elghty-Year Monument, and the gateways at the Tennis Courts, Football grounds and Knottingley Park. When Mr Dash took the Mayoralty, Waimate had in Its municipal block buildings, goods, plant and recreational areas in the Borough g value of £5,050. It now has those facilities to ■ the value of £10,153, and its indebtedness has been reduced £8823 and it has a cash balance of £2llB.

Under his leadership, the Council has given Waimate out of revenue, improvements to (he water supply costing £lBOO and a dwelling in Victoria Park costing £BOO, besides thousands of square yards of road surface sealing and miles of channelling, which in the past, was done with borrowed money. Mr Dash pleaded Waimate’s case to the Highways Board and as a result, the Borough has since received a total .In payments of £2840. Under his leadership, the Electric Power Board has made reductions In charges which save the residents of Waimate Borough £2500 yearly. In 16 years, Mr Dash has never placed one pound of the honorarium In his private account, but has devoted the whole total, £2400, to Mayoral purposes, infinitely to the benefit and progress of Waimate. For wartime he has appointed a manager to do his own business, and holds nine chairmanships and other offices in wartime services. Leadership as is revealed in this glimpse of the record of Waimate’s Mayor, is rare and most valuable, especially iyi this time of crisis. Let Waimate keep It. (Published by arrangement with the Committee for Retaining Waimate’s Present Mayor.) INSPECTION NEEDED RAMS ENTERED AT FAIR Mr S. J. Blair, who was marshal at the last ram fair held by the Waimate A. and P. Association, said at a meeting of the committee of the Association yesterday that some system of Inspection should be Instituted. “There was obviously a number of Inferior rams at the fair, and Waimate Is about the only place in New Zealand that has not some kind of Inspection,” he said. "As inspections are made by other associations Waimate Is liable to become a dumping ground for inferior rams.” The recommendation Is to be referred to the Incoming committee. It wks decided to ask the Tlmaru Association’s delegate to represent Waimate at the annual conference of the Royal Society. The annual meeting of the Association Is to be held on the second Friday in June. On the motion of Mr H. J. C. Harper it was decided that the secretary should communicate with neighbouring Associations so that printing and. advertising costs could be compared. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY A credit balance of £l9/11/6 was shown In the annual report of the Waimate Horticultural Society, and it was stated that subscriptions had increased during the year. Lectures had been given by Mrs Pitts, Messrs Palmer and Young, Mrs Moore and Miss Dalrymple. The spring garden competitions had attracted nine entries. A comprehensive display from the Waimate district was entered at the National Flower Show in Oamaru, and won first place. Thanks were expressed to those who had assisted with the display and to all those who had helped the Soc(ety during the year. Officers elected were:—Patrons, Miss Manchester and Messrs G. Dash, J. Bltchener and D. C. Kidd, and Mr and Mrs G. Adams; president, Mr F. J. Bailey; vice-presidents, Messrs R. A. Young, W. Clarke, R. Craighead; treasurer, Mr L. V. Brenton; auditor. Mr R. A. Young; committee, Mesdames Brenton, Clarke, Kirby, Bailey and McKenzie. A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring president (Mr Craighead). The appointment of a secretary was held over. TREASURER FAREWELLED A presentation was made yesterday by the Waimate A. ad P. Association to Mr D. T. Larnach, who retired from the position of treasurer. In handing Mr Larnach a set of hair brushes from the members of the Association, the president (Mr E. G. Hay) said he had done an Immense amount of work for the Association. Regret had to be expressed at his retirement, but the best wishes of all members would go with him. Other speakers who paid high tributes to Mr Larnach were Messrs A. W. Barnett, H. J. C. Harper. J. I. Hayman, J. Mcßae and A. J. Hoskins. Mr Larnach, replying, said that it was with mixed feelings that he said farewell to the A. and P. Association. Before he came to Waimate he had had 12 years’ experience with a similar organisation. His 10 years connection with the Waimate Association had been most interesting. During his banking career he had always felt at home with the farming community New Zealand, after all, was only a large farm. In the long run farmers should come through creditably, in spite of the present difficult times. Mr A. H. Cooke, who succeeds Mr Larnach as manager of the Waimate branch of the Bank of New Zealand was welcomed to the meeting. WAIMATE CONGRATULATED "After a visit to Waimate on Wednesday evening, I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the manner in which both the civic authorities and the residents of Waimate have responded to the reduced lighting regulations,” a letter from the South Canterbury Controller (Mr J. M. Bishop) to the chairman of the Waimate Emergency Precautions Committee (Mr G. Dash) states. "The street lights and private residences were, as far as my Inspection carried me, compeltely in accordance with the requirements. The shops were fairly good, but one or two exposed lights were still in evidence. On the whole Waimate can be congratulated on its reduced lighting effect.” PERSONAL Mr N. L. Knell left yesterda” for the military camp at Burnham, where

he will undergo a special course of training for a fortnight for Home Guard work. The staff of the Waimate Primary School yesterday morning said farewell to Miss McKenzie, Home Science teacher, who has been visiting Waimate twice weekly. The headmaster (Mr J. M. Wilson) on behalf of the staff, presented Miss McKenzie with a cup, saucer and plate as a small token of esteem.

The Makikihl Basketball Club is holding a ball on May 14. A dance will be held in the Arno Hall on May 24. A concert by Tlmaru artists will be staged at Makikihi on May 28.