A Snip in Time – Meghan Hawkes
Meghan Hawkes reports on a time when Kihikihi was a town of “wheelmen” – in 1898.
A ‘bike craze’ had spread to Kihikihi, and three or four of the popular machines were in use there.
Two of the local ‘wheelmen’ were ladies and were observed making capital progress. Nothing could surpass football, however, and there was great jubilation over the victory of the Kihikihi footballers in a match against Te Awamutu.
A dinner given by the Kihikihi club to the Te Awamutu team was largely attended, the Alpha Hotel dining room being taxed to its utmost. After speeches and toasts a
good musical programme was gone through. A very jolly evening concluded at about 10pm when the Te Awamutu boys left for home in Floyd’s brake with a send-off of three lusty cheers.
At Pirongia blackbirds, thrushes and goldfinches were proving to be a great nuisance.
To grow soft fruits was an impossibility; the strawberries were devoured as soon as seen, the gooseberries were cleared and not a cherry was left on the tree after the green stage of growth had passed. How to stop the robbery nobody there had any idea. One resident’s garden was like a rag fair, with old clothes and lines strung about but this had no effect. All hopes of strawberries and cream at Christmas faded away.
At a Te Awamutu library committee meeting it was reported that a scrapbook had been started to collect clippings of local reference from any of the newspapers. A supply of coal had been ordered for the reading room. It was agreed to purchase a large up-to-date wall map of the world to hang in the reading room.
New books, obtained from Auckland, had been placed on the shelves. Works of standard authors unobtainable in Auckland had been ordered from England. A number of books received from Mr McBride had been satisfactorily disposed of and several other new books added to the shelves. The chairman, who had promised to take steps towards reviving ‘penny readings’ had run out of time, but he had arranged for Rev Mitchell of Hamilton to give a lecture.
A resident had very generously offered to pay the travelling expenses to and from Auckland for a speaker if the latter could be induced to visit Te Awamutu and give a talk. Some discussion took place about rates due on the library reserve. It was decided to take no notice of the demands or take any action in the matter. Permission was granted to the librarian to carry on business as newsagent during library hours, as long as it did not interfere with her other duties.
