HASTINGS ORPHANS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 148, 8 June 1935, Page 6

HASTINGS ORPHANS

New Chief Installed A MERRY GATHERING In an atmosphere of gaiety and enthusiasm that was reminiscent of the days before slumps and other such anxieties fell upon the world, the new Chief Orphan of the Hastings Orphan Club, Mr Donald Campbell, was installed in office last night. It was a merry and cleverly comical ceremony, and set a tone of goodfellowship blended with a nice amount of frivolity that no doubt will be kept up by the club for the remainder of the season. There was a large attendance, and besides seven new members who had been previously nominated and were sworn in last night, a visitor was so carried away by the joviality and comradeliness of the gathering that he had himself nominated, proposed and admitted on the spot. In token of the new Chief Orphan’s association with a number of sports organisations, addresses of loyalty were made to him, as he sat crowned most gorgeously on his throne, by representatives of such bodies as the Te Aute Sports Club, the Waimaraina Beach Society, Christ’s College Old Boys, the Sheepfarmers’ Association, and so on. Also as a compliment to his Scottish descent, a steaming haggis was served to him, and then handed around to the members. Mr Priest recited the “ Address to the Haggis,” and the “Selkirk Grace,” and the pipes blew (if that is the right word) “The Campbells arc Coming.” The speeches were as comical as tne representatives were spurious, and were made up largely of extraordinarily clever punning and high-sounding metaphors ingeniously mixed, but aptly applying to the character, calling, and interests of the new chief. It was tremendous fun, especially when M; J. Le Compte harangued the chair in longwinded and self-composed Maori, and had his speech translated by Mr E. H. Culver. It appeared that a volume of some hundreds of words meant “cheerio,” and that other great slices of oratory had an equally succinct meaning. Mr Campbell briefly acknowledged the honour that had been conferred upon him, and made special reference to the presence of Mr A. E. Renouf, president of the Napier Savage Club, Mr Peake, secretary, and Mr E. G. Stevenson, one of its best known and most popular members. The programme was splendid, and the merriment of the earlier part of the evening was fully sustained by such things as impromptu speech-making on various subjects, and by the comments of the table of critics, which is now a regular feature of the club’s koreros. ’Cello solos by Mr Marsicano and songs by Mr E. G. Stevenson were the more serious items of the evening, but were not by any means the less enjoyable for being different in kind from the rest of the programme. Both per formers were given highly enthusiastic reception. Some comments and stories by Mr Renouf, who wished the club a happy and successful season, were another enjoyable feature of the evening, and again, the orchestra, under Mr Chas. Bryant, gave a number of splendid items. An interesting competition for a prize given by Mr H. J. Grieve, was another welcome item.

It was an evening of great fun and friendliness, and without exaggeration may be described as just about the best that the club has had for the past five or six years.

A challenge golf match between the club and the Napier Savage Club was arranged during the evening, and will be held shortly.