Large Farewell Gathering for Rev. P. C. Williams

Lake County Mail, Issue 16, 10 September 1947, Page 1

Large Farewell Gathering for Rev. P. C. Williams

About 70 people of all denominations principally Anglicans, were present at a farewell social in the on Saturday night in honour of tlte P. -G; Williams and Mrs Williams. /The Eev.. Mr Williams leaves for Lawrence next week to take up his duties there. After a programme of musical itcnwy—community singing, games, and dancing, Mr E. Eobins, people’s church warden, said the object of the function was to farewell the Eev. Mr and Mrs Williams. Their vicar had spent a little over five years in Queenstown and it was with regTet that they were losing him and Mrs Williams and family. During Mr Williams’s ministry in the district he carried out his duties very conscientiously. He had been very attentive to the sick and was a regular visitor to the hospital. Mr Williams Avas also very helpful in local entertainment and other ways. He extended the best Avishes of St. Peter’s congregation to the vicar, Mrs Williams, and family. Mr W. D. Warren endorsed the remarks of the previous speaker, stressing the high standard and dignity of the church services and capable and interesting addresses given by their vicar. The Eev. P. Anderson (St. Andrew’s Church) said that the Eev. Mr Williams had done much to keep alive interest in the churches in the district. He felt that he Avould co-operate well with his fellow clergy in Lawrence, and he asked for God’s blessing on his work, there. Dr W. A. Anderson said the Eev. Mr Williams started off from scratch in QueenstoAvn. He came here as a single man and was leaving wihh a wife and two sons. His pastoral duties had, moreover, endeared him to the parish. Mr Eobins, who said he had received apologies from Messrs E. Collingwood, C. H. McKay, and the Eev. Father Hanrahan, then presented the Eev. P. C. Williams with a monetary gift. The Eev. Mr Williams, replying, thanked the speakers and the congretion for their gift. After his arrival from the New Hebrides, he took up his first parish work in Wakatipu, a little over five years ago, and of 22 vicars who had done service here there were only two who had a longer term than he had. He appreciated his Avork in the district, though he Avas mindful of mistakes. He thanked the various organisations for their co-operation and the people for their prayers. He regretted that his successor, the Eev. Mr Tucker, was not coming to QueenstoAvn and he hoped that a clergyman would soon be appointed to take up the duties laid doAvn by him. Musical honours Avere then given and supper Avas served. During the evening vocal numbers were given by Mesdames G. Buxton and T. McGoriley, Miss Frances Cosgrove, the Eca\ P. C. Williams, Mr Janies McDonald, and duets by Messrs E. Hopwood and James McDonald. Mrs J. McDonald Avas the aecompaniste. The singing of “Auld Lang Syne ” and the National Anthem brought the evening to a close.