More Info →Page 30: 50th jubilee commemoration supplement

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1) First Plunket nurse made calls on mothers on foot or pedalled a bicycle.

The Levin branch of the Plunket Society came into being following a meeting on February 9, 1924. First president was Mrs. Hobson, the then mayoress, and Mrs. Shennan was secretary-treasurer.

2) Horticultural society wants Levin as garden city.

The Levin Horticultural Society is perhaps the oldest such society in the district. In 1902 a meeting of gardening enthusiasts was held and the society was formed. Unfortunately records of this meeting have been lost, but records of the second annual meeting in 1904 supplied the following list of officers: - Patron,Mr. W.H. Field,M.P.; president, M. J. Prouse; vice-presidents,Mr. and Mrs. R. Prouse and Mr. W.J. Reading; committee, Mesdames C. Nation, W.M. Clark, J. Prouse, Brown, Goldsmith, France, Perry, Messrs. F. Smith, E. Lancaster, Hunt, P. Arcus, J. Johnston, Fosella, T. Walker and McNickle; secretary, Mr. T. Brown.

3) How the Century Hall gots its name.

Levin's Century Hall, one of the oldest standing today, was built by Mr. P.L. Arcus in 1900, largely at the instigation of Mr. James Prouse, and it was planned to cater for the needs of the town as well as for use as a Methodist Sunday School, a function it still serves. In accordance with this idea it was built with a large stage and good seating.

4) Athletics and cycling in Levin date back to 1900.

Although the Levin Combined Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club, as at present constituted, dates back at present only to 1935, organised amateur athletic and cycling meetings were held as early as 1900, and these are well remembered by one of the club's life members, Mr. R. E. Henderson. The meetings were held on the Weraroa Domain and large fields competed.

5) Swimming club has played big part in instruction and baths improvement.

The Levin Amateur Swimming and Life-saving Club dates back to 1912, when a meeting was held in Brewster's Byko, presided over by Mr. B. Hankins. Twenty-five attended . The first name suggested for the club was "Kawahai," but it was replaced by "Coronation Amateur Swimming Club". Subscriptions of 2/6 for seniors and 1/- for juniors remained the same until 1940.

6) Dress rehearsal.

"First into the water " was a competition marking the opening of the Coronation Swimming Baths. It involved a little more than was implied. To win the trophy, donated by the then mayor, Mr. B. R. Gardener, competitors had to wear coat, vest, trousers, lace-up boots and shirt with costume underneath. Apparently women were not catered for, and records do not reveal the winner.

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