PIO PIO.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 586, 19 July 1913, Page 5

PIO PIO.

♦ - Own Correspondent. The residents of Pio Pio and surrounding district organised an "At Home" in the Town Hall on Monday last at 2 p.m. for the purpose of extending a welcome to the new Congregational minister, the Rev. Harold J. Ralph, who has been brou.uht out by the Congregational Union from England to labour in the King Country. The gathering was a thoroughly representative one organised by the settlers, and assisted by the ladies «f the district. The programme consisted of songs and recitations by Mesdames Elliott, Willis. Anderson. Miss Butcher and Messrs HatUway. Elliott, Ralph. Griffiths and Buckingham, each item being rendered in good Btyle by the various performers. Brief speeches of welcome were also u,iven by Messrs Hattaway, Elliott, Butcher, and Rev. Griffiths from Te Kuiti, representing the Congregational Union. Mr E. H. Buckingham, who has temporarily been in charge of the work in this district, until the arrival of Mr Ralph from England, acted as chairman of the gathering, and spoke highly of the kindness and hospitality of the settlers throughout the district, assuring Mr Ralph he would aiways find a warm welcome to the hemes of the settlers and a comfortable bed at night if necessary. MiRalph briefly replied, stating his welcome to this land had everywhere been of the most cordial character, and he felt quite at homo in this new land. He bopeo he would prove a worthy successor to the Revs. Mitchell, Potts, Gibson, Buckinham and others who had laboured in the district.