ORPHANS’ CLUB.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5031, 24 September 1926, Page 2

ORPHANS’ CLUB.

FIFTH SESSION AT PAEROA. ENJOYABLE EVENING SPENT. The Paeroa Orphans’ Club held its fifth session of the 1926 seaspn last evening, and a thoroughly enjoyable time was spent. The president (Bro. P. Williams) opened the proceedings in the customary manner, after which the brethren were called upon to’ be upstanding to receive the Ven. Archdeacon E. M. Cowie, M.A., past president of the Hamilton Orphans’ Club, ,who was. duly invested and, having been handed the emblem of authority, requested to control the session.

The official, guests of the evening being the members of the Hawke’s Bay Rugby touring team, the brethren were upstanding a,nd accorded 1 the visitors, and also the Rev. R. A. Forde (Paeroa) and CoUnolly (Te Aroha) a hearty welcome. In acknowledging the welcome accorded him Bro. Cowie said that he took it as a great compliment to have be.en invited to preside. In congratulating the club on the progress it h‘a',d made the speaker said he realised that much of the. success attained was due. to the enthusiasm of the president, whom he had known for a long time. Clergymen were supposed generally to be killjoys, but it was an unwarranted appellation, as he trusted the brethren would learn as the session wore on. It was desirable that all, kinds of men should become .members of orphans’ clubs, and by such means the best in the members would invariably shofw up. A pessimist or a man without a sense of humour was better dead, and orphans should encourage and spread the cheer germ whenever possible.

The enjoyable programme opened with' a cofuple of selections,' by the orchestra, followed by instrumental items contributed by Tibbot’s Orchestra (Te Aroha), T. A. Moresby (pianoforte), Bros. Emerson (Te Aroha), concertina selection ; Bradley (Te Aroha), recitation ; and songs by Bros. Tibbot, Peters (Auckland), Munro (Hawke’s, Bay), W. Fentoil (Hamilton), L. Morgan (Te Aroha), and RCooke (Hamilton). Bro. Cooke, also played the accompaniments. CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. After the supper adjournment the chairman (Bro. Cowie) said that it was. a parson’s job to be always spea'.kihg in public, a.nd without desiring to make a speech, he wished to record his appreciation of the graceful compliment that had been paid in asking him to preside. He felt sure the brethren would be glad of the opportunity of meeting and welcoming the new vicar (Rev. Forde) to Paeroa. It must mean a big change for Mr Forde to have come from America to Pa.eroa and find that he could enjoy a “spot” without it being sub-rosa. (Laughter.) The vicar had come amongst intensely British people, and hoped that his presence at the session would serve as an introductiohi to all, and that the brethren would And a, real man as well as a parson. In conclusion the chairman wished the club continued prosperity, and said that the Hamilton club was looking forward tol extending a right royal welcome to the brethren of Paeroa. THE VISITORS WELCOMED. On behalf oT the club Mr E. W. Porritt extended a. hearty welcome to the visitors. Referring to the presence o!f the Archdeacon and the Revs. Forde and Connolly, he said that usually parsons were sports and thoroughly goad fellow's, and' exactly like any other human/ being. He had known the Archdeacon for many years. The speaker referred to the old days of the annual camps: of the Piako Mounted Rifles, at which the Archdeacon was always a popular and respected padre, who mixed with and took part in the sport and doings of the camp. .Continuing, Mr Porritt said that the association olf clergymen with sport had always, made for good, and it was a great pity that parsons did not take a more active part in it. The speaker said that it wd,s an honour to especially welcome the members olf the Hawke’s Bay team, and he trusted that their stay in Paeroa would be a happy and enjoyable one. The public was looking forward to seeing the men in a,ction on Saturday, and he hoped that the best team would win.

VISITORS’ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In returning thanks on behalf of the Te Aroha Orphans,’ Club Bro. Connolly said that-the Te Aroha brethren ajways took away with them happy recollections of the hospitality of the Paeroa brethren.

The Rev. Forde was the next speaker. He said that it was a privilege to be amongst and meet meh of the calibre of the Orphans:. He had felt very touched, and was grateful for the hearty welcome accorded him. He was certainly in a new land, but was glad he was among such British peo»ple. New Zealand was, indeed, a wonderful country, and he had been Struck by the apparent prosperity of its people, and also by the fact that the hotel bars were open to the public. In America the bootleggers ran Sa,loons, but, df course, the Americans did not drink. (Laughter.) The speaker said that in some parts of America, and in East Africa, New Zealand was not known, but the Americans who did knefw New Zealand knew it to be a wonderful country wisely governed a : nd populate, with stout-hearted people. He urged that more advertising and publicity should be given the Dominion, and said that he wohld like to see New Zealanders make a pilgrimage to America and talk about the Dominion. It wa.s a shame that so little was known about New Zealand in other parts of the w<Md. The Rev. Forde said that he had be'e.n very impressed with New Zealand’s, flag, and he was sorry not to see it hanging there that night. The flag was unique with its Union Jack in the corner and the stars of hope bn the background of blue. The Americans, were tdo prone to flag-wagging, and overdid the stuff. Referring to prohibition in America the speaker said that the bootleggers were making enormous profits, and illicit trade was rife. As a member of the Citizens’ Welfare Investigation

Committee he had had ample opportunities of seeing .the evils of prohibition, and could say authoritatively that since America had become “dry” crime had increased two-fold in New York and four-fold in Massachusetts. The New Zealanders, were a wise and temperate people, and their methods were to be highly commended. He counselled the brethren to safeguard her principles, and said that a joy without abuse wa,s. indeed a privilege. No one liked to be watched or be under suspicion, and he hoped that New Zealand would continue to prosper under its good, sound government. In conclusion he said that he was looking forward to meeting the brethren more intimately, and felt tha.t he was going to have a happy time in the Dominion. As a vicar he would strive to be useful to his Church and in a humble way to be of some use to the community. Mr H. Seed, one of the managers of the Ha,wire’s Bay team, returned thanks for the hearty welcome, and said that in the course of travel he had ajways found that a town possessing an orphans’ club was, one from which a hearty welcome and hospitality were never lacking. He, too, hoped that the public Would witness a good exhibition of Rugby, and that the better team would win.

The session concluded with cheers and the singing of “For They are Jolly Gobd Fellows, “Auld Lang S!yne,” and the National Anthem.