SOCIAL EVENING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 43, 6 March 1937, Page 6

SOCIAL EVENING

Captains McBride & Hampton Honoured Memhers of the Machine Gun Company, Hastings, held a social evening in honour of two of their officers, Captain F. R. McBride and Captain L. Hampton, who are shortly to he married. There was a large attendanee of memhers and the evening was most ®uccessfuL Captain H. McKay, acting as host of the evening, spoke of the wonderful work both men had done for the company. Since the voluntary syste-m came into foree, these two 'officers had given their whole-hearfced support in building up the high standard that the men of the company had produced. It was with a 'ready response that the members replied to this evening an effort to repay the two offieers for the good work they had aone. Other speakers spoke in- similar terms, Staff Sergeant-Major W_ Fisher, for the staff; C.S.M. Graham, for the men; C.Q.M.S. Jonson, sports; Sergeant Kemp and Sergeant Hawkins, N.C.O. 's; Lieut. Vaughan, officers; and Corporal Beale, rifle cluh. Captain McKay then made the presentation of a crystal decanter and glasses to Captain McBride and crystal water jug and glasses to Captain Hampton. Both officers made suitahle replies. Iteins during the evening were given by,, Private Verry, who played "Popular Airs" on the accordeon and mouthorgan. Thi» item was cleverly given, as both instruments were played at the same time. Tne applause was well deserved. Sergeant Hawkins and Q.M.S. Jonson sang two duets, "Boots and Saddles" and "Rendezvous in Honolulu. Mr G. Redward at the piano encouraged the gathering to encer with whole hearted gusto into the community singing. An impromptu item introduced was in the nature of a tribunal set up for the purpose of arriving at a verdict as to . what verdict could be passed on "two baelielors" for the crime of conspiring to upset the even tenor of the bachelor quarters by niaking. arrange ments to take unto themselves life partners without first obtaining the necessary consent in the accepted manuer. The evidence, however, failed to the extent that tkv jury disagreed, a fact made known later owing to the jurymen being bribed by the appetising food that had been made by the select'ed partners of the two bachelors. Even the judge eomplimented- the two on their choice after he had partaken ox the delicious food, and set tho bachelors free "until." Tlie evening concluded with the singing of "For They are Jolfy Good Fellows" ard "God Save the King."