Country and City Contacts Centenial A & P Show Dance: How it all began

Country and City Contacts Centenial A & P Show Dance

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HOW IT ALL BEGAN

In November last year our Community Board was presented with some statistics about rural health and other services in this area. As part of her presentation, Pauline Carruthers, the local Plunket Nurse, District Nurse and at that time only local practise nurse in the area, noted that we needed more nurses and made the flippant comment that we should marry some of our bachelors off to some nurses.

The Community Board took the idea one step further and suggested to the local A & P Society that it would arrange for the sponsor of the Dance for its Centenary Show. We contacted (NZ) Ltd. They are an Amberley-based dating service that has had huge success in the rural areas, especially of the South Island. Henk & Joy van Leir were enthusiastic and supportive of the idea of publicising the dance as a good place for their clients to meet each other and also some of our bachelors.

A letter went out to Country & City Contacts' members:

Dear Country Contacts Member

While Country Contacts provides a wonderful introductory service, we want to provide you with a wonderful place to meet.

This year we are celebrating the Centennial Strath Taieri A & P Easter Show here in Middlemarch. As part of the weekend entertainment we have a dance on the Saturday night. The popular Pog 'n' Scroggin Bush Band will be playing and we want you to join us. Why? Well on the serious side we have a reducing school role and threatened services as do many rural areas. We also have a lot of eligible bachelors! So we have thought this is a good way to deal with one problem and maybe two. We also think it will provide you, both male and female, with an opportunity to meet many others like you in a relaxed and fun environment.

And yes there is more. We have a prize for a member of Country Contacts that comes to the dance:

Tickets for two on the world famous
A nights accommodation for two at the Shannon-Lea Lodge
A meal for two at the Strath Taieri Hotel; and more. (Only members of of Country & City Contacts will be eligible for prizes)

You will need to register at the dance - only members of Country Contacts will be eligible for the prize - but you need to be here to be in to win it.

The dance tickets will be $10 per ticket. If you need any more details of the show or Middlemarch don't hesitate to ring me or look us up at

Looking forward to seeing you put your best foot forward at the dance.

Henk and Joy van Lier

The Otago Daily Times sported advertisements such as the one below and had daily updates about the 'Love Train':

The train was sold out well before the date with 200 bookings: 60% women and 40% men.

Meanwhile the local press followed up on our meeting and asked us for progress reports - here are their stories...

27 February 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

27 February 2001: Dating service called in for lonely Middlemarch (INL - Top Story)

27 February 2001: Dating service called in for lonely Middlemarch (INL - National News)

28 February 2001: Small town seeks brides for shy 'men of the land' (New Zealand Herald)

3 March 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

15 March 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

20 March 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

28 March 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

3 April 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

7 April 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

12 April 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

14 April 2001: : "Bachelors have always had balls . . ." (Otago Daily Times)

14 April 2001: (Otago Daily Times)

ODT's Prester John:

2 April 2001:

6 April 2001:

9 April 2001:

- and the letter from Taupo:

Taupo, 7 March 2001

The Mayor of Middlemarch

Dear Sir

Saw the episode on TV recently with regard to the shortage of women in your district. You may be interested to know that here in Taupo we have a problem also - we are short of men.

Quite a number of us could see the humorous side of it and only wish that Middlemarch was not so far away.

You may like to let your male community know, we know how they feel!

Yours respectfully

(name withheld)

Link to THE POST MORTEM

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