Cambridge 100 Years Ago - September 1905
Hall Street was considered by many people as the entrance to the Showground and the Borough Council was asked to replace the dead trees with live ones.
Settlers in the Fencourt Estate district were engaged in stumping, ploughing and clearing, and an air of prosperity and contentment pervaded.
Mr T Dagg of Cambridge West, assisted by several drovers, took 700 head of cattle from Tirau through to Gisborne by road. Over the 19 day trip they only lost nine.
Miss A S Rochefort, late Matron of Te Waikato Sanatorium, was farewelled with an address and gifts from the staff and patients.
Strayed from Hinuera - a big dark red cow. Likely to be straying back to Ohaupo.
Wanted - Married Couple; wife to cook for four men, man to do carting and general work.
Wanted - Girl for Matamata, able to do plain cooking.
"A heavy thunderstorm passed over the district at 3:30 o'clock interrupting proceedings at the stock sale and making locomotion disagreeable."
Something new for Cambridge was a Winter Fête in aid of funds for a Primitive Methodist Church in Cambridge. Families helping out were Lockett, Cudworth, Palmer, Jamieson, Beer, Anderson, C Reid, Brindle, Care, Gladding, Keeley, Ollard and Nicholson. The Alexandra Hall depicted an Old Country winter scene with snowflakes falling upon a nicely laid out garden. There was a concert the first night and a novel entertainment 'Around the Campfire' by a number of young men, the second night.
The local Anglers met to arrange the liberation of 25,000 rainbow trout fry. It was resolved to pay one shilling per head for the destruction of shags.
The Cambridge Assemblies, a series of dances, concluded at the Alexandra Hall with 'powder and patch' adding to the gaiety. "The scene, when the dancing was in full progress, was an animated one and a sight worth witnessing."
Mrs James Hally was the hostess for three of the dances and Mrs James Taylor hostess for the fourth. The supper was light and appetising, all the provisions being of the best quality, and the dainties made by capable hands.
The new by-laws came into force and an Editorial ran - "People who have been in the habit of taking undue liberties with the public thoroughfares had better turn over a new leaf or else they will find themselves adding to the revenue in fines and costs, to say nothing of the time wasted in interviewing a stern and unsympathetic magistrate in the depressing atmosphere and gloom of a dirty old Courthouse. Driving horses at a furious pace along the roads and footpaths may be capital and thrilling sport for warm blooded young men, especially when ladies are in the way, but the question naturally arises whether the life and limb of those on foot is worth a moment's consideration, or whether pedestrians should be requested to stay in doors when reckless and dashing horsemen are frolicking about."
The Cambridge Camera Club wound up and handed £1 5s 6d to the Salvation Army.
Mr A Manson held a competition to name his new restaurant and picked 'Noumai' from about 100 suggestions.
The display of draught horses at the recent Horse Sale was equal to anything seen in the large centres.
The Catholic Fancy Fair held in the Alexandra Hall was a decided success with a bevy of energetic young ladies disposing of many useful and ornamental articles. The public was also entertained with a musical programme and competitions.
A novelty of interest to the fair sex in Mr A Beuth's shop, was a saddle made specially for ladies who wore a divided skirt.
There were complaints of unruly behaviour by some of the young fellows of Cambridge West while attending a recent concert. The larrikin element interrupted proceedings with hisses and silly remarks until order was restored.
J L S Richardson auctioned his well known hunter 'Comus' and got £27.
Three shillings was the highest bid the local pound keeper got for a chestnut mare.
At the local Horse Fair which had been running for a fortnight, Mr William Hawkins bought upwards of 160 horses for the Indian market.
It was reported that Messrs Death Bros had sold part of their estate adjoining the Hora Hora rapids, to the Waihi Gold Mining Company for an electric power house.
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