WAIKINO OLD BOYS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4398, 3 April 1922, Page 4

WAIKINO OLD BOYS.

—o ANNUAL REUNION. SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION. ("Gazette'’ Staff Reporter.) A grand reunion of 'the Waikino Old Boys’ Association wag held in the Victoria Hall, Waikino, on Friday evening,, there being over one hundred persons present, necessitating five tables for their accommodation. The catering reflected credit on Mr L. Steele (Waikino), and the tables were very tastefully dressed by the ladies. The function.was a success in every way. Among the visitors ’present were: . Messrs H. Poland, M.P. for Ohinemuri, 'and His Worship the Mayor of Paeroa (Mr P. E. Brenan). Apologies for absence were erceived from the following and others: Messrs B. Armstrong!, R. Aldred, J. W. Butler, J. E. Cummings, F., E. Flatt, F. Reeve, E. Pyne, J. G.i Reidpath, R. Stevenson, M. D. Smith, J. W. Smith, F T. IjSwetman, D. Wil liams, F. Bunyard, W. J. Maiden, C. J. Aitkin, M. Collins. Cr. S. H. Morgan proposed the toast of “The Mining Industry,” referring to the way the discovery gold had saved the Dominion economically on more than one occasion. Goldmining had been the- prim? factor in giving Auckland city its start on the road of prosperity when times were bad. The methods of gold extraction were of wonderful interest, but he would not dwell on them ; rather, he wpuld give place to Mr W. S. C. Nichol)., discoverer of ithe Waihi mine, and of the reef at Waitekauri about which information appeared in the, “Gazette” last Friday. Mr J. H. Banks, in giving the first response, said that mining opened up a. very large subject; gold -was only- required as a- medium of exchange, but with- other metals, such as iron, copper, platinum, etc,, we build ships, electrical, appliances, an'd a thousand things ofl service to humanity. But gold production had been reduced of late years by thirty per cent., and it wpuld only be a matter of time before its value would

increase. Speaking of personal’ aspects, Mr Brinks said that, mining engineers and miners had probed every country in the world, and led the way for colonization. Auckland had public soup kitchens when the Thames goldfields broke .out, but this new development changed the city’s poverty into prosperity. , The speaker criticised the Government. adversely for failing to give sufficient encouragement to prospectors. The Geolpgic.al Survey Department was all 'very well, but after all success' depended upon the prospector. The Minister for Mines (Hon. J. G. Anderson), had tpld him thiat bbe Department treated the prospector like a good father treated his children —gave tihem very and if they had the gri.t in them they would make good. The - speaker did not hold with this parsimonious spirit. Mr Nicholl, who received applause on rising to second the response, remarked that forty years ago the Hauraki Plaint were populated with pukekos ; now tihe pukekos, had given place to men. He had never been connected .with a “wild-cat” scheme in his life. Gold a thing a man could not see under the ground; a man’s best policy when following a reef was to keep at it until he had found the gold. Most people went in for a lot of advertisement when they struck a reef, which; usually proved a dud for the unfortunate people who took the bait. (Laughter.) During the first three weeks 370 ounces came out of the Martha, and this was sold at £3 14s 3d per ounce. For nine morft'hs they were without water, during which time he had been manager

—without pay. (Laughter.) Mr H. M. Corbett proposed the toast of the farming industry, which he said .was “the” industry of New Zealand. Once a depression set in in farming, then there was a slump in all industries; Strangely enough, there wds an outcry when butter went up, but those who made this outcry keep quiet enough when but,ter was down on. a non paying, basis. Mr Geo. Kinsella, replying, said time had proved what the district could do in the way of butter-fat production. Farming, likg mining, had its ups and downs', but both industries would flourish again. If one had said five years ago that .there would be cream carts on the Golden Cross /he would have been laughed at. The'cream coming' off the hign and dry land was equal in quality to anything in New Zealand. £22,000 came into the Goldfields district last year for butter if at alone. The dairying beat the goldmining./—Hooray for St. George! The 'chief toast of the evening, “The Old Boys of Waikino,” was entrusted to Mr Hugh Poland, M.P. The toast included the old and new people, and those who had gone west. The Association always seemed to be full of life. He had an abomination of smoke concerts as a rule, but his experience of last year induced him to come again this year; they had_ talent worth listening to. There was a fine spirit of comradeship and goodfellowship among the members 'of the Waikino Old Boys’ Association. He was sorry Mr C. Kennedy and Mr F E. Flatt were not present, but they had met with misfortune since last reunion.

