The Te Awamutu Orchestral Society.
A Welcome Home social at Pirongia for the seventh contingent of men returning from the South African Boer War was an eminently successful one.
The public hall had not for many a day contained so many people intent on spending a pleasant evening and thoroughly enjoying themselves. The ladies of Pirongia, who managed the reception, excelled themselves in providing the refreshments. A marquee was to be erected outside the hall for the supper but as the weather was so wet and cold, refreshments were prepared on the stage. With plenty of hot tea and coffee and the best of eatables there was no cause for complaint. To add to the success of the welcome, the Te Awamutu Orchestral Society, with their leader Mr Pringle, kindly volunteered their services and assisted in the musical way. Their performance was a great treat to listen to, and greatly added to the pleasure of the evening. The opening item of the programme was played by them as an overture, called ‘Welcome Home’ – composed by Mr Pringle for the occasion. It was played most expressively and greatly satisfied, time being beautifully kept by all.
A terrific explosion followed by a cloud of white smoke startled Ōhaupō residents when the house of Mr Flay caught fire. Flay had returned to his work when Mr McCabe, who was riding along the road, noticed the fire and gave the alarm. Flay ran back, and the two tried to save some of the contents. Suddenly there was a terrific explosion, which blew the house to atoms. Twelve pounds of dynamite were stored in a camp oven in the house, which, on the fire reaching the spot, detonated. The two men had a most miraculous escape and one of them had his hat knocked off by a flying piece of burning timber, some of which was thrown 200 yards.
At the Te Awamutu Magistrate’s Court, a man was found guilty of four charges of sending letters containing indecent remarks and drawings to four ladies in Kihikihi. He was sentenced to two years hard labour. The Bench remarked that it was worst case that had ever come under his notice. Other Kihikihi cases included a man being fined for allowing an ‘entire horse’ to stray on Lyon Street, and an old age pensioner convicted of being drunk and disorderly, ordered to forfeit one month of his pension. Far more savoury was Mr Ross, of Kihikihi, who applied for a patent for a very ingenious little apparatus which obtained an easy flow of milk from what were generally known as tough cows. It worked on the scissors principle, and the inventor claimed that it was a long way ahead of the device in use, as with his instrument there is not the slightest danger of injuring the membranes.
At a meeting of the Te Awamutu Band of Hope – an organisation that abstained from intoxicating liquors – regret was expressed that so many meetings of clubs and societies in which the young men of the district were interested in were held at hotels. They earnestly trusted that steps would be taken by parents and those responsible for such meetings, to avoid temptation being thrown in the way of young men.
