Holiday Picnic.

Patea Mail, 3 April 1882, Page 3

Holiday Picnic.

(from our correspondent.)

Normanby, Monday

An interesting meeting of all the school children of Hawera and Normanby took place near the sea beach on Saturday, in Mr Livingston’s paddock at the mouth of the Waingongoro, Most of the principal ladies'and gentlemen of both places were present. Exactly at 10 a.m.,numerous vehicles, having from one to four horses, simultaneously started by agreement from different points. Each was crowded with tidly dressed children, who occupied themselves on the way to the pleasure grounds either by singing or in cheering vociferously . Parents and other numerous visitors followed in private carriages or on horseback. Arrived on the ground the scene was one of much gaiety and merriment. I failed to be able to count the continually moving figures, but there must have been between four and five hundred present.

The Waingongoro bay has a wild romantic appearance, and a peculiar interest is attached to it, since only a hundred yards distant is the last resting-place of a number of heroes, who—only a few years ago—fell fighting for onr homes and liberties. The principal scene of the day’s festivities was a naturally elevated platform, from which a grand view of the sea'can be obtained..

Many private carriages conveyed a profusion of cooked victuals and confectionaries, which busy female bands had been days preparing. I shall best conceal my ignorance of their wonderful names and variety by not attempting the description. Among the rest there was quite a flow of milk, and one enthusiastic lady

actually brought a bucketi*u 1 in lieu trap six miles. Mr Moore Hunter, ass Mcd by Mr Winks and his lady, appeared to bo the principal caterers for the Hawera children ; Mr and Mrs Richardson for those of Normanby, Other ladies and gentlemen—notably Mrs Tony and Mr Ecclesfiekl—took a lively interest in the management.

On the other angle of the bay, on the landing terrace, Mr and Mrs Hall and Miss Hall—new arrivals in Normanby from the Hutt—were conspicuously zealous in entertaining all comers from a private spread of their own. The children received a large quantitj' of toys, for which they competed by running races. Last year the picnic took place in a paddock at Normanby, but all agreed that this was the best patronized and the most enjoyable since the towns were constituted. There was not a single hitch in the whole proceedings. The large company began to disperse about four o’clock, and all arrived safely at their homes by twilight.