50 years ago
❚ When two New Plymouth hotels closed following a decision by the Supreme Court, there was a complete contrast in the reactions, patrons at the Breakwater Hotel fighting and looting as 10 o’clock came while at the Grosvenor Hotel patrons sang as the last round of beers was served.
❚ Following an agreement with a Sydney firm, the owner of the New Plymouth firm Egmont Leather and Canvas Co Ltd, Mr D J Littlejohn, began exporting leather goods to Australia.
❚ For the first time in New Zealand two schools combined their upper
6th form classes, the announcement coming from the New Plymouth boys’ and girls’ high schools who said the change would come into effect in 1968.
❚ With a total of 207 members, the Bell Block, Huirangi, Lepperton and Tarurutangi branches of Federated Farmers combined to form the Bell Block-Huirangi branch with Mr L J Andrews as chairman.
❚ After serving, mid-day meals at New Plymouth for 35 years, the Chequers Tearooms, owned by Mr S W Sadler closed after charging its regular customers 60 cents for a three-course meal.
❚ Hawera, as a small borough, was above the national average in industrial development and, with South Taranaki, could look forward to the future with great confidence, an executive officer with the Industries and Commerce Department, Mr D J Walker, said during a visit to Hawera.
❚ Beating Max Pool on the 17th hole, Peter Powell won the New Plymouth Golf Club’s senior championship.
❚ When fire took hold of their home in Waihi Rd, near Waitara, Mr and Mrs R B Webber, their daughters Caroline (10), Allyson (8) and Helen (6) and Mr Webber’s parents from Patea, Mr and Mrs H C Webber, all escaped unharmed but the house was gutted.
❚ Making a name for himself in Britain and abroad was a former New Plymouth man, Mr David Bishop (34), who had opened an exclusive furniture shop in London.
❚ Movies: Return Of The Seven (Stratford Plaza), Yul Brynner and Robert Fuller; Hotel (Mayfair), Rod Taylor, Catherine Spaak, Karl Malden and Melvyn Douglas; Fahrenheit 451 (State), Julie Christie and Oskar Werner; One Spy Too Many (Hawera Regent), Robert Vaughan and David McCallum.
❚ Television transmission from the Hen and Chickens translator on Mt Egmont ceased and parts of New Plymouth were plunged into darkness when a Landrover hit a power pole in Lepper Rd, the driver, Paul Holland (16) of Midhirst, and his passengers, David (18) and John (16) Whittle ,of Stratford being admitted to the New Plymouth hospital.
❚ To ascertain whether amalgamation of the four Taranaki hospital boards would be in the interests of patients and in the public welfare, the Prime Minister, Mr K J Holyoake, decided on an independent oneman inquiry, he advised the four board chairmen and the leader of the anti-amalgamation petitioners, Mr A Smith of Hawera.
❚ A ‘‘bargain boulevard’’ held in the closed main shopping centre of Stratford by the local Lions Club had gone close to raising the target of $2000 required to help reticulate power to Mt Egmont’s Maunganui ski field, the club president, Mr K G Tocker, said.
❚ Winner of the North Taranaki Power Boat Club’s Miss Boat Show contest held in conjunction with the club’s annual show at New Plymouth was Miss Lee Thomas, with Miss Irene Biddle second and Miss Coraleen McCullough, third.
❚ The first National Rose Society of New Zealand bronze medal to be awarded in Taranaki was given to Mrs P Henry during the Taranaki Rose Society’s show at New Plymouth.
❚ 35 Years Ago: All Black captain Graham Mourie of Opunake retires from rugby; Stratford river walkway opened; Hawera Mayor, Mr Bruce Murray, made life member of New Zealand Performing Arts Association; Taranaki wrestlers T Scott, B Gulliver and M Montgomerie selected for tour of California.
❚ 25 Years Ago: Hawera’s controversial mall fountain demolished; golfer Grant Moorhead named Taranaki senior sportsman of the year; New Plymouth’s new TSB Stadium officially opened; Operation Watch volunteers begin night patrols of Hawera.