THE PUBLIC HALL

As happened in many pioneering districts, the local school was used for early district gatherings. In the Waikato Times of the 22nd November 1884 a reporter noted that the school had been opened a fortnight, and that the School Committee had kindly consented to allow the school to be used for church services on Sundays. Various denominations were to share the use of the building.
A report in the Times of the 15th March 1887 noted that a very successful concert had been held in the school on a Friday evening, attended by several Cambridge people as well as many local ones. No sooner was the concert finished and the floor cleared, then dancing commenced and this continued until 4.00 a.m. Great credit was due to the "live wire school master" whose co-operation would have been vital in stacking and replacing desks, etc.
The first public hall in Tauwhare was the curing room of the cheese factory. When no longer required by the factory it was dragged across the paddocks by horses and placed approximately where the telephone exchange is now. Perhaps the lingering smell of cheese sustained the 50 couples who attended the Opening Ball on the 22nd May 1903. Mr R. Ramsay acted as an efficient Master of Ceremonies. Additions such as toilets, changing rooms and kitchen were added to the main building later.
Silent movies were shown in the hall and were very popular with residents. However, they resulted in a running battle between the projectionists who hired the hall, and the Hall Committee who objected to the disposal of used chewing gum under the seats and the mess made by the odd ice-cream that missed its target and landed on the floor. An accompaniment to the visual fare was music contributed by the three Windsor girls and others, taking turns on the piano.
A report of a public meeting to consider building a new hall appears in the Hall Committee Minute Book dated the 12th July 1937. Mr A. C. Massey (nephew of an earlier Prime Minister Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) chaired the meeting of 19 residents who agreed that a new hall was required in Tauwhare.
The Committee received estimates for a building in various materials as follows: Wooden building One thousand five hundred pounds, Concrete One thousand one hundred and fifteen pounds, Corrugated iron (de luxe model?) Nine hundred and sixty pounds. They settled for a concrete building (no dimensions given) and decided to canvass ratepayers for support and to call a further public meeting which duly took place on the 13th December 1937. The Chairman outlined the proposal to cover interest and sinking fund repayments by striking a special rate to be levied by the Waikato County Council. Councillor P. E. Dingle (father of George) explained the Council's viewpoint which was favourable as long as the scheme was financially sound. The meeting re-affirmed the earlier decision to proceed further towards building a new hall.
The stability of the old hall must have been suspect in the view of both W. Goodare and J. Spencer who successfully moved a resolution that the Committee obtain adequate insurance to cover any accident occurring "due to the state of the old hall building".
At a Committee Meeting in October 1938 the Chairman said an architect from the Works Department had considered the estimates for a new hall had been too low. The Minutes record that this induced the Committee to abandon plans for a concrete building and aim for a "corrugated hall". Indoor bowlers would appreciate that! Because the building was regarded as being only temporary the Loans Board would only lend One thousand two hundred pounds for a 20 year term at an interest rate of 3 1/2%, and sinking fund the same. However, the above proposals came to nought as a letter from the County Clerk was received by a meeting held on the 24th May 1939 stating that the Council had decided to defer raising the loan.
The Committee thereupon decided to consider renovations to the old hall, including a new dance floor, lavatory and water supply, and cupboards. Timber for this was estimated to cost Forty five pounds fifteen shillings and six pence but actually cost Twelve pounds more. Voluntary labour did the work. A dance on the new floow was held on the 8th August 1939, and three months later a social to farewell the Hall Committee Chairman, Mr Alex Ramsay and family, was held.
Routine maintenance occupied the Committees' attention during the war years - donations to patriotic funds being made from time to time, and a Soldiers' Farewell Committee was formed.  Business was combined with pleasure on the 28th May 1941, when the Committee met in the hall following the Home Guard Parade.
Messrs N. Ferris and J. Spencer were elected Hall Trustees on the 1st June 1944. Their names were to appear on the debentures when the Committee decided to invest Twenty pounds in the Third Liberty Loan. Thirty pounds was invested in Victory Loan Bonds on the 10th July 1945.
On the 15th April1947 the Secretary was to warn the picture theatre proprietor that his patrons were to "eat or use their ice-creams in a gentlemanly manner or else sale of the said articles would have to cease".
In September 1949 the Committee discussed building a new hall. The Member of Parliament for the area, Mr W. S. Goosman, was to be contacted regarding possible Government assistance.  Fundraising suggestions included a direct appeal to residents, a raffle, and any subsidies available.
