TAIHAPE NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18021, 9 November 1920, Page 2

TAIHAPE NOTES.

(From Our Owai Correspondent.) TAIHAPE, November 8. A very successful social and dance was held at Utiku on Friday night as a wind up to the football and hockey season. The function was arranged by the Utiku Football and Ladies’ Hockey Clubs, the duties of secretary being ably carried out by Mr McAllister. During the evening Mr Joe Corbett, on behalf of the management of the clubs, presented medals to Miss C. Gallagher for’ best forward in the hockey club, to Miss Taoroa for . the best back, to Mr J. Peebles for the best back in the football club, to Mr J. Potaka for the best forward, and to Mr Curran for the most improved player of the season. On behalf of the members of the club Mr Cbrbett thanked Mr Wilson Winiata for the great support he had given to the clubs and expressed the hope that T.hte, club would continue in existence and do as well or better next season. During the evening musical items were contributed by Miss Campbell and Messrs Rimmer and Curran. The music for the dances was capably supply by Mrs C. Arthur, extras being played by Messrs Griffiths and ‘Hiroa. The duties of M.C. were capably carried out by Mr D. Sutherland.

The newly-formed Civil Service Cricket Club defeated a team from the Taihape Club on Thursday. The Civil Service, tea mscored 77 runs in the first innings and 34 tn the second, Taihape scoring 32 and 27. Excepting A. Bentley, on the Civil Service side, the batting was poor. Bentley was also the best bowler on the field, capturing 11 wickets in the two innings.

A meeting of delegates from the cricket clubs at present formed was held and it was decided to form a Cricket Association in Taihape and to affiliate with the New Zealand Cricket Council. Mr J. Eteveneaux was elected secretary, and it was decided to hold over the election of officers of the Council until delegates were present from the Moawhango, Mangaweka, Mataroa, and Ohingiti Clubs. It is intended to hold Thursday and Saturday competitions, commencing on November 18th and 20th.

Shortly before troon on Saturday a disastrous Are broke out in Mr V. Nicholls’ garage. The fire is stated to have started in the vulcanising department, and spread with amazing rpidity and completely enveloped the whole structure. The fire spread from the rear to the front of the building so quickly that only four out of the many cars were saved, the dense smoke and great heat making further salvage work Impossible. The cars destroyed were a new Essex, owned by Mr J. Webb, and Just heavily repaired after a recent capsize near the cemetery; a six-seater Hupmobile owned by Tom Bradley; a Ford belonging to the Meat Company, a motor lorry, a three-seater Studebaker owned, by Mr V. Nicholls, a two-seater Ford owned by Mr A. Walker, and a new five-seater Ford, just purchased, owned by Mr J. Mortland. A number of these cars were uninsured, and the owners suffer a total loss. Amongst the cars saved were Mr H. Hesketh’s car, Rangitikei County Council’s Ford, Abraham and Williams’ car, Mr Nicholls’ new Ford, and a new Buick which had just been handed over to the owner. Fortunately the stocks of benzine were stowed away from the main building, and in this connection Mr Sep Reid is to be commended on his foresight in pressing the necessity of the safe storage of benzine upon the Taihape Borough Council. Had his insistent demands not been met there might have been an accident to record amongst firemen and spectators. The Taihape Fire Brigade were promptly on the scene following the alarm, which appears to have been given a little late. There was some delay with the water, and the fire had too strong a hold to do much good. The building, which was a fine structure of brick and concrete, and the most up-to-date garage in the King Country, was Just completed a few months ago. The interior and the floor will have to be renewed. The valuable and up-to-date machinery has also been greatly damaged. Insurance on the building amounts to £1750, on the stock £lOOO, and on the plate glass window, which was completely destroyed, £4O. Much sympathy Is felt for the Niclrells Bros, in their severe loss, which followed closely on. the recent fire which destroyed Mr C. Nicholls’ valuable poultry farm.

