These old Maori days were recalled one night recently when the school committee was meeting.
Someone said “why not?” and so there was held yesterday what will be known as the first Karitane regatta. Seaside trains from town conveyed a large crowd of holiday-makers, and others went by horse and car.
By the time the races started there was a crowd of several hundred people disposed for the sake of the view on the bank behind the pier and in various nooks and corners of their own finding about the beach.
The day was very fortunate. In the forenoon there was a light northerly, which, however, scarcely caused a ripple on the sheltered water of the river, and the afternoon was calm.
Though the day was mild the sun was hidden, and the absence of the usual glare was timely. With the exception of the swimming and kindred events, which were taken at Dr King’s end of the beach, all the events finished in front of the pier.
Successful Warrington sports
A number of residents of Warrington combined with a few prominent visitors this year to organise a sports meeting as an additional holiday attraction at that very popular seaside resort.
The sports meeting took place yesterday afternoon, and in addition to those already holiday-making, a large number of townsfolk went out by train for the day, while numerous visitors from the neighbouring countryside helped to swell the throng and make the spacious beach look bright and busy.
Those well acquainted with Warrington said it was the largest crowd they had ever seen gathered there, and the officials certainly had a very busy time in clearing a course through the spectators.
The tide was full at about one o’clock, and it brought up with it an immense amount of seaweed.
The sky clouded heavily at noon, but the winner kept mild and dry, and there was no wind.
The bigger events of the day — the cycling and motorcycling could not take place till the tide had receded sufficiently to leave a good strip of hard sand, and so a start was made with the children’s races. It need hardly be said these were an enthusiastic success.
The children competed in large numbers, and accepted the result like model sportsmen. — ODT, 28.12.1921.
