CENTENNIAL PLANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 August 1939, Page 9

CENTENNIAL PLANS

DATES FOR THE WAIRARAPA DISTRICT ONE COMBINED GATHERING NOT POSSIBLE. DISCUSSION BY ZONE COMMITTEE Dates for the holding or local centennial celebrations in the Wairarapa district were approved by the Wairarapa District Zone Committee at a meeting held in Masterton yesterday as follow:—Akitio County, March 9; Pahiatua Borough and Pahiatua County, April 14 to 20 (inclusive); Eketahuna Borough and County, February 3; Masterton Borough and County and Castlepoint County, March 14; Mauriceville County, March 2; Carterton Borough and Wairarapa South County, March 7; Greytown Borough, February 17; Featherston Borough, February 10; Featherston County, dates of Greytown, Featherston and Martinborough boroughs: Martinborough Borough, March 30. In some cases the dates may be subject to slight amendment.

“My own opinion,” said Mr J. W. Card (Mayor of Featherston), "is that we should have one celebration for the whole of the Wairarapa. I believe the whole of tKe Wairarapa should unite and call it a Wairarapa Centennial celebration and fix Masterton as the place.” Mr Card added that he thought transport could be arranged. Mr W. Simpson (Mayor of Eketahuna): “The suggestion is quite a reasonable one but the cows are bellowing about that time and it is very difficult for people to come down to Masterton.” He went on to state that right throughout New Zealand no special effort was being made regarding the centennial celebrations and there was a lack of co-operation between local bodies and the Government. Eketahuna was going to have its “two days’ bust." Unless something were done generally to interest the people the whole centennial celebrations would be a failure, he stated.

“Is there any general desire that there should be only one function in this district?”' asked Mr T. Jordan (Mayor of Masterton). Mr A. B. Martin (chairman of the Featherston County Council) said personally he considered it a splendid idea, but the Featherston County was in a rather peculiar position, as it had three towns in its area. The county would be only too pleased to fall into line with the decision of the three boroughs in_the county. Mr A. W. Horton (Mayor of Greytown) indicated that Greytown residents cosidered a celebration shouldsbeheld there, as Greytown was the oldest town in the Wairarapa. Mr S. K. Siddells, Mayor of Pahiatua, said there was no community of interest between Akitio, Pahiatua and Eketahuna with the Wairarapa and he thought that those districts could be excluded from any combined celebration. He explained that as the jubilee of the Pahiatua County fell last year and the jubilee of the Pahiatua Bor ough fell next year, it had been decided to combine both jubilees and hold a joint celebration at the one time. That was the reason for the celebrations extending over, a week. Mr Card: “That ends my suggestion.? Mr A. Campbell Pearce (chairman of the Wairarapa Power Board) asked what form local celebrations were taking. It might be possible, if this were known, to have a form of celebration suitable for the South Wairarapa as a whole in which all the towns could join. Mr Jordan said that matter had not been discussed. He intended to call a public- meeting to consider the form of celebration in Masterton . “I gather from what Mr Horton has said,” said Mr Jordan, “that Greytown people definitely want a celebration there, so that disposes of it.” He added that he would be very much surprised if Carterton did not want its own local celebration.