Meghan Hawkes takes us back to look at what was making news in Waipā in 1904
The home of the surveyor, Pirongia 1904
A small tent city sprang up near Pirongia when a survey party arrived in the area.
After stores and camp gear had been landed and a site picked, some bush was cut out to let the sun in and keep the tents safe from falling trees.
There were tents for the surveyor, the men, and a galley tent for meals and cooking. Tables and seats were built, and in the sleeping tents bunks, built of saplings, were lined with fern or manuka for bedding. Men on a survey party were a hardy lot.
Sleeping in tents, keeping early hours, getting plenty of exercise in the fresh air, and living on good, plain tucker made them as fit as fiddles. The only drawback was the isolation, sometimes the group going for weeks at a stretch without seeing another soul.
Rats roamed the bush country in hundreds, and soon made a mess of anything they could get at, even tackling the carrots in the camp garden.
There were always dogs in a survey camp to help in the hunt for meat as well as a camp cat who kept the rats away from the galley at night. Flour, sugar, and tea were used for stores, and damper cooked in a frying pan or on the embers taking the place of bread.
The cook, a handy all round man, looked after the meat, kept an eye on the camp garden, rode out for mail, chopped wood, and performed dozens of other small jobs. Survey life, it was said, would not be worth living without the cook.
At Paterangi, Mr Whitehouse gave his bioscope entertainment in the public hall, when there was a very good attendance, the building being packed. Mr Whitehouse also possessed a gramophone, and some pleasing selections were rendered. Mr Fitzpatrick, who accompanied Mr Whitehouse, very cleverly played the mouth organ, accompanying himself on the banjo, and subsequently played two tin whistles at the same time.
A successful picnic in glorious weather was held at Karamu and attended by visitors from Pirongia, Te Rore and Harapepe.
On their return journey a very narrow escape from a serious accident happened to the Ross family of Harapepe.
At the top of the hill close to their house something went wrong with the harness; the horses took control of things and bolted.
One of the passengers jumped out, and the rest – about seven in all – were thrown out, and the horses parted company with the buggy, the latter being somewhat damaged. Miraculously, no one was more seriously hurt than bruised or shaken.
When the bachelors of Te Awamutu announced they were to give a return ball to the ladies, there was great excitement for some weeks. The ladies wondered how the poor bachelors were going to manage the supper, as they had expressed such independence, and wanted no assistance in any shape or form.
However, the bachelors, unbeknown to the ladies, had Mrs Taylor as their hostess, and along with the efficient Mr Moody as secretary, the arrangements were most complete, and the function a huge success.
In spite of wretched weather there was a splendid attendance from all parts of the district.
A sumptuous supper was provided, while Mr Bosworth’s Te Awamutu orchestra supplied excellent music, and with the dance floor in tiptop order, nothing was left to be desired.
