KUMARA JUBILEE.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1925, Page 4

KUMARA JUBILEE.

! Arrangements are proceeding apace in preparation for the celebration of the obth. birthday of Kumara. The ■ Jubilee Executive met on Wednesday evening and consideration was given to detail- of the Sport- .Mealing. It was de: ided that an effort should he made 1 to make the Sports Meeting the best of : its kind yer held on the toast. With lan allocation of prize money to the ] value of £lM() if is Imped to attract !a largo number ut athletes Irom various parts of the Dominion, Chopping, sawing, running, jumping and cycling ’events are to be included, and a number of side-shows will contribute largely to the ‘‘bun of the Lair." The .lubiloc Cominittee is out to make the ( tii-,i three (lays in March rod letter 1 days in the history of Kumara. X.I m,e needs in be told whole or what Kumara is. It is famous right through the Dominion as the most prolilie alluvial goldfield ever disrnver!ed and developed in New Zealand or j \ ii-l ralia. It is celebrated in history ,jt-1 *ll as tie- home and parliamentary birthplace of ilie late Right lion. R. -f. iS-oddon.

j Scattered throughout the Dominion jure hundreds nay thousands -of er.-i- ---' while residents of this historic spot in I beaut i l ul West laud. | Some of the older nf these thousands may remember Kumara in its merest ! infamy, and may even recall its very birili in May ISfii. These older Kulma ra-ites "ill iliink of a time wln-n | a stretch el lonely road about a mile in j length, newly lormcd through an ! avenue of dark pine forest, was. in a i few weeks transformed into a street ol canvas tents, soon to give place to wood and iron stores, hotels and duelling houses, and to become the well-

lorno’d borough Main tit reel. I bey I '-’ ill reinemli’-r lieu a muddv track ol slush and mire leading oil’ through tile thick bi!;-li at right angles to the main load and going access to tin lm>v mining claims el DiNman-. l.a rri i; i as Dunedin l-'lnt and The Shamrock Lead, be.-ame a well-formed I horoughfare and ’■‘as named S"ihlni Street. They will I",- abb- to 11-11 ill cut ■•here hill- ha-, y 1 1 let died and valley-. Idled up: wlcre dense and heavy hush ha-: been hecniiiiug green uul; M- <m,l growth i Other-, who did net arrive in Kumara j finite so early , may iliink of its most | prosperous days of from ISStI in |Xi 0. j vlim the older method of I a a lid I i a g (.and paddoi i;ing had given place to

ground sluicing, and the miners had settled down to a steady, profitable occupation, to last them tor years. Hundreds uf children horn in Kumara or its vicinage are now grown men ami women and are .scattered throughout New Zealand. To these is extended a hearty invitation to join with the present inhabitants of the town anil district in the great re-iiiiion and celebrations (luring the first three days of .March ne':t year. L'urtlier details will gladly he supnlied by the lion .Secretary, Mr J. A. fewer, Kumara. who would he pleased to hear from any who would like to re-vi-it the town next March.