GREYTOWN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 February 1940, Page 7

GREYTOWN

. FIRST IN MANY THINGS THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS. (“Times-Age” Special.) Greytown, which will hold its Centennial celebrations on February 17, can lay claim to having been first in many things as far as .the Wairarapa is concerned, and it even holds New Zealand records as far as important institutions are concerned. It had the first race meeting, in 1864; the first newspaper, in 1866; the first football club, in 1868; the first bank,'in .1872; the first doctor; the first public hospital, in 1874; the first post office; the first Local Board, in 1874; the first Borough Council, in 1878; the first Anglican Missioner; the first Wesleyan minister, etc., etc. The first settlers to arrive in Greytown were Mr T. Kempton and his son Thomas, Mr and Mrs Moles, Mr Benjamin Stevens and the Rev Mr Bruff. This was in 1853.

It was in Greytown in 1881 that the first agitation started to establish cooperative cheese factories in New Zealand, though when the factory eventually opened in 1883, owing to unfortunate delays, a factory had started at Edendale (South Island).

It was in Greytown that Arbor Day had its birth. This was in 1890, just 50 years ago. Much is being written just now of those who arrived in New Zealand in 1840. There aTe many descendants of those pioneers living in Greytown, and scattered about the Wairarapa, and they are being honoured during the Centennial celebrations. There is one family living in and around Greytown that can beat 1840. That is the Jury family. There died at Taumatu (Jury Island) —a property situated between Greytown and Carterton —no less a person than Mr John Millson Jury, at the ripe age of 88 years, who landed in the Bay of Islands in 1837. He left two sons —Messrs J. M. and C. J. Jury—and one daughter—Mrs J. Oates. There is another - family in Greytown that claims even a better record than this, and upon verification they will receive due publicity.

Bowling Matches. Owing to the threatening weather on Saturday morning the Booth Cup games between Greytown and Martinborough were all played at Martinborough. At the end of play honours were even, each team winning two games.

Fifteen members of the Greytown Bowling Club visited Upper Hutt on Sunday. In the morning Greytown won three games and lost one. In tne afternoon Upper Hutt won three and lost one. St Luke’s Ladies’ Guild. There was a good attendance of members at the meeting presided over by Mrs A. H. York. It was decided to hold a garden party at the residence of Mr and Mrs F. C. Bunny, on Saturday, March 2, provided that this date was suitable to the owners. The Rev J. F. Holland, vicar of Featherston, is to be asked to officially open the garden party. Several offers of gifts for the various stalls were received from those present.