A Snip in Time – Meghan Hawkes
It’s 1945 – and Meghan Hawkes recounts news stories of bids for publicity, unwanted pines, a dance night – and a trio caught with liquor.
More publicity for the camping ground at Te Awamutu was considered at a Chamber of Commerce meeting.
Some towns sought the co-operation of the Auckland Automobile Association in getting their officers to report on camping grounds and these were noted in the Association’s handbook. Te Awamutu had an asset in the history of the district, and there were great possibilities for after-war tourist traffic. Te Awamutu’s name on maps appeared in very small letters and this influenced people as to where they would stay when planning an itinerary. The Borough Council would be invited to consider asking the A A’s officers to visit Te Awamutu and report on the camping ground.
A petition to the Waipā County Council signed by 68 Pirongia residents asked that pine trees be removed. Their age and brittleness was a danger to motor traffic and pedestrians – especially children going to school – in windy weather. They were a growing menace to power lines and were old, untidy, a continual nuisance to property owners, and served no useful purpose. The petitioners suggested funds from the sale of the trees be used to replant the row as a living memorial to early settlers and to the men who had fallen in the past and present wars.
One of the most successful dances held in the Waipā was at the Kihikihi Town Hall. The orchestra of Royal Maka and his Syncopated Islanders played to a house packed to capacity. For five hours dancers enjoyed Hawaiian music from a six-piece combination. Interspersed with the dancing were vocal items, a jitterbug exhibition and two hula dances. The hall was artistically decorated and from start to finish there was not a dull moment, the enthusiastic dancers repeatedly demanding encores.
Three Ōhaupō farmers were charged with having liquor in their possession in the vicinity of a dance hall. Sergeant Bisset and Constable Gordon were on duty near the Ōhaupō Hall, where a public dance was in progress. They saw a car on the roadway, and on investigation found five full bottles of beer and four empty bottles in the vehicle. There were no women in the car. All defendants were married men and had not been before the Court previously. The magistrate, in fining them, said they must have known what to expect.
At Mangapiko a ‘Welcome Home’ was held in the hall for local boys returned from the war. Dancing and musical items took up most of the evening, while a community sing was much enjoyed. Mr Dudley welcomed the boys home and said how proud the district was of their war service. Residents, he added, must not forget the boys that were still away and should also spare a kindly thought for the parents whose sons would not return.
Prior to the function a farmer mowed the grass. But when the fire was lit for supper, it was found that the birds had filled the chimney with the clippings.
