DISTRICT DEVELOPMENTS.

Matamata Record, Volume VI, Issue 492, 26 November 1923, Page 3

DISTRICT DEVELOPMENTS.

TIRAU AND THEREABOUTS. .111. INSTITUTIONS. Among the public, or quasi-public, institutions of Tirau might be mentioned the post office, the bank ami ' the school. The post office, a substantial wooden building, stands at the comer of Rose street and the Cambridge road* and, well-equipped in every way, it transacts most of the activities of the Department usually conducted by larger offices. It is a Telegraph and Money Order Office and Savings Bank and the postmaster is also Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, as well as the agent fcr otbci Government Departments. There are 122 subscribers connected with the telephone exchange, and the business at the office generally is increasing all the time. Mr. J. T. fcc- , cleton is postmaster, having been transferred from Opunakc early in the present year. # The only banking institution doing business in Tirau is the Bank of New Zealand, which sends an officer from Matamata every Thursday. Business here can also show an increase, and thefiank owns a section of WJr a pAmanent office on ground new the rail|Tav :station. At presdnt it is housied* in the concrete Oxford ,Build- ' ings* opposite the hotel. The Tirau school,. though not strong in numbers nor held in a pretentious building, is nevertheless an interesting institution if on no other grounds, thin that of its long standing, rhe nresent school dates back to 1888the first pupil's name on the records bring that of Edith Nesta Mary Gvf SwL entered the school on July Xin that year. •At, the end.ofjgj vear there were 27 pupilson the roll, a Mr. Twydle being the first teache The old roll shows many names still ' well kr.own in the district, including that of Frank Rose, who was adnntStl on October 28, 1890. The firs en ry showing the name of the school af£cl to Tirau was that of a daugh-. I ter of the Rev. Scott, who Domed the institution'on November 5, 1896. *oi some little while prior to that thc_ records refer to the school as Oxford North. 1 It must therefore be some thirty odd years since the name waschanged and yet, as already pointed out, in many quarters it still survives.. The old original structure still standi, . and there is a good deal of life in it yet, although additions and alterations are /contemplated, and; tenders have been calltkl for the work. The present average attendance is 65 out of a possible 77, and a high standard of efficiency is maintained, Mr. G. YV. Bapson,- a teacher of many years experience, is In charge, and he is assisted by Mrs., J. Hill. There are no legular church services in Tirau, but the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian persuasions conduct services at stated IB Nonuihdly societies meet in Tirau, but the "Masonic fraternity is represented in Lodge t Tirau, N.Z.C. The Lodge buildings are situated in Rose street, just at the back of the posr ' office, and consist of a lodge-room, refractory or social hall, and anterooms, i The lodger, which is.,.in=. ahealthy S condition and financially, hasi been--established., for about twelve yearsV'lt present, the only Masonic lodge in the County of Matamata, and here the craft meets regularly every .moon. An important local body is the district brarch of the- Farmers' Union,, which is a very live organisation in Tirau, holding meetings both for the diicussion of business and social fellowship.'' Mr. W. H. Allen is president, and <>his gentleman is also a /member of the provincial executive. '$ SPORTS AND SOCIAL. Tirau people are a great'sporting community, and the " Tirau Raying Club is one of the oldest institutions of the kind in. the .Auckland province, i The old Oxford Racing Club,-as it was first called, held its initial formal meeting somewhere in the neighbour- ' hood of half-a-century ago, although it is understood that inforxral.Mawi meetings were-held before that time. The first Oxford Cup was won by a horse named Robert the Devi I,.owned . by a Mr. Jas. Ransfjeld, and ridden by Basil Lockley. This horse afterwards while racing at Ngaruawahia ran off the course and falling into a pit broke his back. The chief hurdle event .at the Oxford opening meeting was won by a horse owned by Mr. D. Goodwin, 1 who, hale and hearty, to-day resides at Morrinsville. This equine, which went by the. .name of Ro^od, Nat. Mason, 'ami later, ridden I>> Charlie Norgroye,- u.Robert the Devil, in the Cup. 3J«£gg Racing Club,is to-day in a healthy condition, and it conducts an annual race meeting every New Year's Day. Mr J W. Anderson is the president, and Mr E. W. Jordan is secretary.* • Golf is a flourishing ' pastime in Tirau, and the local club possesses links of the sort described as "sporty," on either side of the Putaruru road and quite close in to the " township: The club has a good membership roll and enthusiasm is the / Mr. J. T. Eccleton is the Tennis is also another popular sport in Tirau as the fine • courts, situated right in the town, testify. These consist of three hard courts and one sand and the grounds heloneing to the club is about an acre SS They are planted with Lawsoniana and other shrubs, and there is ample space for croquet lawns or any other activities that may be thought fit. Bowling has also a good following in Tirau, the club playing , on a green adjacent to Mr. Frank Rose's house. ' ... There is fine trout-fishing in the neighbourhood of Tirau, and many anglers come there in the season for this sport Good shooting may also be obtained on the hills in the vicinity of Tirau, as many sportsmen evidence by the bags which they are seen takJoe sjvay during that time of the yeajfslevoted to the shooting of pheas-. ants* and quail. With regard to so- - rial activities, especially those of tiic feature" that are held in the evening, is a happy and united community. Tjie Tirau Town Hall is a public institution of no little importance, and great alterations have recently 'been effected. The tie rods across the hall, which' greatly-interrupted the display of pictures, have been lifted. The ladies' and gentlemen's dressingrooms have been removed from the front of Ihc house and placed under the stage, ft certain amount of excavation 1 having been undertaken to accommodate them. The ?;ooms have ; been eiftipped wtyK thoroughly up-to-date Vifeiiiary accommodation. On the north-side.of the hall, a large new ; (Continued in Next Column.)

supper-room, 35 feet long, has been built, ' also a fine modern'kitchen (with sink, cooking and all modern culinary appliances, as well as a commodious machine-room, have been eredted. Wafer and electric light have been laid on, the latter installation- consisting of M lights, of which six lamps of a 60 candle power capacity has been placed in the main hall. The whole building has been re-lirted and the stage bpened out and enlarged to/a producing power of 30 feet by 15 feet. Should any terpsichorian •artists desire to shine in Tirau, they will find ample scope in.which to display their brilliancy, and a good show town to bootl The hall is vested in trustees, which are very much alive to the necessity of keeping abreast of the times and providing ample entertainment for the people, and particularly the voung people of Tirau. Pictures are provided by the trustees, and it is a feature of " the movies at Tirau that only the most up-to-date and modern pictures are shown, and they are generally considered to be. of a ciass vastly superior to that usually met with in small towns. The residents of Tirau and district are great dancing folk; and hardly a weeks goe» bv. but some social event embracing the exercise of the light fantastic toe, is not held in Tirau. The Jiall isi also the Mocca of the musical people of the district, and many concerts of quite a good standard arc held there. The matters referred to in this and previous articles practically covers Tirau as far as the activities of the town are concerned, and it is intended in the article following to deal with the rural aspect. -...<..