December 1907

The name plates of the streets in the town were put on the corner of buildings at the corner of the streets. Where this was not practicable, the names were painted on the gas lamps.
The fourth annual Rose Show and Fancy Fair was held by St Andrew's Church with proceeds going towards the installation of gas lighting in the church. The energetic Ladies Guild of the church produced useful and ornamental needlework and fancy goods which added to stalls of produce, sweets, toys and refreshments. Champion Rose was Martin McDermott's 'Mrs J Lang'.
Wedding Bells were ringing when Margaret J Gardiner, dressed in pale lavender silk phanton voile with white tuscan hat with plumes, married Hugh Ferguson. 'The newly married couple left for their honeymoon amidst a perfect shower of rice, rose petals and old shoes.'
Also Hazel Popple married Clynick Graham McKechnie at a quiet ceremony at the Manse.
A very successful clearing sale was held at Karapiro when when G J Neal's herd of 40 choice dairy cows averaged £10 a head.

Two new bats were bought for the Cricket Club, six foot matting was laid on Victoria Square and the pitch put in order. The first match was Married Men 22 versus Single 103.
40 new books were placed on the shelves of the local Library as well as the latest ten volumes of the Harmsworth's Encyclopaedia.
The official opening of Victoria Bridge (by the Governor Lord Plunket) was set for Saturday, 21 December so the NZ Loan and Merchantile Agency moved their monthly sale forward to the 19th.
Mr L Isherwood (President of the Cambridge Lawn Tennis Club) presented two trophies to encourage junior members to play.
The new Presbyterian Bible Class tennis courts, next to the Manse in Alpha Street, were officially opened by the Mayor W F Buckland. He referred to the social advantages of the game and said such recreations should be heartily encouraged.
The No. 3 Waikato Mounted Rifles were inspected by the Inspector General of the NZ forces and aquitted themselves well as they were put through various movements.

The first motor car, a 12 h.p. Darracq, was driven by Miss Jeffries across Victoria Bridge at 9:45 a.m. on 14 December 1907. The first buggy also traversed the bridge with Mayor W F Buckland, Robert Fisher (Chairman of the Pukekura Road Board) and John Fisher (Chairman Waipa County Council).
Madame Isherwood held a Breaking-up Concert at 'Waterside' when all her music and dance pupils performed to an enthusiastic crowd of parents and guests.
After a musical programme at the Methodists' Sunday School concert, to raise money for a Missionary in the South Sea Islands, each child was given a prize off the Christmas tree.
The Cambridge Library Committee was not consulted before the Borough Council wrote to Andrew Carnegie asking for money to build a new library - and they were miffed.
Constable Connor, late of Cambridge, was proving that a policeman's lot was not always a happy one. He had been bitten by a woman while escorting her to prison; he was struck on the head with a bottle by an inebriate; and stabbed in the stomach by another drunk.

After Adjutant Thurkettle made a few introductory remarks, Mayor W F Buckland turned the key and opened the door of the Salvation Army's new hall in Duke Street on 14 December 1907.
The opening ceremonies for the Victoria Bridge (the first steel arched bridge in Australasia) was on 21 December 1907. It rained but there was a good crowd. His Excellency the Governor Lord Plunkett arrived at 1 o'clock and the cutting of the ribbon was held on the west end of the bridge. The Governor then visited the newly opened Cambridge Club and sat down to a banquet at the Alexandra Hall at 2 pm. He left by his special train a bit after 4 pm.
Business premises closed from 12.30 to 2 pm in honour of the occasion.

'The Town Band played carols etc on Christmas Eve, and despite the rain, some of the players stuck to it throughout the night, but we are informed they presented a rather bedraggled appearance next morning.'
'A fair number of visitors came to Cambridge and not a few of them intended staying for a time. The rain on Christmas Day dampened the ardour of many who comtemplated having a good time in the open air and they had to be content with indoor amusements.'
'Cambridge kept up its good name for sobriety during the holidays, there being an entire absence of drunkenness, and consequently the duties of the police were considerably lightened.'
On Boxing Day the united Sunday Schools held a picnic at the Show Grounds. Messrs Fogarty, Hastie, Wells, Reynolds, Summers, Waite and Atkinson provided wagons to convey the children. To give them an extra drive they were taken across Victoria Bridge, and around the West end, before going to the grounds. Mr G Henson conveyed the eatables and Mr Powell boiled the water.'
'Those familiar with the story of 'Oliver Twist' will have the pleasure of witnessing for the first time in Cambridge a bioscopic representation of Charles Dickens' famous novel, on New Year's night.'

 

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