COMING OF AGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 66, 26 April 1946, Page 7

COMING OF AGE

BRIGHT AWAKERI GATHERING miss ina McDonald One of the brightest gatherings in that rising social centre Awakeri took place last Saturday evening, when a packed hall testified to the great popularity of Miss Ina McDonald, daughter of Mr and Mrs Col. McDonald of that district.

The gathering was a most representative one, and the happy programme of dancing and novelties kept everyone in the highest good

humour. In this connection the success of the evening was in no small measure due to the lively personality of Mr Frank Malaquin, who proved a really excellent M.C. Dancing was of a variety which catered for modern and old-time exponents, and the Premier Dance Band, provided music which left nothing to be desired. The novelty numbers caused the greatest fun, especially the ‘envelope waltz’ j which carried with it a genuine element of surprise for the recipients. Prior to a dainty supper Mr A. Carling as an old friend of the McDonald’s, expressed the good wishes of the gathering to Miss McDonald in a neat speech, and then presented her with the traditional gold key. The guest of the evening was accorded full musical honours by the assemblage and in her reply expressed her deepest thanks to all her friends present for their kindly thoughts and good wishes. A great pile of parcels was heaped on a nearby table and when opened revealed a magnificent array of valuable and useful gifts which represented in tangible form the very high regard in which Miss McDonald was held by the community. A pleasing way of conveying their regards was by the ‘mystery parcel’ competition, by which means Mr and Mrs McDonald presented their gift of a duchess set, after it had traversed the floor in a dozen hands and had been the cause of speculation of numerous recipients. The goodwill of the company towards Mr and Mrs McDonald was also conveyed in musical honours after which Mr McDonald who had acted as a splendid host throughout, briefly expressed his thanks and appreciation.

Two finely rendered solos by Mrs W. H. Rushbrook added materially to the success of the evening which broke up with the singing of Auld Lang Syne. Winners of the various novelty dances were as under: Monte Carlo, Mr B. Conway and Miss Judy Burke; Lucky Spot Waltz, Miss Eileen Boulcott and Mr Mervyn Campbell; Musical Sticks, Mr A. Teasdale.