Karioi win 80 years ago

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 244, 31 May 1988, Page 5

Karioi win 80 years ago

Once again we turn to the pages of the Waimarino County Call for news of life as it was lived and reported almost exactly 80 years ago.

This selection i s taken from the "Call" dated Monday, May 25, 1908. Some of the stories have a particular relevance to today's readers. Rugby Report "At Masterton on Saturday the Angels-Welsh rugby footballers defeated a Wairarapa-Bush combination by 17 points to 3." "The first-ever championship match under the auspices of the Ruapehu Sub-union was played last Saturday between Karioi and Horopito on the Ohakune ground and was won by Karioi by 16 points to nil." Railway Redundancies "Latest reports state that the Railways Departrnent will take over the line to Waiouru on June 8th and the Raugataua section early in July. It is reported that all the men who have completed their various jobs on the main line near Waiouru have been given notice that their services will no longer be required."

Education "The annual report of the Wanganui Education Board for 1907 is well compiled and full o f figures, details etc regarding the scope of the Board's operations. "At the end of the year 184 schools were operating and five new schools were opened including the transfer from Auckland district of the Makatote and Raurimu schools. As might be surmised the principle area of extension of new schools follows the route of the Main Trunk Line. "There were 377 teachers in the Board's services of whom 167 were men and 210 were women. The (student) roll number stood at 13,046 and the average attendance was 10,973, the latter showing a decrease of 131 on the previous year although the roll increased by 175. This result has been ascribed to an extraordinary amount of sickness during the winter. "The Board has again to refer in the highest

terms to the capabihty, industry and enthusiasm of the general body of teachers for, with hardly an exception, they have proved their fitness for the very important work entrusted to them." Rainbow Reminder "When the French ship President Felix Faure was lost in the Antipodes almost as far from hope as the marines could wander the crew no doubt expected to find rough days awaiting them (on the Auckland Islands). Those days did come (as reported in the overseas cable news) but some of the sting was takcn out of them by the stores which the sailors formed in that lonely region. "They discovered the goods which the New Zealand Government

had left for the benefit of castaways and these things helped the unfortunate men to make their stay much more comfortable than it might have been. "In accordance with international law New Zealand puts boxed and bottled comfort upon islands which ever lie in wait for ships but, even without this law dictated by the impulse of brotherhood which is universal in the precaution against ihe treachery of the ocean, this country would scarely begrudge the cost of provisioning these danger stdtions. "The recent utility of these stores (by French shipwreck survivors) must make people pleased with an enterprise which has done much to relieve human suffering."