WOMEN’S TRIBUTES

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1930, Page 7

WOMEN’S TRIBUTES

LADY ALICE FERGUSSON. FAREWELL IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, January 3. A sincere tribute ol' affection was paid to her Excellency, the Lady Alice Uergusson by a gathering of women of Auckland which filled the Town Hall this afternoon. Three presentations were made, one being from the Maori women, and the speeches of farewell express deep appreciation of the services rendered by her Excellency to the causes of womankind. The Mayoress (Mrs A. D. Campbell), on behalf of the women’s organisations ol Auckland, presented her Excellency with a gold inkwell set in a block of greenstone, and inscribed. Mrs Campbell said that tbe women of Auckland desired to convey to the Lady Alice Fcrgusson an expression of their very real regret that her stay with them was rapidly drawing to a close. Mention had been made in official valedictory addresses to his Excellency of the able and gracious support her Excellency had afforded him in the discharge of the duties of his high office.

But none can realise as we women do the strain there public engagements must occasion,” added the Mayoress. ‘‘Pei haps you may value in some degree our admiration of the manner in which you have fulfilled the exacting duties you have been called upon to perform, while your courtesy and graciousness have endeared you to all sections of our people.” Mrs J, T. F. Mitchell, on behalf of the League of Mothers of Auckland province, handed her Excellency a memento in the form of a greenstone paperweight carved with figures of a Maori mother and child as symbolical of what their Association represented.

A picturesque ceremony marked the Maori presentation. Mrs Karaka, .tearing a Taiaha, led five members 0 f tbe Auckland Maori Association on to the stage, all being attired in Native costume. They chanted a Maori farewell call which is accorded only to persons of lugh rank'. The gift presented was.parchment on which, with appropriate decoration, had been imprained a Maori song of fp,rewell written and composed by Mrs Maewa Kailiau. This was sung both in Maori and in English by Miss Etta Harris. A presentation was made by Airs Kailiau.

Her excellency shook hands with the members of the party before they retired and added the Maori form of saluting in returning thunks for the gilts. The Lady Alice Fergusson said that she had not expected such a wonderful gathering and she had difficulty in finding words adequate to convoy her thanks for the very great kindness they were showing her. She understood that dO women’s organisaions were represented. This day would lie treasured in memory for the rest of her life. What she had been able to do, although it was not half so much as she would have liked it to be, was repaid by the knowledge of the splendid work the women of New Zealand were doing through the Plunkct Society, the Girl Guides, the Young Women’s Christian Association, and many other organisations. The devoted efforts which they were putting into all these would be an inspiration to her in the future. It had been her privilege to help in the formation of the League of ATo tilers, which was simply an extension of a much older society —the Mother’s Union—with which the speaker’s own mother had been associated when she came to this country more than 30 yeras ago. Referring to the gift from the ATaori women, her Excellency said she had always l.ak“ii the warmest and deepest interest in Afaoris since the days when she had travelled about New Zealand with her father. She then said fareell to tbe Afaori women in a phrase of their own tongue.