The only available schoolroom at Piopio.
Meghan Hawkes winds the clock back to 1909 to check the news.
In 1909, New Zealand was in evolution, industrial, economic and political development starting with the wealth of the cow, shown in this photo of farmers getting paid for their full milk which was exported to the United Kingdom and Europe.
Piopio settlers had unsuccessfully been negotiating for a school building for months.
They had been allowed the use of a hall, but on one occasion the children were turned out of it for weeks while a big tangi was in progress. Classes were then held under a magnificent hawthorn tree said to have been planted by the early missionaries. Controversy in the community over the school site had become heated. Inspector Burnside of the Education Department visited Piopio and examined the rival sites. After a somewhat lengthy conference he succeeded in conveying the impression to each competing party that they had won.
A Wellington visitor to ‘Weird Waitomo’ was pleasantly surprised when he took a canoe ride on the river that had gnawed a passage through the limestone. The canoe was slowly paddled for about 250 yards into a tunnel which the forces of nature had curiously fashioned. The dark water made eerie mournful music against the sides of the great cavern. The inlet was dimly lit by great glow worms which clustered on the huge stalactites and in the spaces between.
A grotto rose to a height of 50 feet, and was a glory of phosphorescence. The glow worms’ lamps revealed grotesque shapes like dragons which seemed to be guarding the treasures of a fairyland, and warn away intruders. The Government intended having a suitable boat regularly on the river to increase the delights of visitors to Waitomo and Ruakuri. A new accommodation house was almost finished. It featured hot and cold water, electric light and other appointments designed to make it a comfortable abode. It would be a great attraction to tourists passing down the Main Trunk railway line after seeing the wonders of Rotorua.
Ōtorohanga was going ahead. A nearly new house was being moved back from the main street to be replaced by another billiard room. A shop was being refitted for another butcher’s shop, and a carpenter’s shop had not long been built. Town sections were getting fenced off and private dwellings built on them, while other sections were changing hands. Carters were coming into the district and getting more work than they could handle.
At Awakino a fortune awaited a brewer. If a man skilled in transforming water and other ingredients into beer obtained a license to brew and sell, he would have money galore. But there was no liquor allowed at Awakino and so the thirsty man had to go about with his tongue parched. There was no bar there – only one at the river entrance.
An Electric Operascope was shown to an audience at the Te Kūiti hall. The machine was one of the latest and the pictures, which are all new, were shown to full advantage by the powerful electric light. The series portraying the antics of a victim of the ‘Merry Widow Waltz Craze’ evoked much laughter and it was thought some of the alluring styles shown might find favour at future Te Kūiti dances. Street scenes in Morocco proved very interesting. Judging by the frequent applause, the audience was very well satisfied with the entertainment.
The only available schoolroom at Piopio.
