Waikaka pub’s age disputed
It’s not good manners to talk about a lady’s age but in this case we might have to.
Waikaka’s Royal Hotel celebrated its 150th birthday this month, but a former publican’s family member says the candles may have been blown out a couple of years too early.
Paul Corcoran, a cousin of former publican Wattie Corcoran, says a book called Waikaka Saga by Allister Evans states the old hotel was built on its present site in 1872 by an A A Edge – making the old girl a spritely 146, not 150.
Edge later rebuilt the present two storied building in 1878.
Corcoran reckons Wattie, who is thought to still haunt the duke box in the main bar, would be ‘‘turning in his grave’’ at the thought of his beloved pub celebrating its big birthday early.
‘‘He wouldn’t be happy, that’s for sure.’’
Wattie, who Corcoran says was ‘‘a bit of a character,’’ was the hotel’s publican for many years and found a loophole in the law back in the days when Gore was under prohibition.
‘‘He had a showroom in Gore where people could place orders for alcohol that was delivered to them from the Royal Hotel by an employee, Ray Nicol. who used a light truck.
‘‘This very much annoyed the Mataura Licensing Trust who did their best to have his showroom shut down, but the law was on Wattie’s side and when he eventually closed the showroom, MLT purchased it and shut it down then.’’
Evans’ book says the Royal Hotel was built on its present site, and was one of two drinking holes in the the Eastern Southland town – although there were two Chinese gambling dens in the village as well.