At the Annual General Meeting in September 1950 it was decided to build a new hall and a Committee of 20! was elected. Ron Shaw was Chairman and Bert Mulholland Secretary. This Committee decided to negotiate with Mr H. Mickell to exchange the site of the old hall for a new site on the corner of the Old Factory Road and main Morrinsville Road. This would allow more room for parking. A Building Sub-Committee was elected - R. Shaw, Ray Richardson, J. M. Sattrup, J. Jeffries, N. Ferris and B. Mulholland. Many meetings were held of the above Committees to deal with problems that arose during the project, mainly with the issue of land titles, finance and building details. The old hall was sold to the Methodist Church, and with alterations it is still giving service at their Epworth Camp, Horahora. The price was Six hundred and fifty pounds.
Taplin and Sons won the tender for constructing the new hall at Six thousand one hundred and eighty pounds. The final cost with some extra work considered desirable, was Seven thousand seven hundred and eighty six pounds four shillings and one penny. The hall was officially opened on the 12th September 1953 by the M.P. for the district, Mr W. S. Goosman, Minister of Works. The official Opening took place in the afternoon and was followed at night by a well-attended Ball.
The hall had been designed with changing rooms at each side of the stage. Mrs M. Connell wife of the then headmaster, conducted dancing classes and Mrs Ailsa Hanan was a producer for the Drama Circle. Performances of a high standard were provided by both these groups, and the rooms off-stage were much used then. However, with the decline in these activities the rooms became redundant and for many years they served as store-rooms.
In March 1954 indoor bowls began in the hall - a pastime still popular in 1984. Because the hall was not wide enough to take bowling mats plus players at both ends, there were many who wondered whether it was possible to enlarge the hall to make the game more enjoyable. Finally at the Annual General Meeting in 1982, the decision was made to commemorate the centennial of the district by a project to enlarge the hall. A Committee of R. Lang, W. Silvester, I. Spencer and C. Badger was elected to investigate the proposal. After consultation with builders, the Committee reported back with recommendations that the south side be extended 12 feet towards the boundary fence, the south-west dressing room be demolished, access to the kitchen be from the road, and the whole new addition be covered with a near flat roof of steel. The recommendations were agreed to by the full Committee, and approved by a meeting of 40 residents on the 13th September 1982.
Because of the heavy weight of the tile roof, problems in getting a building permit delayed the start of the project until the 14th March 1983. Filleul Construction of Cambridge completed the job within ten weeks, and this included unexpected replacement of some rotten timber and other extra work. The Waikato County Council loaned the Committee $14,000.00 at 5% interest, and made a grant of $4,500.00 from funds provided by the Government under the local Recreation and Community Development Scheme. Local residents gave a total in cash and stock, of $12,328.00 and agreed to an annual rate of $20.00 per dwelling for loan repayment and maintenance. The cost of the alterations and repairs came to $28,323.00. In addition the Committee decided to repaint the whole of the exterior of the building as well as the interior, additions and alterations. A Cabaret Evening on the 25th June 1983 marked the opening of the new additions by the then Chairman, R. Lang.
Hall Committee Chairmen since World War Two have been N. Ferris 1946-48, R. Shaw 1948-55, R. Sattrup 1955-59, M. Morrison 1959-65, D. Hoult 1965-76, R. Lang 1976-83, W. Silvester 1983- . Long serving Secretaries have been B. Mulholland 1949-61, G. Dingle 1962-75, D. Jamieson 1975- . I. Spencer has been Treasurer since 1967. Doug Hoult has served on the Committee continuously since 1947.
The Social Club began in the late 1960's as an offshoot of the Hall Committee. The object was to arrange gift afternoons for local brides. Later it developed into a separate organisation, taking over the running of local social functions and leaving the Hall Committee to oversee the building and grounds.
Nowadays the Social Club is active in organising a variety of district functions including the annual welcome to new residents, gift afternoons, cabaret evenings, family evenings, etc. It is also responsible for producing the Tauwhare Transmitter, a monthly newsletter delivered to every home in the district. It was begun in May 1975 and the name was suggested by Mrs Josie Fletcher. It is typed by local women, duplicated on the school duplicator, stapled and delivered by volunteers. In this way residents are kept informed of local news and events. Editors and typists over the years have been Mesdames Delia Pizzini, Nita Berry, Ettie Silvester, Judy Hoult, Carole Woodcock, Philippa Robertson, Shirley Hunter and Miss Jenny Berry.