SCHOOL JUBILEE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1006, 24 June 1930, Page 14

SCHOOL JUBILEE

WAIHOU CELEBRATIONS SIR J. PARR FIRST PUPIL From Our Oven Correspondent TE AROHA, Today. The jubilee of the Wailiou School will be celebrated on Friday. Fifty years ago the school was opened with 15 pupils, several of whom are still in the district. The first roll contains the names of C. James Parr, Peter A. Swriey, Wiiilam Swney, John Parr, James Finnegan, William Finnegan, William Webb, Thomas Parks. Harriet Swney, Mary Parr, Eilen Parr, Eliza Swney and Mary Finnegan. Pupil number one is Sir Janies Parr, former High Commisisoner in London, while pupil number two is a highly successful farmer of Waitoa and the. owner of winning thoroughbreds in \ olimond. Taumai and Honiton. From the former the following cable has just been received by the committee: “Greatly regret cannot be present. Heartiest congratulations to my old school.—C. James Parr.”

Nearly 1,500 invitations have been posted out for the celebration. These are to the pupils on the rolls (and their wives) during the school’s existence. There will be a programme of games in the afternoon, in which the present pupils will participate, and at 5.30 p.m. a dinner will be given to the pupils who were enrolled from *IBBO to 1890. A fancy dress ball for the children is timed for 7.30, to be followed by a grand ball later in the evening. Waihou claims to have had the first school erected in what is now a verv large district. In the area from which scholars once attended there are now no lesfe than 16 schools. In its original state the Wailiou district was one of swamp, fern and teatree. In 1880 it did not bear a prosperous appearance, and many were the opinions regarding what was stated to Vi e sr, JOOt \ COumry - xt ls related that in 1880 a deputation journeyed to Well--2?h?,“ interview’ the Minister of regardin ? the railwaA’ L™ Ha " 11 l ton to Te Aroha, which was grea.t ,y desired. They got little satisfaction from Sir William Rolleston, tvho after the interview took a Carter oury settler (who had just acquired thr d -i near ™ aihou > to task for joining is rneo/?i, S : , Xow - Wa ihou ranks Se°M„?o e „. rlCheSt dairyins areas ia

18 ®°- th ® Waihou buildings conof an hotel, blacksmith’s shoo, two cottages, a hall, and store. p,ogress was evident for a time until the opening of mining operations at Wairongomai and Te Aroha, which atThS Thame q s UOta f Waihou residents, irten Jed r railway was originally intended to go through Elstow, and the Rotorua line through Manawaru out the change brought about bv minin*way jun d t'mn aihOU fro ™ being the rail '

Afr. Reynolds established the first 25d a In the ranks of the early setterwho 13 Mr - John Rorrie! who t\ ith Mrs. Borne. is still hale nt < thi» arty 'w nd wi!l be a leading figure at thi3 week s celebration. He took up

land at Te Aroha West in 1874 at t cost of £.2 an acre. After residing it T* Aroha West for ten years, 51r. 3orr. ; purchased from Mr. W. Aitk*n Kereone, 1,000 acres at Waihou, w”.

buildings and improvements, for £* f This property has since been rubdivided, the present occupants beic? Messrs. D. Borrie, Wfr R. Johnsoi, IF Gregor, L. Nicholson. E. Martii, £ Cooper. A. Rutherford and T. Hi-key-Mr. Hugh Ross, the well-known but seryman, is another early settle* wfco has taken his part in the progriss « the district. In 1883 he took up laiw. and started the district's first n garden. He obtained his early WP* plies from Cambridge, the jcurwr there taking several days. Today Waihou has a dairy factor hotel, post office, school. stores, fruit shop, fancy goods motor garage, blacksmith’s shop, razr fine residential properties, and a her of the most highly improved fart.in the Auckland Province.