RAGLAN EN FETE

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20693, 31 December 1938, Page 6

RAGLAN EN FETE

NEW YEAR FESTIVITIES

MAORIS’ PARTICIPATION BIG CARNIVAL ON MONDAY To ensure that the hundreds of visitors to Raglan during the holidays shall spend a thoroughly enjoyable vacation the local business people are sparing no efforts in the organisation of their carnival week-end starting today. For the last 25 years New Year's Day has been the big day of the year in the West Coast town and this year the Raglan Carnival Club is endeavouring to eclipse all records. A special loud-speaker system has been in use in the main street ail the week from which visitors have been able to hear news and announcements of local interest, as well as running commentaries through the National Broadcasting Service of the race meetings in Auckland. The items have been interspersed with popular music. This evening Mr Davie Tuteao. a Raglan Maori, will make use of the public address system to give a description of the recent tour of Great Britain by a Maori concert party, of which he was a member, and a complete set of records taken of the command performance of the Maoris before King George VI. and Queen Elizabeth will also be publicly played for the first time in the Dominion. Athletic and Aquatic Sports As New Year's Day falls on a Sunday the annual athletic and aquatic sports meeting will be held on Monday. Items it ttlis function will include speed-boat racing, aquaplaning, swimming sports, including swimming races for horses and their riders, neat diving, outboard motor racing, and children's sports. Items will begin at 9.30 a.m. and w r ill continue throughout the day. A special feature will be a number of hakas and poi dances by a company of Ngaruawahia and W'hatawhata Maoris who are giving their services free in aid of the Waikato hostel for Maoris. Exhibitions of native cooking in the traditional kainga will be given, and native stalls will have pois and other native souvenirs on sale. With the development of Raglan as a holiday resort the number of pleasure craft on the harbour has Increased substantially in recent year. To mark this progress a feature in the afternoon w’ill be a special procession of power craft and canoes headed by the flagship suitably dressed with flags and pennants. Many Faaturae Arranged In addition Messrs A. Edwards and Sons have presented a handsome trophy in the shape of a silver challenge cup for runabout boats—including both outboard and inboard motors —of over 14 feet in length. The course is a triangular one Just over eight miles and a keen contest is anticipated among the several entrants. In addition the Raglan Cruising Launch Gup will be contested by bona fide cruising launches with a limiting speed of 12 knots. Free launch excursions for visitors will be a feature from mid-day until 4 p.m. and special grounds overlooking the venue of the sports have been cleared for the convenience of picnio parties. A broadcast commentary on the sports will continue throughout the day over the loudspeaker service. For those people not having cars the Carnival Club has arranged for special buses from Hamilton at popular prices. The New Year’s Day celebrations will conclude with a ball In the Town Hall on Monday evening. At this function a special feature will be dances in native costume by the visiting Maoris’ concert party.