50 years ago
❚ Complaining about the inadequate bus service between Waitara and New Plymouth, Mrs M Ham of Waitara told the Waitara Borough Council her husband had lost $90 in wages as a result and the council decided to seek a meeting with Road Services in New Plymouth.
❚ Two Taranaki crew members, Messrs J E Lawrence (20) of Inglewood and A Styles (20) of New Plymouth, although in the engine room right up to the time the interisland ferry Wahine was wrecked in Wellington harbour with the loss of many lives, made their way safely ashore.
❚ The former Rahotu Hotel, owned by Taranaki Brewery Ltd, would be demolished and the proceeds of items auctioned handed over to the Pungarehu Baths Committee, the company’s general manager, Mr G B L Saunders, announced.
❚ Fifty-six students from the New Plymouth Girls’ High School, most of them members of the school’s tramping club, led by Mrs V Gaskin and other members of the school staff, cleared a track on Mt Egmont from the top of Maude Rd to Maude Peak.
❚ The headmaster of the Inglewood High School, Mr A S Black, was shot dead outside his office.
❚ The first hotel in Taranaki to be granted a variation in hours after the introduction of 10 o’clock closing, the Imperial Hotel, New Plymouth, began new hours from
9am to 7pm, the manager, Mr R Johns, saying he expected the change to go smoothly.
❚ Movies: Tobruk (Hawera Regent), Rock Hudson, George Peppard, Guy Stockwell and Nigel Green; A Stitch In Time (Mayfair), Norman Wisdom; Cattle Empire (State), Joel McRae; Africa, Texas Style (Stratford Plaza), Hugh O’Brien, Nigel Green, John Mills and Tom Hardini.
❚ Authority to form a 23-strong senior panel to cover Taranaki senior A and B matches was given to the referees’ appointment board of Messrs I W Wallace (New Plymouth), C G Espin (Stratford) and R P Oakes (Kaponga) by the Taranaki Rugby Football Union.
❚ More than 280 players from 27 clubs competed in the Taranaki Bowling Centre’s Easter open fours tournament played at Hawera with J Hayman (East End, New Plymouth) winning with his team of R Ferabend, W Hill and E D Williams 18-16 over Stratford’s team of B R Robson, J F Walsh, I J Allen and A S Robson (skip).
❚ A commemorative bronze plaque to be placed in the foyer of the planned new assembly hall at the New Plymouth Boys’ High School was unveiled by the Chief Justice, Sir Richard Wild, at the school’s 85 th jubilee celebrations.
❚ New Zealand was well up with overseas trends in the styling and materials used in the building industry, the president of the Taranaki Master Builders’ Association, Mr D B Read (Stratford), said on his return from a 27-day trip to Western Pacific countries.
❚ Forty parents attended an inaugural meeting of the Kaponga Home and School Association at which Mr J Rolls was elected president.
35 Years Ago:
❚ Central Taranaki Women’s Division of Federated Farmers celebrates golden jubilee.
❚ Taranaki’s Mrs Chris Bowdrey (68) wins three gold medals at Australian veterans’ athletic championships.
❚ National Woolcrafts Festival held at New Plymouth.
❚ Fletcher Merchants Ltd buys long-established New Plymouth firm of Hughsons’ Hardware Ltd.
25 Years Ago:
❚ New Zealand amateur golf championships hosted by New Plymouth Golf Club.
❚ Taranaki’s Callum Taylor wins men’s beach sprint at international event on Australia’s Gold Coast.
❚ $800,000 extension to St Mary’s Anglican Church, New Plymouth, dedicated; fire destroys Mokau police station.