EKETAHUNA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 January 1940, Page 7

EKETAHUNA

CRICKET COMPETITION WIN FOR LOCAL ELEVEN. . (“Times-Age" Special.) On Saturday on the Mangamaire ground. Eketahuna defeated the Pahiatua Fire Brigade team by nine wickets. Scores: Pahiatua Fire Brigade, first innings, 62 (Cavanagh 10, Richards 10), Robinson 3 for 14, Francois 2 for 29, Tredray 2 for 11, Payne 2 for 5). Second innings, 68 (Murch 14, Paget 14, Johnson 10; Robinson 3 for 25. Leith 5 for 14, Tredray 2 for 10). Eketahuna, first innings, 111 (Leith 27, Payne 17, Rowden 30; Paget 5 for 52, Dougan 4 for 33). Second innings, one wicket for 30. WEDDINGS CLARKSON—WENHAM. A quiet wedding was celebrated by the Rev L. Ives at the residence, Hukanui, on December 21, when Ethne Phyllis, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Wenham. was married to Matthew Carson, second son of Mr and .Mrs. W. Clarkson. Kaitangita. The bride, who was escorted by her father .wore a model frock of gold lace with hat and shoes to tone. She chose for travelling a nigger brown costume with accessories to match. The honeymoon was spent in the south, the bridegroom, a member of the Special Force, visiting his parents before returning to Hukanui. HAMMOND-DONEY. A wedding of local interest was solemnised at the Makataku Methodist Church on New. Year’s Day, when Dulcie Allison, daughter of Mrs. V. Doney, Eketahuna, was married to Thomas Nheill Murray, eldest son of Mr and Mrs. Hammond, of Ohingiti. CATHOLIC CHURCH SUCCESSFUL GARDEN PARTY. A most successful garden party was held at the residence of Mrs. J. McKenna, Newman, on Saturday, in beautiful weather; me proceeds being in aid of the local Catholic Church. There was a large attendance, including visitors from Masterton. Wellington, Hastings. Eketahuna and surrounding districts. The lovely grounds lent themselves admirably for the occasion, and a very pleasant time was spent by all. The various stalls—fancy, cake, soft drink and ice cream —and games, such as clock golf, etc., did good business and were conducfed by many willing helpers. LABOUR PARTY MEETING OF EKETAHUNA BRANCH The fortnightly meeting of the Eketahuna branch of the New Zealand Labour Party was held in the Odd Fellows’ Hal] on Saturday night, the president, Mr. G. A. Hansen, presiding over a good attendance of members. Mr. G. A. Hansen was appointed as delegate to represent the branch at the Easter Conference of the Labour Party. It was decided to move the notice board to a more prominent place in the town. After discussion it was resolved that the following remit be forwarded for consideration at the Easter Conference: "That where persons buy property and pay a deposit that proportion of the property belongs to the purchaser in the event of a forced sale.” An hour's discussion on present day topics followed, after which the meeting closed. Personal Items. Mr. and Mrs W. Drysdale, who spent the holidays with Mrs J. Drysdale. Macara Street, returned to Wanganui today. Miss M. Hooper. High Street, left today on a visit to friends at Wanganui. Dr. Guy Schofield, Government Librarian, was a visitor to Eketahuna on Friday. Mrs. C. H. Parsons and family are paying a visit to relatives at Lower Hutt. Mr. R. Reardon and his daughter returned to Lower Hutt on Saturday after spending a few days with his.’ mother. Mrs C. E. Reardon, High Street. Mr. E. Hooper. Te Awamutu, who spent a few days with relatives here, has returned home. Mr. and Mrs W. H. Daniel and family, are the guests of Mrs. S. Daniel, Parkville. Mr. B. Langridge, who has secured a position at Palmerston North, left for that place on Saturday. CLOSELY ASSOCIATED EKETAHUNA AND MAURICEVILLE. EARLY DAYS OF DAIRY COMPANY [ As previously stated, there lias always been a close association between Eketahuna and Mauriceville, especially in trade, today as fifty years ago. Mauriceville is a far different district today from what it was over 46 years ago, when the writer first cast eyes on it, reaching there by train from Wellington and stopping to carry out certain activities relative to advertising on railway stations —work which occupied about twenty minutes after which I had to kick my heels on the floor of the little flag station until the train returned some two or three hours later from Eketahuna, that being as far as the train then went. The only human beings I saw at Mauriceville during the time was the stationmaster and a boy, both of whom vanished when the train departed, reappearing when it was due to arrive from the northern town. One should add that it was at Easter time.

The Principal Industries. Dairy farming and lime burning

were the principal industries of the place then, as they are today, Mauriceville butter for a long period of years being noted for its excellence and being classed as among the best produced in the Dominion. Mauriceville West is situated two or three miles from Mauriceville East. Forty-five years ago there was considerable trade between Mauriceville and Eketahuna. Education was then represented by two schools and there was a Lutheiap Church in Mauriceville West. Cottiss's Hall was the principal hall in those days, though many meetings were held in the schools and Setters’ Club. “Declared for Prohibition.” A writer in the ’9o’s had the following note concerning Mauriceville: “The settlement declared for prohibition several years ago, and consequently there are no licensed hotels, but ample accommodation is provided at Cottiss’s Temperance Hotel and at seveial restaurants. There is no lockup 01 policeman in the district” The Mauriceville West Post and Telegraph Office was situated in those days about 21 miles from the Mauriceville railway station and was opened as a post office in 1886. It was connected with Masterton and Eketahuna by telephone. The mails for the north and south closed daily at 11 a.m. and arrived each day at 3 p.m. The Mauriceville East Post Office was at Mr. Guilder Gunderson’s store, the business having been established by Mr Gunderson in 1880. This post office was considered to be a branch ol the Mauriceville West office, and was only open for a few hours daily while Mr. Gunderson was at the store. Mr. Gunderson was a prominent settler of the district being a J.P.. chairman of nearly all the local bodies and a member of others. He came to New Zealand from Denmark in 1873 and died many years ago.

Mauriceville Dairy Factory. There is an interesting description available by a writer in the early '9o's concerning the Mauriceville dairy factory: "The Mauriceville dairy factory at Mauriceville West, was established in 1891 and is open in the summer and autumn months. It is the property ol the Mauriceville Dairy Company, and is let to the New Zealand Loan and Mrcantile Agency Co.. Ltd., of Wellington. The building, a substantial wooden structure, contains five rooms as follows: The receiving room. 12ft by 14ft.. the separating room 40ft. by 20ft., in which there are two separators of Danish make with a capacity of 500 gallons an hour, the butter room 12ft. by 30ft.. which is provided with a revolving box churn of 3cwt. capacity made in Wellington, and the latest appliances for buttermaking: the storeroom J 2ft. by 12ft.. and the engine room 15ft. by 30ft.. in which there is an eight horsepower engine. The factory when working turns out four cwt. of butter daily, and the output for the season is 25 tons. The milk is paid for bv test. Part of the butter is sold in Wellington and some is exported." The dairy factory has made great strides since those early days. The manager of the factory was Mr. Christian Schon, a native of Denmark, who arrived in Mauriceville about 1892. The farmers of Eketahuna were very much interested in the dairy factory at Mauriceville and were to have a factory of their own one clay.