At Paterangi a kitchen evening was held for Miss F Bell, who was shortly to be married.
There were between 60 and 70 guests present, although it was a very cold night. The old hall, with its blazing log fire and decorations, had quite a homelike appearance. Many useful kitchen appliances and utensils were brought by the guests, ranging from aluminium saucepans to the homely corkscrew – sufficient to thoroughly equip an up-to-date kitchen. The evening was spent in card games, musical items and competitions, including picture puzzles and ‘Cats you have known’.
A dainty supper was handed round, after which the numerous parcels were unpacked and duly admired. Mr Ryburn, on behalf of the guests, thanked their hosts for a most pleasant evening, stating that it was actions of loving kindness such as had prompted them to organise the evening that made life worth living.
Dire misfortune struck Mr McPhee whose house on the Pirongia Road burnt down. He and his sister-in-law and the whole of the younger branch of the family were at the pictures. Left at home were his two grown-up daughters (one an invalid) and his two elder sons, as well as a lady visitor. About 10.30 the ones at home got a shock on discovering the front room ablaze. The glare of the fire seen from the town was put down to gorse being alight. Mr McPhee, his trap loaded with his children, got within a mile of his home before he realised that it was his place that was on fire. He could do nothing, and found himself and his family homeless and clothesless. Near the house was a motor garage used as a store for tools and harness and this also was destroyed. Neighbours rallied round and found accommodation for the younger members of the family while Mr McPhee and other family members camped in an old barn.
What was known as ‘the telephone trick’ landed a woman in the Auckland Police Court on a charge of false pretences after she tried to obtain a ring from James Pascoe, jewellers. She telephoned Pascoe’s stating that she was Mrs Mainwaring, speaking from Kihikihi, and asked him to let her daughter, who would call, have an engagement ring. Later she called in and selected a ring valued at £4, but the jeweller became suspicious and called the police. The accused she said she was muddled with drink at the time and was placed on probation for two years.
One of the greatest events in the history of Ōhaupō took place when the ceremony of switching on the electric light occurred. The honour of turning on the light belonged to Mrs Arthur Graham, one of the oldest settlers in the district. The township was at once transformed to brilliancy strange but welcome to everyone. Festoons of coloured lights were artistically arranged in front of the Ōhaupō Hotel by the staff of the Te Awamutu Electric Power Board, and when these, with the six public lights in the township, were lighted the illumination was warmly applauded.
Cream wagon, Te Awamutu 1922
