WAIKINO OLD BOYS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4827, 30 March 1925, Page 4

WAIKINO OLD BOYS.

ANNUAL REUNION. With Hie roar oi the stampers tn the; battery in their ears over a hundred. members, associate members, ami guests sat clown to well-laden tables set up in the Victoria Hall on Friday evening on the occasion of the fifteenth annual reunion of the Waikino Old Boys’ Association. Mr R. Shaw presided.

in opening the function the chairman welcomed members and associate members to the annual gathering, particularly mentioning Mr W. A. Murray, one of the foundation members. He referred to the death of Mr W. Farmer, one of the earliest settlers in the district, who had passed away during the year. The chairman apologised for the absence of several •who were unable to be present, including Messrs H. Poland. M.P., J. Cummings (Matamata), AV. Maiden, C. H. Hard, G. Cotterail, and R. Aldreil (Auckland), A. Rackshaw (Waitakere), and C. Collins and J. Banks (Waihi). A lengthy toast-list, liberally interspersed with musical items, was honoured.

Among the old identies present were not iced : Messrs R. Fitch, R. Shaw, W. C. Kennedy, S. Shaw, W. Harris, F. •Marlow, F. Oliver, W. Hicks, G. Hutchinson, H. Murray, J. Gordon, J. Bramble, T. Rowlands, P. Shaw, A. Soiiiliberg, G. Bell, A. Clark, W. Dean, A. Hill, H. Corbett, S. Morgan, G. Collins, W. A. Murray, AV. Quinn, J. Luther, M. Rohan, R. Phillips, H. Franklin. W. Phillips, G. Roberts, E. Kcohan, H. R. Baiting, and A. Cox. .Mr R. Shaw, in proposing .the toast to the farming industry, said that there was a time when there were no farms whatever in the district, butnow it was a big issue, and there was no doubt that the future was bright. Tile toast was responded to by Mr A Gordon, who referred to the winegrowing in the Waitekauri district; Mr C. Harris, who is dairying at Waitawheta; Mr Colin Mason and Mr JGordon, dairyfarmers.

Mr Mason said that farming had c(|me to the district to stay. Mining might fail at any tirile—not that, that was desired, but there was the chance —and then the farmers would be looked to to keep the place going. The present farmers wore ready and willing to initiate the followers of the mining industry into the mysteries of farming. Mr Mason expressed the hope that the brains employed in the mining industry could bo applied to farming. In the battery, there were men with the ability and training to assist' tiie farmers by testing their soils and doing other chemical work in the gold mining company's laboratory. • .

Mr J. Gordon referred to (lie splendid season that had been experienced and the abnormal increase in the amount of butter-fat sent away from the district.

To Mr H. M. Corbett, one of the fimndation members of the association, was entrusted the toast to the mining industry. It was just over fitly yeans, lie said, since the district was thrown open to prospectors. • 'de. wondered if the same spirit and love of adventure still prevailed. It could be imagined the outlook of the first prospectors who passed through the; K-.irangahake Gorge; and the energy and enterprise of these men who had

fo.rnd the wealth of tiie district and laid the foundation for its development. The industry might now be waning, but its worth and the enormous 'amount of good it has done must be realised.

Mr E. Johnison, in responding, said that the various mining companies operating in the district had been pioneers industrially. The AVaihi Gold Mining Co. had commenced the

Horahora hydro-electric scheme, from which the whole of the Thames Valley and neighbouring power boards now received their electric power. The Victoria. Battery at Waikino existed solely because of the application of scientific principles, as the Waihi mine produced only a low grade ore. It would be a national calamity if the baltery was closed down, as secondary industries over a very wide area would be affiected.

The toast of “The Waikino Old Boys’ Association” was proposed by Mr E. Morgan, of Waihi, who referieti to the good work which sucli associations did. During the last few days he had met several old Waikinoite.i, paiticularly Mr H. Bqnner and Mr. D. Conglington, now of Cambridge, and Mr E, Larson, who was now in Waihi. Mr W. C. Kennedy, now of Te Arolia but for over 40 years a resident of Waikino, responded to the toast in his usual humorous manner. He mentioned that the only settlers of 50 years ago who were still alive were Al its Gordon, Mrs W. Farmer, Mr ami Mi's AV. Frearson, Messrs AV. Nicol, R. Reid, C. Franklin, and R. Pennell. He had come to thq district at the age of 2 on a packhorse, ,aud at the age of 13 had commenced working* for a butcher for 6s a week, his duty being to deliver meat to evqry resident of AVaihi, Waikino, JVaitekauri, Golden Cross, and Owharoa twice a week, and help milk 20 cows. In those days mails were received .once a fortnight at Paeroa, and bread was obtained from Paeroa when the baker had any to spare.

Mr AV. A. Murray also responded, and detailed the formation of the Old Boys’ Association in Waikino 18 years ago.

The ' president of the ' association, Air R. Shaw, returned thanks for the toast, and referred to the energy ot members of the executive which had kept the association alive. Other toasts honoured were : “Local Bodies,” jiroposed by Mr W. Quinn (Remuera), and responded to by Mr AA r C. Kennedy, of the Piako County Council and Thames Hospital Board, and Messrs H. Corbett, and W. Mor-, gan, of the Ohinemuri County Council; “The Public Service,” proposed by Air L. Al. Murray - and responded to by the postmaster, Air R. G. Looker, and the .stationmaster, Mr G. Fitzgerald ; “The AVaihi Federal Band,” members of which had contributed items during the evening, and which had secured a second prize at the recent competition in Auckland, proposed by* Air E. Keohan and. responded to by the bandmaster, Air F, Russell. Toasts to the ladies, votes of thanks to the vocalists and instrumentalists, and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” at 1 a.m.. brought a <very pleasant function to a close.

Among the vocal items were songs by Messrs J. J. Young, Te Arolia ; AV.

W Rowe, Waihi;. F. C. Calvert, Waihi ; J. Wandsworth, Waikino; D. McPherson, Waihi; J. A. Briggs, Te> Arolia; and E. Morgan, AVaihi. Mr A. H.‘ Margison, of Te Arolia, played' the accompaniments, and orchestral items were contributed by Messrs C. Haddy. 1-’. Russell, and R. Carlyon. of Waihi.