VALEDICTORY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4962, 16 April 1926, Page 3

VALEDICTORY.

THE REV. AM) MRS. DOBSON. GIFTS FROM PARISHIONERS. The members of St. Paul’s Ladies’ Guild entertained Mis Dobson in the Parish Hall on Tuesday afternoon. The hall was beautifully decorated for the occasion with flags, 'ferns, a,nd flowers-.

A competition was the order of the afternoon, interspersed with songs and musical items. The competition was won by Mrs Taiboys. Songis were contributed by Mrs Dobson and Miss McCullay, Mrs Staunton, and Miss Coote playing the. accompaniments. Mrs Barclay, the president, after a short speech called on Mrs Silcock, senr., to make a. presentation to Mrs Dobson of a isilk-covered umbrella and a nice black leather handbag, and two little tots, Miss. Wanda Taiboys and Master Roy- Hayward, presented Mrs Dobson with a bouquet and banket of flowers. Mrs Dobson, in reply, thanked a,ll the l.adies for giving her the opportunity of meeting sc. many that she 'would have been unable to say goodbye to in any other way, for the thought, and trouble that had been taken to decorate the ha,ll so beautifully and provide’such an abundance Of good' things, and specially for the presents they had so kindly given to her. She said that the afternoon would remain in her memory as one of the happiest in her life, and she would always remember the many happy hours she ha.d spent with the guild and the splendid work they had done, and trusted ’that they would long continue one large'happy family, doing all they could for the work df the Church. ‘

A most delightful afternoon was brought to a close by the singing of “For'she’s a jolly good follow” , and “Auld Lang'Syne.” ,

At the conclusion of the St. Paul’s Sunday School on Sunday afternoon Mrs Thorp, on behalf of the pupils and teachers, in a, few weli-chosen words presented Misses Joy and Olive Dobson each with a manicure set. as a memento of their connection with the Sunday School as scholars apid teachers during the last ten years.

The members of the congregation at-Wharepoa entertained.the Rev. and Mrs Dobson to .afternoon ,tea in the Wharepoa Hall on Monday last, prior to their departure from the district. After the baptism of two children Mr E. J. Smith, on behalf of the congregation, in farewelling the guests, said that he had been associated with Mr. Dobson for'the past, seven and a-half .years as lay "reader, and that though they had not .always seen eye to eye in everything, yet they had entirely agreed on the things: that mattered in their devotion to the cause of the Church. He thanked their guests for all they had done for the Church at Wharepoa, and asked them to accept a travelling rug as. a memento of their affection. Mr Dobson, in reply, tha,nked the' good folk of Wharepoa for their excellent. present to himself and Mi'S Dobson, and said that it was men like Mr Smith, who had travelled once a 'month, and. sometimes twice a month, from Puriri and back for the last seven years, .to take the service at Wharepoa', .and the faithful. congregation who attended, who kept alive the ca.use of Christianity and reminded him df the ‘‘ten righteous men who were to save the city.” He wa,s sure that he and Mrs Dobson would long remember the good folk of Wharepoa. After the presentation all. sat down to a sumptuous repast served on the tables'in the supper-room gallery that was recently built over the anterooms at the entrance to the hall.

The singing of “For they are jolly good fellows” and “Auld Lajig Syne” brought to a. conclusion a very happy valedictory gathering. After the.annual,meeting of pariishioneJS.in the Parish Hall at Ka,ranga-hake-on Sunday* morning Mr W. B. Morriss, on behalf of the parishioners, took the opportunity of bidding farewell to the Rev. and Mrs Dobson, Who a,re moving to Manurewa at the beginning. of next month. He said that owing to the decreaise in population at Karangahake, and to the fact that for a number of years, during Mr Dobson’s stay in Paeroa Karangahakehad been attached to the Parish of Waihi; they had not had the opportunity’of seeing so much of Mr Dobson’s work as other portions of the district, but they kne'w that by his foresight and judgment he had done such good work on the Hauraki Plains that some, two years ago it had developed into a new parochial district with a vicar, and now had a vica,rage at Turua.. He 'felt that in.. losing Mr andMts Dobson they were losing friends who had endeared themselves to the folk of Karangahake, and he wished them every good wish in the autumn of their lives in their new home;.’

Mr Le Dette, on behalf of the parishioners, handed to Mr Dobson a cheque for a substantial amount with which to buy something for their new home in remembrance o»f their friends in Karangahake.

Mr Dobson, replying, stated that one of the hard things he had had to do w.as to deprive Ka,rangahake of many of the services they used ,to have in order to give more time to the Hauraki Plains, but he was glad 'to know that it had turned out all right, and that i.t had met. with the approval of the good folk of Karangahake. He hoped that with a, public battery they .would find employment for'a number of tributors in the old mines, and that before, long the Imperial and other mines might find gold in such quantities as would give an increased population to Ka,rangahake. On behalf of himself, and Mrs Dobson he thanked them for their handsome, gift, ,a,nd. said that he and Mrs Dobson would long remember the good folk of Karangahake and the many kindnesses they had received at .their hands.