WAITAKI OLD BOYS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 28 November 1930, Page 18

WAITAKI OLD BOYS.

LONDON REUNION. ARCHDEACON RUSSELL'S TRIBUTES. (nsu OOTt Oim COaBBS?OKDJSHT.) LONIX>N, November 17. The third annual reunion dinner of the Waitaki Old Boys' Association of Great Britain waa hold at the Trocodero Restaurant, London, on October 9th. In the absence of the president, Lord Strathspey, who was out of town, the chair was taken by Dr. A. J. Harrop. The guest of the evening was the Veil. J. D. Russell (Archdeacon erf Oamaru), and others present were:—Dr. H. K. .Macintosh, Or. J. J. Brownlee, Mr Robert Matheson, Dr. H. T. Jennings, Mr E. A. Duncan, Dr. A. I. Hunter, Dr. B. C. Rennie, Mr T. G. C. Evans, and Mr R. Jf'. de Vries (honorary secretary). Apologies for absence were received trom Lord Strathspey, Captain G. C. Dailey, and Flying-Officer H. L. Piper. The toast of "The School" was proposed by Dr. J. J. Brownlee, who stated that he had been back at Waitaki more recently probably than most of those present, ana psave an interesting acoount of the improvements m the school buildings ana grounds. "1 don't think any of us," h© said, "can put into words how much we ow© to the school. "We realise that most of our | ideas and ideals came from it. and I from the inspiration of Mr Milner." I Dr. R. R. Macintosh proposed the health of "Our Guest." "Archdeaoon Russell," he said, "haa been a very warm friend, not only of hundreds of individual Waitakians, but of the school itself. He is regarded as an integral part of Waitaki. He prepared some of us hefe to-night for confirmation, and the welcome hospitality of the vicarage is a pleasant memory to many now scattered in difrent pirts of the world. It is good to know that the Archdeacon .is returning to Oamaru. and that his wis© guidance will still be available for the bovs of the school. We have been very fortunate in our guests at these (innual functions, and I am sure that Mr Milner would have chosen Archdeacon Russell as a most suitable successor to himself in this capacity.' Archdeacon Russell, who was received with applause. said:_ "I fee' that thia is one of the happiest days of my life. It is forty-one years since I went to New Zealand, and 25 years since I was last in London. I did not think that I should be able to come again—or that 1 should have the great pleasure of being present at a gathering of Waitakians in London. At the farewell given to my wife ami myself before I left Oamaru, Mr Milner made the speech of the evening, and though it was rather embarrassing to be praised to one's face, it is a great oomfoirt to receive appreciation, often far more than deserved, from those for whom one has the highest regard. "I appreciated Mr Milner's words the more because I knew they were sincere. He had gone out of his way when making a hurried journey through Palestine to bring me water from the Jordan and a sprig of olive leaves from the Mount of. Olives. That sprig is being preserved in St. Luke's as a memorial of his thoughtful kindness. Waitaki has always appealed to me tremendously as a school, and it is gratifying to find the pmall _ hospitality of the vicarage appreciated very much more than we could reasonably expect. I hope that when any of you come out to New Zealand you will come to see me."