MOUTOA NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1775, 12 January 1918, Page 3

MOUTOA NOTES.

(Own Correspondent)

The Christmas vacation was passed very quietly in Moutoa. There was the usual evacuation from the various mills for twelve or thirteen days. Several members of the Thirty*fourth Reinforcements spent the Christmas on, final leave at their various homes here. The sight of the familiar khaki is a poignant reminder —“ Lest we forget” what some appear to lose sight of in their calm prosperity-—that a world war is waging.

There is an acute shortage of flax cutters in the district. Possibly the commencement of the harvest season accounts for some men who doubtless have adopted this lighter and more pleasant form of employment, as cutting in the swamps is considered very trying work in the hot, dry months of summer. We acknowledge New Year greetings from Mr W. J, Rees, of Auckland,a former resident of Moutoa, which we heartily reciprocate. - A large'tangi was held at the old pa at Upper Moutoa last week. .Something like three hundred Maoris were present. An elderly Maori named Poneke was brought through from Palmerston for burial. He was an old member of the Moutoa tribe, and his parents are buried in the vicinity, and it was at his dying request lie was brought back here for the final obsequies. A most successful gathering was held in the Moutoa school on Friday, 4th January, when the residents of the. district met to bid farewell and God speed to five soldiers who are leaving New Zealand shortly for the front. Ptc. Bowe, of Marotiri, also Pte. Fenwick, Pte. Woods, Trooper Evans and Pte. Sutton. A large and representative gathering were present from the 'district around, and visitors from Foxton and Shannon. Mrs Butler, of Shannon, presided at the piano. The following ladies and gentlemen contributed songs and greatly added to the evening’s enjoyment: —Misses Seaddon, from Foxton, Miss Saunders (a piano solo), Miss Butler Dorn Shannon, Mr Littlejohn, of Shannon, and Mr H. MacDonald, of Moutoa. A dainty supper was provided by the ladies, and at its close Mr F, Shaw, in the unavoidable absence of Mr J. Galland, who was attending the Teachers’ Conference in Wellington, presented Pte. Bowe and Pte. Woods, on behalf of the people of Moutoa and Marotiri, with wristlet watches and sets of military selver-backed hair brushes, and a shaving outfit to Pte. Fenwick. Opportunity was taken by a few old friends of Trooper Evans, who has always cheerfully helped any movement,' patriotic or otherwise, in Moutoa, to make a pax-ting gift to him, as a memento of their esteem. The gift took the form of a gold signet ring, suitably engraved. gift was a sum of money to purchase a present. Mr Shaw, in an earnest speech, made fitting reference to a departed comrade who had paid the supreme sacrifice in the attack on Passchendalo Ridge. He hoped that bis audience realised the sacrifices these young soldiers who were going to fight for us were prepared to make. He knew they would uphold the traditions of the New Zealand Ax-my. We were justly proud of them. We knew, and they all knew, that the reputation of New Zealand, and Moutoa, was quite safe in their hands. He sincerely hoped they would be spared to return to us, and in .presenting these small gifts, of perhaps no groat value, not as a reward, but as a parting token, to convey the esteem and affection in which they, the recipients, were held. Mr W. S. Carter endorsed Mr Shaw’s remarks. Pte. Bowe responded on behalf of himself and his comrades in a very happy vein, lie said to do justice to the kindness and the flattering remarks of those gathered there that night, was well nigh impossible, but they could all rest assured that (hough only “half pie” soldiers they meant to ho the real thing yet, and they would do their hit, and that in this new life they were entering on they would 'look hack with pleasure to that evening of happy reunion, and they would always uphold the traditions we were fighting for, what some had died for, and what we still hoped to achieve. Applause greeted the conclusion of Pte. Bowc’s speech.' The singing of “Old Lang Syne” and “He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” broxxght a very happy evening to a close. Three cheers were called for and given for Mr and Mrs Bowe for the splendid response their sons had made for their country, Pte. W. Bowe making the third sou to leave New Zealand for the front.

Mr and Mrs Galland, of Moutoa, are spending their summer vacation in Napier.