HIGHLY ESTEEMED

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3264, 17 May 1943, Page 3

HIGHLY ESTEEMED

MR & MRS H. T. McGARVEY HIKUTAIA PRESENTATION 141 YEARS SPENT IN DISTRICT A very large number of residents assembled at the Hikutaia Hall on Saturday afternoon last when a public farewell was tendered to Mr and Mrs H. T. McGarvey, who will in the future reside in Matamata. Both Mr and. Mrs McGarvey were very well known and highly esteemed members of the community and Hikutaia will be decidedly the poorer for their leaving the district. Mr* McGarvey until his transfer to Matamata, was postmaster in Hikut’aia, having held that position for the past 14S years, during which period he always gave the residents loyal ' and unfailing service. Besides that he took a very active part in the general life of the community, havingheld a large number of public positions, including those of president of the Hikutaia Football Club, vice-pre-sident of the Hikutaia Polo Club and treasurer of the Alley Memorial Park. He was always willing to give a helping hand with any worthy cause, and whatever duties he undertook were always most capably carried out. Mrs McGarvey, who has always lived in Hikutaia, was well known before her marriage in both hockey and tennis circles when, as Miss Rena Alley, she was an Auckland provincial representative hockey player and represented the Thames Valley at tennis. Although she has not taken such an active part in sport since becoming Mrs McGarvey she has al- ; ways shown a keen interest in the sport of the district, as well as helping all other worthy , organisations, while the 'Church of England parishioners owe her a deep debt of gratitude for her .unfailing work in connection with their church. After a beautiful afternoon tea had. been served to all present Mr Geo. Avery addressed those present,, stating that they had all gathered there that day to bid farewell to their friends, Mr and Mrs McGarvey, to whom he extended a very hearty welcome. Looking around the crowded hall, it could plainly have been seen, he said, in what high esteem both the guests of honour were held. ■He knew, he added, how sorry all present were, to lose them both from the district but what was Hikutaia’s loss would be Matamata’s gain.

Mr McGarvey, said Mr Avery, had come amongst them many years ago, and' would certainly leave his mark on Hikutaia. In the early part of his residence in Hikutaia Mr McGarvey had played football himself, but having chosen a bride front Hikutaia had settled down and taken on more arduous positions, among these being president of the football club and secretary and treasurer of the Alley Memorial Park.

Mrs McGarvey, said Mr Avery, had always lived among them, and all knew her good Qualities and the outstanding part she had also played in the sport and other life of Hikutaia. Mr Avery then presented the guests of honour with a handsome chiming clock as a mark of appreciation from the residents and sports bodies of Hikutaia, together with sincere wishes for good health, happiness and long- life in their new surroundings. Mr Avery then called , upon Canon W. G. Weadon, of Paeroa, to speak. Addressing the gathering, Canon

Weadon said he would like to endorse all that Mr Avery had.' said in connection with the high esteem in which both Mr and Mrs McGarvey were held' in the district and in sports circles although he was not , there just to express an opinion in that way, hut in connection with the Church. He had, he said, had tne pleasure of knowing Mrs McGarvey for the past 16 or 17 years, first as a schoolgirl playing hockey, then he had prepared her for Confirmation, married her and baptised her children and during most of that time she had made herself responsible for the care of the church linen an<l flowers, and never once had he had any worry that these duties would not be. faithfully carried out and only he knew just what a tremendous help it was to a parish priest to know that things would always be ready for him on his arrival at the church. But, said Canon Weadon, the part that pleased him most about the service was the way in which it had been rendered by. Mrs McGarvey, al- ' ways quietly, unassumingly but loyally and he knew that in Matamata she- would find some small part to play in that large parish, as well as she had played it in a big way in this. Canon Weadon then presented Mrs McGarvey with a beautiful silver dish on behalf of the Anglican parishion-

ers of Hikutaia and wished her every success for the future. Mr R. W. Lowry, chairman of the Church Committee, said he took great pleasure in endorsing all the remarks of the previous speakers about Mr and Mrs McGarvey, all of which they fully deserved. On behalf of the committee and parishioners of the Anglican Church he wished to thank Mrs McGarvey for the work she had done for the church and wished both herself, Mr McGarvey and family the best of health and happiness for the future.

“For They Are Jolly Good Fellows,” was heartily sung.

Replying on behalf of himself and his wife, Mr McGarvey thanked Mr Avery, Canon Weadon and Mr Lowry for their kind words and also the residents of the district and sports bodies for their beautiful gift which they would always cherish.

During his service of 141 years in Hikutaia he had, he said, always found the public most patient with him and he would like to take this opportunity of thanking them all- for their assistance, particularly the telephone subscribers.

Mr McGarvey also thanked the Anglican parishioners on behalf of his wife for their lovely gift and said he too would like to endorse what Canon Weadon had said about the quiet, unassuming way his wife had always gone about her.various duties. Matamata, said Mr McGarvey, was not so far away so that they would both look forward to seeing the folk in Hikutaia ,from time to time and so he was very pleased to be saying only au revoir and not good-bye.