“But where are the ladies ?’’ asked Mr Poland. “Wihen do you put a function on for the ladies ?” “Last month,” was the chorus of reply. "Well, you were selfish, and did not invite me.” (Laughter.) “Make up your minds to be as good men as the old hands,, like Willie Nicholl, who ought to be in his grave long ago, but’ is ■still hale and hearty. (Laughter.) Mr W. A. Murray suitably responded. Mr Murray, who now lives at Hamilton, was a, foreman for the Waihi Goldmining Company for many years, and was extremely popular. The Mayor of Paeroa (Mr P. EBren.an) proposed the toast of the Parliament of New Zealand. He said that whatever the Waikino people did. they did it well, and it ’ was a' great/ pleasure to be present., Referring to s the toast, much good had been placed on the Statute Book, but he regretted that the Government had not given that sympathetic consideration to mining that the industry warranted.

Replying, Mr Poland humorously regretted that the Chief Magistrate of Paeroa had playfully insinuated that he might-use the evening as a means Of political; championship oh his own cause. New Zealand Parliament compared favourably, with those of other countries. Ohinemuri had nothing to complain about tor many years. " (Laughter.) To those who had not had Parliamentary experience, it was difficult to understand the procedure. I<| was on'y once in four weeks that a member had a chance of bringing'forward any matter he wished to forward. It, was only when the. Imprest Supps Bill came forward once a month that the member had a chance, and no’, even then, occasionally. At all other times a set 1 programme of the Government had to be adhered to. He had had experience of Tories, Moderates, and Extremists; and he believed that each man was doing his best according to his, lights. He thought majorities were usually wrong, but majorities ruled. He had been fighting fcr 15 years for compensation to

miners who had suffered from die effects of their calling. He instanced a case in Paeroa where a wife and family of five had to exist on 35s per week. The woman had once earned 9s a. day cutting wood, but had hurt her back, and now could not carry on. Thirty-five shilling per week was no sum to keep a man and wife and five children on. But the majority in Parliament could not be made to see these things in their, true light. The Minister for Mines, for instance, was a humane man, but as soon as a man became a Minister he seemed to also become an automaton. Reforms always came#slowly. Any member of Parliament ought strive not for . class, who all had their rights—labour, farpier, capitalist—but for the greatest good for the greatest number. The electors, too, must take this broad and humane view before conditions could be materially benefited. (Applause.) Mr W. J. Truscott gave the toast of the Waihi Goldmining dompany. Ninety-five per cent, of those present were connected with the company. He hoped Mr Nicholl would have the good fortune to float ahother such company. • (Applause.) He hoped the Waihi Company would last for, many years yet. He was op the fringe, waiting for goldmining and farming; he was a profiteer. (Laughter.) He believed the butter-fat had the best of the argument at;-present. Responding, Mr E. Johnso.n said the evening was a meeting of pioneers, which the Waihi Goldmining Company could well claim to be, for its pioneering was responsible for the fact that the farmers could milk their cows by electricity; it also put the railway through. It was the first company to place the cyanide process on a payable commercial basis. .

Mr R. T. Reid proposed the foalstof the Returned Soldiers, remarking on the modernity of it. The members of the Waikino Old Boys’ Association who were returned soldiers wo’-p so numerous that the names jf the two associations were almost synonymous. Twenty-three years ago he had arrived in. Waikino in time to farewell two men of Waikino who were departing for the Boer War, the late Messrs M. Davis and H. T. Field. These two veterans had also served in the Great War, and unfortunately “went west.” Mr Cato responded, regretting that the requirements of the returned soldier were being overlooked.; But the returned soldiers did not want anything for nothing; qualifications being equal, tihe returned soldiers should have the preference of employment. He feared that owing io there beihg some men who were wasters before they went to the war, and wasters when they came back, the whole body of returned soldiers were judged unjustly. The returned soldiers had been side-tracked, politically by a few men who had seen as much fighting as one would see in an illustrated weekly paper. Nine men out of 9000 attended a meeting in Auckland ; until they organised better they would ’never get their dues. The programme' was 'one of sterling merit, the items without exception being good, and some were very fine indeed, inducing clamorous encores. Mr H. B. Dale, of Waihi, presided at the piano. 'The following are the names of those who rendered items : Songs.-— Messrs J. Darbyshire, S. Prisk, E. Morgan, Quinn, C. Phillips, C. Cater, N. Whaley, A. Trott. Recitations. — M. Nichol, G. Henry, L. Ye.arbery. A. Crowther, obo solo. Our reporter arrived a little late, but learned afterwards that before the function commenced the~i President (Mr H. F. Marlow) asked those present to stand for- a few moments in silence, as a tribute to the memory of ; he Old Boys Whp had passed away.