JOURNALIST’S FAREWELL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4534, 2 March 1923, Page 4

JOURNALIST’S FAREWELL

GATHERING AT TURUA. * SOME OLD HISTORY. A very pleasant evening, arranged by the people of Turua as a farewell to Mr H. Nixon, retiring editor of our Thames contemporary, was spent in the Turua Buildings on Wednesday last. About 25 men were present, and Mr G. Gray acted as toastmaster. In proposing the health of the guest of the evening Mr Gray said that the Thames district was losing a really good man. Whatever he (Mr Nixon) iiad reported had been done in good faith, and he had always given everybody a' “fair spin.” There had been much criticism of thri local bodies of Turua, but such criticism brought out the good points and put them on a surer footing. Turua had taken their criticisms in good parr. All felt sorry that Mr Nixon was leaving, arid had assembled there as they felt it was their duty to show some appreciation of his efforts. He expressed the hope that wherever Mr Nixon might go he would meet with success and prosperity.

Mr Nixon said he had been very mystified when he received the invitation. It seemed like heaping coals of fire on his head. The man who tried to edit, a newspaper found that all men criticised him ; but it had added to his wealth of happiness to know, that his. efforts had been helpful and that wherever he met, a Turua man in the future he could extend his hand in friendship. He had made many friends, but a man who had made more wap “Simplicitus.” Criticism played an important part, and he had always tried to give constructive criticism. . He was, therefore, glad to see that Turua showed no animosity. He appreciated the compliment shown him by the people of Turua, and if he should never return he would always remember Turua. LOCAL BODIES. Mr Madgwick, in proposing the toast of the “Local Bodies,” said the local men were in deadly earnest in endeavouring to bring the district to the forefront. The local bodies in tho district had done good work, and were, in earnest.. Mr Nixon had always lent them a helping hand, and they were very sorry to lose him and his double, Mr Simplicitus. When Turua got a newspaper of its own they would be looking for. Mi- Nixon to be the editor. Mr Sutton, in responding, said the only thing he did was to criticise them. The county elections would come off soon, and he hoped to see some new blood. The Town Board was pushing Turua,, but the Drainage Board had done more good than any other local body. Mr Davies, whose name was also coupled to this toast, said he had had very little experience on a local body, but had derived much benefit from Mr Nixon’s remarks; and if he had seen .and heard more of his articles he would have. been more benefited. On one or two occasions, Mr Nixon backed the wrong horse, but when the facts were put before him he had taken his beating, in a gentlemanly manner. ( Mr Baker said he was. once a criticiser, but now Jie was a member of the Drainage Board, and recognised that though members did their best they certainly made mistakes sometimes. The Drainage Board had improved Turua wonderfully,. and made a vast difference in the country. PIONEERS. Mr, Luke, in proposing the toast to the “Pioneers of the Plains,” said that* he, as one of the latecomers, had no idea of the difficulties to be overcome in tho early days. There were not many of the original settlers there now, but the land was .at present equal to any south of the line. Mr F. Gibbons, in responding, claimed to be one of the earliest to settle in Turua, as he arrived when merely a boy. There were no steamers. 'launches, or roads then, and to go to Thames a waterman had to be engaged to row there. Trees were felled and rolled into the river to float to the sawmill at Kopu. Mr J. Bennett said that, though he was not a pioneer, as he arrived in 1913, he had seen most of the farms develop. Although covered in bush and knee-deep in water, he was satisfied with the land. He had been active in forming a branch of the Farmers’ Union, and their prime plank was the formation of a drainage board, which was formed pome twelve

months lajter. He was chairman until he resigned on going to the war. He had seen the country develop to its present state, and predicted that in another ten years, when reading and drainage were completed and plenty of trees planted, more marked progress would be noticeable. Mr Beck said he was not a very old pioneer, as he had only been in Turua for 18 years. He started sharemilking on a farm in Huirau Road, where the water was half-way up to his knees in the cowshed. Milk was conveyed to the Netherton factory ov road or punt, and sometimes got there. More often than not the waggons got stuck in the mud, and tho milk had to be tipped out and the waggon pulled home backwards. At that time the price for butter-fat was 4'y 2 d, and it took eight acres to carry one cow. Practically the whole area between the two rivers was under water, and there were only two houses between Turua and Netherton. VISITORS. Mr Green ,in proposing the toast to “The Visitors,” said he was glad to do so, as Turua did not often have the opportunity-of drinking the health of visitors. Mr F. McCullough, in responding, said it always gave him great pleasure to do so. Mr C. R. Cooke said that though he was practically a stranger to Turua lie had always been welcomed. He thanked the Turua people on behatf of Mr Nixon, who ha,cl been his righthand man. He held a, great feeling of gratitude to him, and very much regretted losing his services. j Mr Bryan thanked the “Turuaites,” and said that he regretted’ that Mr Nixon was departing, as he was a great fighter and a great journalist. “SPORTS.” Mr Porteous, in proposing the toast of “Sports,” said it brought back memories of 25 years ago, when he went pig hunting on the high land at Shelly Beach and Kerepeehi, and was often nearly drowned in getting there from Kopu. Football was played in the mud behind the stables. Later on Turua had cricket and tennis clubs, and a regatta. Now they also had an athletic club, and had held three very successful meetings. Mr Bennett,, iri responding to what he considered the second most important toast, said that it was a true saying “that the war had been, won on the playing fields,” and therefore sport must be encouraged, particularly in children. THE LADIES. The toast to “The Ladies” was proposed by Mi* A. Chapman, who said that in Turua they had always taken a great interest, in public affairs. Dr. Bathgate responded in a humorous manner, and said that the next time he saw Mr Nixon he hoped to see a Mrs Nixon. A toast to the health of Mr Webb, who had come from Thames t,o officiate at the piano, was honoured on

the motion of Mr Gray. The social closed with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” and “God Save the King,” During t)ie evening vocal items were rendered by Messrs Sutton, Johnson, Cassin, and Dr. Bathgate, and humorous stories recounted by Mr Nixon.