A large gathering of townspeople assembled at the Town Hall on Friday eveffing for the purpose of farewelling Mr Geo. Wrightson, a leading citizen, who leaves for Auckland on Tuesday. His Worship the Mayor (Mr A. J. Joblin) presided. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs W. R. Emerson, A. Gifford, D. J. McLennan, and J, F. Thurston. The proceedings opened with the toast of “The King,” after which Mr Joblin proposed the toast of “Our Guest.” I nspeaking to the toast his Worship regretted not having known the guest earlier. He (the speaker) had been associated with him eight years only, whereas Mr Wrightson had been a valued citizen and worked for the public good for a good many years previous to that. He referred to the specially good work done by the guest as chairman of the Works Committee of the Borough Council, also as chairman of the Electric Light and Water Committee and of the Finance Committee. He was alsc a leading light in the Rugby Union, of which he had been president for many years, the bowling club, in which he was a leading skip, the Athletic Club, and many other public institutions. He had in every instance given his best services for the pubic gefod, and always with the best of motives. Mrs Wrightson had also been a willing helper for every worthy cause, the Red Cross Society and Plunket Society especially being indebted to her for the great assistance rendered. On behalf of the citizens of Taihape the chairman asked Mr Wrightson to accept for

himself and Mrs Wrightson, as a token of their esteem and appreciation of services rendered, a tea and coffee service and silver-mounted oak tray. (Applause.) In responding Mr Wrightson thanked the citizens for their expressions of goodwill toward himself and Mrs Wrightson, as expressed by the chairman. He regretted departing from Taihape, where he had spent some of the best years of his life and had met friends he was proud to know. H<s had endeavoured to do his duty in every position he had filled, never for self gain, but for the good of the community. He needed no presentation to remind him of his stay in Taihape, and hoped if he came back he would have the pleasure of si ting all the old faces again. (Applause.) The toast of the Chamber of Commerce was proposed by Mr A. Jamesy who urged the Chamber io continually press for the completion of the Taihape-Napier Road, which when completed would, shorten the journey be: ween Auckland and Napier by ever a hundred miles and would bring a. constant strearh of traffic into Taihape. In responding Mr J R. Cunnlnghame, chairman of the Chamber, stated that special attention was being given by the Chamber to roads, especially the national highway, Taihape-Tokaanu Road and Taihape-Napied Road. In fact, Mr Cunninghame stated, the motto of the Chamber was that “all roads lead to Taihape.” “The Army and Navy” was proposed by Mr R. A. Davies, who. with legal astuteness, transferred the responsibility to the responder, Mr Gardner, who referred to the fine military record of the late Major-General Davies (father of the proposer of the toast), who had commanded a contingent in South Africa and a division of the Imperial Army in France. “Sports Bodies” was proposed by Mr P. E. Wakeman and responded to by Mr F. Marlow, who went into statistics and informed the company that the combined membership of the Taihape Athletic Club. Hibernian Athletic Club, and Taihape Caledonian Society was 900 and their combined revenue £l3OO. In responding to the toast df the “Local Bodies,” Mr E. Lenihan referred to the good work done by the pioneers of the town. Mr J. P. Aldridge, in responding, made an appeal on behalf of the local "Hospital funds, and stated that he was slowly but surely getting the members of the Wanganui Hospital Board to see with hi mthat it was in the best interests of all Jthat a separate 'hospital district should be created, with Taihape the centre and Taihape Hospital as a base hospital. The toast of “The Ladies" was humorously proposed by Rev. W. F. Stent and responded to by Mr W. J. Munro. “The Press” was proposed by Mr W. H. Fookes and responded to by Mr E. Lenihan, and “The Chairman” by Mr G. Carpenter. During the evening songs and recitations were rendered as fol-lows:-—Songs, Mr A. James, including his masterpiece, “Marjory”; Mr P. E. Wakeman, J. P. Aldridge, F. Dakin, G. W. Wrightson, W. Jeffries, Tom Shute (the popular old time song, rendered at similar functions since the first, “A Little More Cider,” accompanied by Mr Geo. Bray); elocutionary items, Mr P. S. Carroll, Mr Slyfield, Mr L. B. H. de Latour, and C. O’Sullivan. The singing of “Auld Lang Syne,” with the solo sung by Mr Tom Shute, brought a most pleasant evening to a close.