WELCOME HOME DINNER

Chronicle (Levin), 30 April 1946, Page 3

WELCOME HOME DINNER

The- people of Moutoa fulfilled :a six-year-old ambition on Saturday evening, when they extended a welcome.home' dinner to 20 ,of their returned servicemen. "■ Ever since the first man left the Moutoa district* to join the fighting forces, the people of the little district have been busy preparing for a fitting welcome home for their boys, and in keeping with the magnificent manner in which they looked after their soldiers while overseas, Saturday night's dinner left nothing to be desired. It was the best function of its kind to be held in . this district for many a day. •' Guests included Mr. L. G. Lowry, M.P., and members of the Tin Hat Club from Wellington. During the evening' the opportunity was taken by Mr. Barber to gather the returned men together on the stage and tender a official welcome. He then called upon Mrs. Barber to pin upon each man a suitably engraved gold 'tie-pin and. hand them each a cheque as a mar k' of appreciation from the people of Moutoa. Mr. S. W. Barber, as toastmaster, welcomed 'the guests and gr^ce was said by Mr. R. R. Lind. The toast of "The King" was proposed by Mr. Barber and honoured in the customary mianner. Other toasts were as follows: "The Returned Boys," proposed by Mr. Lowry and responded to by Mr. W. L. Carter; "The Women's fiivision," Mr. R. S. Downes — Mrs. Sanson; "The R.S.A.," Mr. D. B. Annesley — Mr. H. Proctor; "The Visitors," Mr. J. Newth — Mr. H. Podmore;'1 "Absent Friends," Mr'. J. D. Campbell — Mr. R. E. Downes; "The Press," Mr. J. J. McErlean — Messrs. R. Hornblow and T. S. Downes; "The Secretary," Mr. T. Fuller — Mrs. S. W. Barber; ' and "The Eentertainers," Mr. R. R. Lind — Mr. L. Morris. During the evening items were rendered by Messrs. George.Tynan, Len Morris, Ross Williams and Ernie Dean, all members of tft# Tin Hat Club and Mrs. S. W. Barber and Mr. Richardson. . ■ --h\ •