Cambridge 100 Years Ago - October 1909
A double wedding was celebrated at Tamahere when Mr Lance Ewen married Miss Annie Parry and Mr Sholto Ferguson married Miss Daphne Ewen. At 'Woodford' Taotaoroa Miss Elizabeth Dora Brunskill married John R E Overton.
Mr Thos Wells returned from a trip around the Islands and Australia where he managed to secure some new specimens of plants and a lot of chrysanthemums.
At the Leamington Town Board meeting Mrs O'Neil wrote saying she would be glad if the Board would do something towards improving the condition of Arnold Street footpath. The chairman said the delay had been occasioned by the unfavourable weather.
The Borough Council set the tariffs for the use of the new town hall. These ranged from £4 to £6 for entertainments. Picture shows £3 and dances up to midnight £3.
The Hautapu Ladies Hockey Team played the men's team, who were dressed in fancy dress, and lost two goals to nil.
Ali Mahomet applied for his Prohibition Order to be reinstated after having wrestled one of his restaurant clients to the ground for not paying his bill. The offender, Percy Woods was let off as the Bench found the evidence to be a mass of contradiction.
Mr W C McDermott, postmaster of Cambridge, was granted three week's leave of absence and went on a visit to Melbourne . It is understood Mr McDermott will bring home a bride.
At Mr E Veale's office a telephonic chess match was held between Cambridge and Raglan with Raglan winning five games to two.
At the fourth annual report of the local Chamber of Commerce they listed their accomplishments – Post Office built in brick, Chiming clock and clock tower, telephone exchanges at Pukeroro, Karapiro, Gricedale, Auckland, Hamilton, Maungatautari and Kaipaki. Post Office at Karapiro and extension of telephone hours. Concession on rail freight, draining Lake Street and assisted to get the new Courthouse.
The Chamber also made note of the stigma being associated with Cambridge as the outside press always referred to the Government Sanatorium at Maungakawa as the 'Cambridge Sanatorium'. They were also concerned that the deaths at the Sanatorium were registered 'officially' as Cambridge deaths.
Mr A Thomas, formerly of Newmarket and Otahuhu, became the new proprietor of the Central Hotel. The dining room was administered under the able direction of Mrs Thomas.
The flag was flown from the Post Office today in honour of Trafalgar Day.
T Richards was advertising 1 gallon tins of apples for 1/6d, 1 gallon of peaches 1/9d, prunes at 4d per pound, apricots 9d per pound and dates 1/- for 5 pounds.
The Hautapu Cricket Club opened its season with a match Married men vs Single which was won by the Benedicts by one run.
A committee of Crs Tudehope, Hill and Richards together with Messrs Warren, Lundon, Hammond, Veale and McDermott with power to add to their numbers, was formed to arrange the Town Hall opening.
The Post Office at Pukerimu was in the charge of Miss L Ryan the sister of Miss Ryan the schoolmistress of that place.
At the S M Court Edward Watson was fined 5/- for not having proper lights fixed to his vehicle. Henry Driver was fined 1/- for riding on the Grey Street footpath. Frederick Reynolds was charged with procuring liquor while under a prohibition order. Michael Hicket was charged with having illegally impounded two cows belonging to Charles Lockett.
The first Taxi Cab landed at the local railway station with Mr R Norries from Auckland being issued a licence to ply for hire. His stand was opposite the Fountain on the Bank of NZ corner.
The Borough council also resolved that the portion of Victoria Street from the (former) Borough Chambers to the old Catholic school be declared a stand for motor cars.
Because of the demands on the telephone Trunk lines, communications were to be limited to exchanges separated by one exchange only. This was a considerable hardship to commercial users.
'The cart horse, the cow and the bicycle fiend once more pursue their bylaw-less way in the streets of Cambridge, and chortle in their joy that, after the longest spell off the streets known to the oldest inhabitant, the town has again become rangerless!'
The Mayor complained in strong terms of acts of larrikinism perpetuated in the Domain. There seemed to be a feeling of destruction, and a want of respect for law and order, among young people, which betokened the lack of proper training on the part of parents.
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