SOUTHLAND'S CENTENNIAL TORCH PASSES THROUGH TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume V, Issue 207, 20 January 1956, Page 1

SOUTHLAND'S CENTENNIAL TORCH PASSES THROUGH TAUPO

Southland's centennial torch, which started its 1200 mile non-stop journey from historic Waitangi to Invercargill at 10.40 a.m. on Thursday, January 12, was borne past the Taupo Post Office by H. Cooper, a runner of 4he Whakatane Amateur Athletic and Harrier Qlub's relay team, at 2.21 a.im. on Saturday morning, January 14. There was a gathering of some 50 or 60 people, including Taupo residents and runners and officers of the Whakatane Club, and of the Rotorua Amoteur Athletic, Cyeling and Harrier Club, and representatives of the Waikato Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association and of the Southland Centennial Association. The torch, which had passed the Rotorua Post Office a few minutes ahead of the scheduled time at 8.45 p.m. (Friday), where Mr A. M. Linton, Mayor of Rotorua, had handei the runner a goodwil message for the Mayor of Invercargill, was due to pass the Taupo Post Office at 2.28 a.m. By quarter past two the waiting spectators had gathered on the eastern side of Tongariro Street, opposite the Post Office, and a keen watek was maintained on the junction of that street with the Rotorua highway for the first glimpse of the torch. Among those present were the Mayor and Mayoress, Mr and Mrs J. E. Story. Mr Story, with a goodwill message for the Mayor of Invercargill from the people of Taupo, in company with the Waikato and Southland officials, took up a position on the roadway. A few moments later the red liglit of the centennial torch was seen, held high as its bearer turned into Tongariro ,Street and came striding at a steady pace toward the waiting group. There was a burst of handclapping and a cheer as the runner went by, faking Taupo's goodwill letter from the Mayor without lessening his stride. A few moments later the red glow of the torch disappeared as its bearer turned left into the Lake Pront highway, followed by the accompanying car. Messrs O. J. Henderson, representative of the Southland Centennial organisation, and C. J. Thompson and A. Crabb, of the Waikato Centre, N.Z.A.A.A., who were accompanying the relay from Mercer to Turangi, and Mr J. Borland, who was the Southland representative for the Turangi-Levin section, in conversation with the Taupo Times, expressed their pleasure at the great public interest that was being shown along the route of the relay, as indicated by groups of people who had waited at various spots along the route. They said that arrangements had worked out well, and there had been no hitches, * so that, as planned, the torch had been carried forward since it left Waitangi without a single stop. They expressed their partieular pleasure at finding the Mayor, Mr Story, waiting to hand a message to the runner. In view of the hour at which the torch was to pass through Taupo they had not expected that this would be possible and were delighted at Taupo being thus officially oonnected with the event. After passing through Tongariro Street the torch changed hands at the junction of Tararepa Road with the highway, the next runner striding along beside the torch-bearer, who first handed him the torch and then took off his light-reflecting sash and placed it over the new runner 's shoulders before dropping out of the

relay. Another change took place near the Three Mile Bay turn-off. The torch was carried from he Aratiatia Road turn-off, on the Rotorua highway, through Taupo to Eiarthquake . Gully, by the following members of the Whakatane Club : Messrs S. Jones, N. London, K. Wicks, H. Cooper, P. Jensen, J. Retter, N. Jones, R. Jones. From Earthquake Gully to Turangi the Rotorua Club took over, its runners being Messrs K. Taylor, S. Moyses, L. Holt, G. McShane, B. Cossar, D. Wilson, J. Hooper, B. Smith, R. Carter, T. Chalker, D. Southwick, D. Kenney, R. Ardern, M. Pryce, J. Tobin. Toward the end of the Rottorua men's run it became apparent that their allotted distance was somewhat longer than the 21 miles shown on the schedule. Determined not to be later than the scheduled time of 5.59 a.m., at which they were to hand over to the men of the Poverty BayHawkes Bay Athletic Centre, the last runners speeded up and the last two ■*» miles were done at sprinting pace. the torch changing hands at Turangi two minutes ahead of schedule. Between Rotorua and the Aratiatia Rapids turn-off the torch was carried by men of the Cambridge Harrier Cub, and of the Matamata and Putaruru Athletic Clubs.