HIGHLY ESTEEMED

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3265, 19 May 1943, Page 5

HIGHLY ESTEEMED

SETTLERS OF HIKUTAIA MR AND MRS MARK ELLIS PRESENTATION FROM DISTRICT The Hikutaia Hall was crowded to its capacity one evening last week when residents of Hikutaia, Paeroa and Thames gathered there to tender a public farewell to Mr and Mrs M. A. Ellis, of Maratoto Valley, Hikutaia. Representatives from Paeroa were Mr E. Edwards, Mayor of Paeroa, Messrs Barrett, A. A. Jenkinson and E. Shaw representing,, the Ohinemuri -County Council and Rev. Father O’Meara, Paeroa Roman Catholic Church. Thames was represented by the Rev. Father Lyons and Councillors A. Duncan and A. McCollum of the Thames County Council. A number of speakers addressed the gathering- and all paid high tribute to both Mr and Mrs Ellis, both in their home and public life, Mr Ellis being most prominent in the latter, but Mrs Ellis was always known to be beside him to lend a helping hand in her quiet and lovable manner.

Mr and Mrs Ellis are some of Hikutaia’s oldest settiers, having resided in the district for the past 36 years during which time they have won the affection and esteem of all sections of the community, as well as' being widely known and respected in all the surrounding districts. v Mr and Mrs Ellis first came to Hikutaia when Mr Ellis took up the position of manager of the Hikutaia creamery, he then took up land in the Maratoto Valley, where they and their family have resided ever since.

Mr Ellis- has always taken a keen interest in all public matters, in the good old (fays it was football and sp’orts meetings, while for the past twelve years he has been a member of the Ohinemuri County Council and also a member of the Thames Hospital Board. The Hikutaia hall was a very pretty sight, the stage being decorated with masses of greenery and large bowls of autumn tinted chrysanthemums while the supper tables were decorated with zinnias and asparagus fern. The front of the hall was furnished with floor rugs, easy chairs and small tables, while the balance of the floor was left clear for dancing. Mesdames A. R. Robinson and J. Murdock acted as hostesses.

The evening took the form,, of a social there being a 'number of splendid items- rendered by Paeroa and Hikutaia artists as well as dancing, all the items receiving hearty applause which in every case was well merited.

A delicious supper was served by a willing band of helpers to all present, after which Mr Geo. Avery, a colleague of Mr Ellis on the Ohinexnuri County Council 'and chairman of the committee responsible for the farewell, addressed the gathering. Mr Avery first of all heartily welcomed the guests of honour, Mr and Mrs- Ellis and members of their family- on behalf of their many friends, both old and young, who were present that evening and said it was easy to see by the size of the gathering in what high esteem they were held.

Continuing, Mr Avery said' he well remembered the'time when Mb Ellis had first come to Hikutaia as the creamery manager and how quickly he had proved himself to be a good citizen by taking a keen interest in all matters concerning the district, one of the first being to build a small room on the front of the very hall in which they were now gathered. Mr Ellis also took a great interest in athletic sports meetings and was soon the most sought-after starter in the Thames Valley for running and chopping events. Then when he took up land and went farming his interest in public life still continued and he became a member of the Ohinemuri County Council a position which he has held for the past 12 years, as well as being a member of the Thames Hospital Board for the last two years. Apologies for their absence, said Mr Avery, had been received from the chairman of the Ohinemuri County Council, while Mr Phil. Brenan, chairman of the Thames Hospital Board had written wishing “Mr and Mrs Ellis the best of health and happiness for the future and in their new home.”

Hikutaia could, ill afford to lose citizens like Mr and Mrs Ellis, said Mr Avery. They would be greatly missed. Mr Avery then called upon the Rev. Father Lyons to speak. The Rev. Father Lyons said it was a great privilege to be present at such a gathering. He wished to extend his hear y good wishes to Mr and

Mrs Ellis, but also to express his ; regret at their leaving, not that the occasion, he said, should be made an unhappy one, as they were leaving to enjoy a well-earned rest. He knew just what a great break it must be for them to go but it should help, them to go with more cheerful hearts when they knew they were taking the respect and friendship of all and he felt he must congratulate them very much at seeing so many friends around them on such an occasion as this, as well as so many representatives of local bodies', both of which he felt was a striking tribute to the great mark they had made on all parts of the community.

Rev. Father Lyons also said how pleasing it was to him that Mr and Mrs Ellis had been able to have their family with them at this splendid function.

He then extended, on behalf of himself, Father O’Meara of Paeroa, and his assistant, Father Clarke, their earnest best wishes for the future to Mr and Mrs Ellis and family and wished them au revoir for the present.' 1

Mr Avery then called upon Mr T. Barrett, deputy-chairman of the Ohinemuri County Council to speak. Mr Barrett said how great a privilege it was to be asked to speak at such a function. He endorsed the previous speaker’s words when he said hOw very sorry he was to be saying farewell to both Mr and Mrs Ellis. He had known them 'both intimately for many years and had always held the highest regard for them both.

For the past ten years, he said, he had been associated with Mr Ellis and had always found him honest, straightforward and sincere and it was on local bodies that one found these thing’s out. He felt sure that the roads alone in Hikutaia were greatly due to the good' work of Mr Ellis.

Continuing, he said' how sorry he was that they were leaving Hikutaia, although they both deserved a wellearned rest and he wished them both joy and happiness' and a long’ and prosperous holiday. Mr Avery then called, upon, Mr Edwin Edwards, Mayor of Paeroa, to speak. Mr Edwards expressed the pleasure of himself and Mrs Edwards at being invited to be present at a farewell to Mr and Mrs Ellis.

