VALEDICTORY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5460, 12 August 1929, Page 2

VALEDICTORY.

.MR J. N. STINEAR. RE-OPENING OF CHURH HALL.' Thursday night saw the re-opening of St. Paul’s Church Hall, Paeroa, after extensive renovations. It can now be said that it has been changed into one of the finest halls in the district. The walls have been lined in a most effective manner and the seating accommodation greatly augmented. The floor is excellent for dancing and the attached apartments—kitchen and disrobing room for the ladies of the choir—are suitable in every way for the purposes they have been set ful dance and bridge party was held aside for. To celebrate the occasion a delightful dance and bridge party was held on Thursday evening, which gave pleasure to al! those participating. After a dainty supper the vicar, the Rev. W. G. H. Weadon, speaking on the re-opening of th- hall, said the thanks of the parishiotiers were due to Messrs. W. Barclay, L. C. Cane, H. V. Cocks, C. Pascoe, J. N. Stinear, and W. J. Towers, who during their leisure hours had, by their own labours, done all the work which had so effectively improved the hall. They had givep their services free, so that there only remained the bare cost of materials, which had been met from money provided by funds of the St. Paul’s Ladies* Church Guild Not only was there the pleasant function of re-opening the hall to refer to, but the greatly to be regretted, repaiture of one of the church members, Mr J.-N. Stinear, to whom they would say farewell. They would keenlv feel his loss, not only as an enthusiastic and devoted member of the choir, but as the one principally responsible for the hall renovation. Mr Stinear had been the proposer of the alterations and ably had he assisted in their carrying out. Continuing, Mr Weadon said they could not let him leave without showing some special recognition of how his services had been appreciated, and therefore had the greatest of pleasure in handing him, on behalf of the vestry, a suitable parchment, which mod as follows :—

“On this, the tve of your departure from Paeroa, we, the members of St. Paul’s Vestry, wish to place on record our deep appreciation of the help we have received during your seven months’ sojourn amongst us. “We have heard and seen you helping by voice and example in the choir, and you have on every occasion shown the keenest interest in the social life of the Church. 1 atterly. you have initiated and carried through the lining of the Parish Hali, turning what was previously but a shed into a hall of which we can be justly proud, and not only did you initiate,and carry through this scheme, but we have to thank you for so many hours of hard manual labour which has helped save the Church funds from much expense. “We wish you every success in the future, ana envy the Hamilton people who will be the gainers by our loss.” On behalf of the choir the vicar presented to Mr Stinear a handsome fountain pen, as a token of their high regard and esteem. In reply Mr Stinear thanked the reverend gentleman for his remarks, and expressed his deep gratitude for the comradeship and friendship he had encountered in his associations with the parishioners. Never in all his life would he forget his happy association with rhe choir. He hoped some day to be able to return, so he would not say good-bye, but au revoir.

Mr Stinear, who has supervised the budding of the Paeroa Hospital during the last few months, left on Saturday for his home at Birkenhead to enjoy a short vacation before proceeding to Hamilton on transfer to supervise some Public Works Department work there.