OHAUPO.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 290, 19 May 1898, Page 2

OHAUPO.

- The Ohaupo Hotel.—This comfortable uud convenient hostelry has again changed hands, Mr Mat. Laurie having sold his interest to Mr Teddy, late of Puriri, We were all sorry to lose the popular "Mat," but I understand Host Teddy has come to us with a good reputation, he having kept an hotel in the Thames district for some years. Everything will be conducted on the &ame lines as heretofore —good bed, good meata and good liquors. A few words about the history of this hotel may be interesting to your readers. It was first built in 1865 by cne of the military Battlers, Mr Drum, a Dane, on his fifty acres, and was built of slabs ; an unpretentious shanty, which answered the purpose, the traveller being always sure of a good feed for both man and horse, and a good nobbier of commibsariat rum (rum being the favourite tipple in those days). -Of course no one ever asked' whether the rum paid duty or not. The sign board iu front of this traveller's rest was (printed in large type): "If you want rum, Cooee," and in answer to the call up came the landlord from the swamp, where he was working, and attended to the traveller's wauts. But times have changed since then, and it is now one of the best conducted and one of the best paying country hotels in the province. It has changed hands no less than eight times since its birth. Host Delaney, now of Paeroa, occupied it for no less a term than eighteen years, during which time there was not a single complaint against the management. During Mr Delaney's term he built large additions to suit the growing requirements of the district. Even some of the most rabid prohibitionists agree that it has always been a well-conducted house, and is required in the district. I trust that it may always maintain its reputation for good accommodation and good whisky.— (Own Correspondent).