Mr Ellis, he, said, was not only a Hikutaia resident, a farmer and a -county and hospital board man, but was also a member of the Paeroa District Patriotic Committee and as chairman of that body he wished to express his appreciation of the excellent services Mr Ellis had rendered.

As for Mrs Ellis, he said he would like to endorse all that Father Lyons and Mr Barrett had said of her. He also had known her for a long time and knew her for what she was, a great wife and a charming lady who it was a privilege to know. He felt, he said, that by the presence of so many in the hall, all felt, the same way about Mr& Ellis. 7 It was very pleasing, said Mr Edwards, to see Mr and Mrs- Ellis’ five daughters present from Auckland. Mr Edwards again thanked Mr Ellis for his work on the patriotic committee and congratulated them both •on the success they had made of their lives by diligence and hard work, starting as and finishing off the job well. On behalf of himself and the people of Paeroa he wished them the very best for the future and hoped they would live long to enjoy their wellearned rest.

Mr Avery then asked Mrs A. Duncan to present Mrs Ellis with a beautiful shoulder spray (the- work of Mrs I. M. Robinson, of Hikutaia), of pink begonias and maiden-hair fern.

He then asked Mr. and Mrs Ellis to accept from the people of Hikutaia as a token of their great esteem the following gifts: To Mr Ellis, a handsome chromium smoker’s stand and to Mrs Ellis a pyrex dish in a silver stand and a beautiful silver tray.

All then sang “For They Are Jolly Good Fellows,” which was followed by cheers.

Replying, Mr Ellis said that this kind of thing was, he supposed, one of the penalties of stopping too long in one place but the remarks passed by the various speakers were very pleasing, not so much for himself but for his good wife and family who deserved them all and the 'beautiful gifts and the many kind words that went with them would always stay in their memories. They would never forget Hikutaia or the people in it, as they had always been very happy there. ...

No young people present, said Mr Ellis, could know just what the older folks before them had done. It had taken stout hearts to/farm those'days and after all those years among so many who were present to-night, they

were going to find it a big break to go, but although they did not like going, they felt they had earned a rest.

Mr Ellis then thanked everyone very, very sincerely for such a splendid social, which both himself, Mrs Ellis and the girls appreciated very much.

The items rendered were songs by Mrs J. -Stevenson, “Just A’Wearyin’ for You,” “Keep On Hopin’.” “OldFashioned Town,” “End of a Perfect Day”; songs by Miss Grace Gibb, “Bless This House,” and “I’ll Walk Beside You”; songs by McClinchy, “Love’s a Merchant,” and “Smilin’ Thru”; songs by Miss C. 'Goonan,' “Because,” and “The Desert Song; humorous sketches by Mr Phil. Caisley; tap dances by Mr Whisker; pianoforte solo by Miss Rita Smith. The accompanist was Miss R. Smith of Paeroa.

Dance . music was supplied by Mrs Burkhardt, Mrs Doonan, Miss R. Smith, Messrs E. Smith, McLearf and The M.C. was Mr H.. Smith. Those present were:— Mrs M. A. Ellis, wearing black corded french crepe, black silk velvet coatee and shoulder spray; Mrs D. Doonan (Auckland), Mrs E. Edwards (Paeroa), Mesdames A. R. Robinson, J. Murdock, G. Avery, A. Duncon, R. W. Lowry, A. Jenkinson (Paeroa), E. Shaw (Paeroa), Stevenson (Paeroa), L. Smith (Paeroa), J. Corbett, L. Martin, G. McGregor, McClinchy, A. Trembath, W. Brunton (Wharepoa), W. H. Alley, N. Harper, A. Stratford, Henwood (Wharepoa), G. Innis (Wharepoa), E. Morrison. J. -Swift, Brunton Jnr. (Wharepoa), Bax Jnr., McNeil (Omahu), D. Healey, C. Clotworthy, Sutton, H. Spinks, V. Brown, ■ C. Alley, T. Corbett, H. Waacker, Burkhardt, H. Martin (Paeroa), R. Clark, A. Lowry, V. Alley, Trethowen, A. .McCollum (Wharepoa), A. W. Alley, C. Reid, R. Norton, Flavell, Baird (Wharepoa), G. Trembath, W. Brown, Chalk, C. Murdock. Misses Mary Ellis (Auckland), Gert Ellis (Auckland), Tish Ellis

(Auckland), Mon Ellis (Auckland), M. Corbett, Joy Healey, Crosby (Paeroa),T. McClinchy (Paeroa), Vai. Alley (Auckland), Joy Sweeney J. Scanlan (Paeroa), S. Scanlan (Paeroa), C. Goonan, W. Corbett, M. Corbett, C. Wright (Puriri), Z. Flavell,. ■S. McNeil, N. Sutton, Chalk (Puriri),. C. Winder, G. Gibb, P. Hopping, H. Innis, N. McCollum, Trethowen, Joyce Morrison, M. Smith, I. Lowry.

CHURCH PRESENTATION

EIGHT-DAY CLOCK Mr and Mrs M. A. Ellis and their son Marty were the recipients of still further gifts when the Rev. Father Lyons, on behalf of the parishioners of the Hikutaia Roman Catholic Church presented to them at the Church, a handsome wall mirror church, with an eight-day clock inset, at the base and a prayer book each for Mr and Mrs Ellis and a 'small, statuette of the Virgin and Child to Marty. 'Mr and Mrs Ellis and family have always been most devoted members of the church and their presence each Sunday will be greats The gifts carried all good wishes for the future from those present.