VALEDICTORY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1037, 31 August 1911, Page 2

VALEDICTORY.

A valedictory social and presentation were tendered to Mr and Mrs J. A. Smith, Mrs Edwards senr., and Mr Arthur Edwards, at the residence ot Mr W. Carter, Moutoa, last night. The district was well represented by old and young folk. Owing to indisposition, Mrs Smith and Mrs Edwards were unable to be present. Mr R. Edwards, J.P., of Palmerston N,, represented his mother. When it became known that the guests were about to spend the'evening of their day in Foxton, the residents felt that they could not let these worthy pioneers depart with out in some way expressing the esteem in which they are held, and also to carry away a token of the link that binds them to their Moutoa friends. Messrs W. Carter and A. Saunders were the moving spirits in the matter, and the other settlers entered heartily into the spirit of it.

How few there are left of the original Moutoa settlers ? Death and removal have thinned out the ranks. There still remains the the Smiths —a grand old couple—the pioneers of the dairy industry in this district, and their sterling family of boys and girls who work the farm, and Mrs Edwards, who is just vacating the farm she has resided on for so many years, and Mr W. Carter, who owns what was his father’s homestead.

By the way, the original settlers in that vicinity were the Smiths, Edwards’, Carters, Howes, Woods, Jas. O’Meara, J. Rousell, Clark Dunn, and Hartley. They purchased the land from the Provincial Government, and hewed out homes and reared families in the then wilderness. They bravely encountered and overcame difficulties and dangers of which the present generation have no conception of. We are speaking now of forty odd years ago. At that time the flaxmilliug industry was in its infancy, and the first mills were erected by Pownall, Edwards and McKenzie and Woods. The latter had a stripper driven by a water wheel. Edwards had eight strippers going at one time. A schooner brought up Edwards’ plant, two engines and boilers and unshipped it on the river bank at Moutoa. A little steamer at that time travelled up as far as Oroua Bridge. Those shipping feats bear evidence that the river is now much shallower than then. Well, those early millers got as much as ,£4O per ton for the fibre they shipped Home. But there came a slump and down went the prices, and the mills were closed. Mr Smith assisted to cut the line for the Moutoa road and, dodging the river on the one hand and the swamp on the other, caused the bends in it which are so familiar now-a-days. Mr Smith subsequently turned his attention toidairying—• and he knew how to make butter because he was brought up on a farm in the Old Band. He soon found a ready market for his output in Foxton, and at times, in winter, he realised as much as 2s 6d per lb. for it. He never got less than one shilling per lb. He and his good wife have turned out as much as aSolbs. ot butter at one churning. The old gentleman is still known throughout the district as “ Butter ” Smith. We are digressing from the social, but these are a few of the many reminiscences we picked up last night. "To get back to our muttons,” as the poet says. Euchre was indulged in, after which Mr Carter explained the object of the gathering and called upon Mr Alex Saunders to make certain presentations. These consisted of a solid marble clock, suitably engraved, to Mr and Mrs Smith, a handsome and comiortable arm chair to Mrs Edwards and a silver mounted pipe to Mr Arthur Edwards. Mr Saunders referred to incidents in the lives of the departing pioneer settlers and hoped that Foxton’s salubrious climate would rejuvenate them. Mr R. Edwards J.P., of Palmerston N., replied on behalf ot the recipients, and, being in a reminiscent mood, referred to Moutoa’s early history and settlers. Supper was provided by Mr Carter, after which a programme of musical and other items were contributed by Misses McDonald, Fair, and Messrs Hornblow and Yates. Mr J. Burr won the prize in the progressive euchre tournament. The function was most enjoyable from start to finish.