HIKUTAIA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5255, 23 March 1928, Page 1

HIKUTAIA.

Just a quiet country township, Guarded by the dear old hills ; Just a quiet country township, How my iheart with longing fills, Just to see it all once more, And the happy smiling faces, Of those aear friends as of yore.

When the summer sun is shining, Or the moon is up above, It’s a scene of peaceful beauty, It’s the one spot that I love. I can sec the dear old homesteads, Nestling in their orchards there, Which, as a boy I oft have raided, Filled with apple, peach, and Pear

And before my vision rises All that dear familiar scene, Where the Hikutaia is slowly winding, Mid the fields so fresh and green. Dear old Hikutaia, oft I’ve swam, oft I’ve played, Ln its'waters, coo'l, inviting, In the willows’ leafy shade.

And tire bush-dad Coromandels, Where they rise up higher and higher, How oft your rugged grandeur Did my youthful thoughts inspire ; And the little township’s name is— Well, they call it Hikutaia.

There I spent my happy childhood, There to manhood grew ; Oft I’ve roved its fields and pastures, In the morning wet with dew. Oh! I loved its hills and valleys, For I’ve tramped them through and through.

And I’ve watched in the early dawn

O’er the hills the sun come stealing, And where the sunbeams lightly tread,

What a glorious scene revealin? - , With the deep blue‘sky o’erhead. And 1 I’ v e heard the tuis calling,

And the lark sing loud and gay, Juot a welcome to the morning, Heralds of the coming day.

In the glorious days of summer, When the long day’s work done ; Oft I’ve sat and mused in silence, Dreamed of fame and glory won, When, the hills were turned to golden In the rays of the setting sun.

When the stars came out a-peepihg, And the skies were turning grey, I have heard the kaka screeching As he winged hig . lonely way, Through the ever deepening twilight. At the ■dl.osing of the day. When the play days were over, And I had to think of work, Well, it was just another pleasure That 1 did hot care to shirk.

It was there my father taught me how To steer the horses, gui le the plough. And there on a winter’s night, While sitting round a log fire bright, Our dear old mother taught us, Ail the best that we should know, As around her knees we clustered, In the firelight’s cheery glow.

Oh my heart is torn with, anguish, And my eyes fill up with tears, As these visions come to haunt me, Through the long, long empty years; And my heart is always aching, And my tears will! ever flow, When these dreams come t'o remind

me ( Of those days of? long ago.

But alas for dreams of childhood 1 , And their castles in the air ; I am nothing hilt a duffer, Drifting here, now drifting there. Just a derelict, tossing on life’s 'stormy sea, With the fitful gleams of sunshine, Thfat these memories bring to me : Just a piece of wreckage tossing to and fr°, Sinking, floating, moving with, the ebb and flow.

With the dear, dead past behind me, And those dreams that .ne’er come true, But bright memories oft remind me. Of the friends that I once knew — The Alleys, Corbetts, Morrisons, And a host of otherls, too ; And no matter where I’m drifting’, All my thoughts go back to you.

For its oft times I. am lonely, And the world is hard and cold; And life’s chance .acquaintances Are not like the friends of old. Oh my 'heart yVould be eased of sorrow, And my soul revive again, , Could I tread those hills and. valleys, See those dear oild friends again.

—F. N. (Lammie) Moore.

Credit is due to the Paeroa Borough Council and the police for the way. the large volume of motor traffic was (handled on Saturday and Monday—race days at Paeroa. Motorists showed a willingness to observe the regulations made for the safe passage of vehicles, and no mishaps of any kind occurred.

Profusely illustrated with interesting current events from from exclusive sources, this, week’s issue of the “N.Z. Sporting and Dramatic Review” will command widespread attention) and admiration* The centre pages are devoted to the Napier Park races, and t.he Wellington Racing Club’s meeting and the Ohinemuri jockey Club’s fixture lire given prominent space. The Ngaruawahja Regatta is another source of interest, and the Red. Cross garden fete in Wellington) at the Prime Minister’s home makes up an attractive page, while a motor gymkana at Mangere and the Tak?puna Boating Club’s regatta add to the variety of subjects. Stage, motion pictures, and fashions have an, artistic showing, and the coloured ■supplement is another fine feature.