MAKETU NEWS

Te Puke Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 19, 11 March 1947, Page 2

MAKETU NEWS

W.D.F.F. Meeting' The president, Mrs Wharerau, presided at the monthly meeting of the Maketu W.D.F.F. held on February 27, at which there were 9 members, Apologies for ‘ absence were read from several other members. The meeting opened with the repeating of the Creed, after which the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mesdames Way and Drabble then reported on the last Provincial meeting. The Competitions were won as follows: Two best vegetables (potatoes and onions, outsize) Mrs Wharerua 1. The Best Bloom was by Mrs Nicholls. Starting from the February meeting points prizes only are to be awarded to competitors in the future. The Bring and Buy has always been a great success in the Maketu Division and This month’s effort brought Ui 12 11. The Competition for the next meeting is best bottle of preserved fruit. In Mjrtrch a demonstration, which should prove specially interesting to all other Division members, will be given by Mrs T. Tapsell. This will be a demonstration in the most elimenttnry form of kit making, that is the making of roro (food baskets). A beautiful afternoon tea was served by the hostesses, Mesdames Way and Hiha. Old Beacon Disappears Alter being a landmark for over 70 years, having been erected, in the days when the Northern Steamship boats made Maketu a regular port of call, the old iron standard Beacon on top of Takaparori disappeared with old-age and over exuberance of young divers. The harbour looks strangely bare without this familiar land-mark. In the days when Maketu was a flourishing township and before Te Puke was established, everything from the district, wheat maize, flax, potatoes, etc., was shipped from Maketu,-and kauri timber from Katikali and Mercury Bay was brought to Maketu and establish the first homes there, and later for Te Puke. When the port was very busy a system pf port light was. in regular use to assist boats coming over the bar on night tides. A port watchman used to place a lighted lantern on the beacon regularly and at one time there was also another lighted lantern on top of the pa. When the Kaituna River silted up and opened a shallow mouth at the Tumu, Maketu shipping was doomed, but this ancient relic still remained. Cemetery Improvements For some Weeks past the Public Works employees have been engaged in cleaning up the old historic cemetery and laying out the older portion of the closed reserve. In future it will be known as “The Old Settlers and. Soldiers Rerserve."