HALCOMBE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9085, 2 March 1908, Page 5

HALCOMBE.

From Our Own' Correspondent. I have to thank Mr B. James for an invitation to be present at a farewell social tendered to Mr and Mrs E. Carr by their Stanway friends on I 1 nday last, and express my regret at my inability to attend a function that would have afforded me much pleasure. However, I can endorse all the kind things that must have been said and done by those who regret our loss, and who on this occasion endeavoured to show their appreciation of the public worth and neighbourly qualities of this worthy couple and wish them every happiness in their new home. On the preceding evening a special meeting of the members of our Foresters;Court Loyal was held for the purpose of bidding farewell to Secretary Bro. P." A. "Thebridge. Full justice having been done to the excellent supper provided O. R. Bro. W. A. Bell proposed the health of the guest, and in doing so spoke appreciatively of the invaluable services rendered to the Order by Bro. Thebridge. Daring the past 3o years iie had laboured to promote its interests and throughout those years his heart had been with his work, and now on behalf of his brethren he would ask him to accept a gold medal which bore the arms of the Order, as a token of their brotherly love';and esteem. The toast having been musically and otherwise honoured, Bro. Thebridge said he felt grateful for the honour they had shown him and assured them that his had Jieen a labour of love. He hoped all members would continue to woz'k together and thus assure the continued progress of Haloonjhe Court Loyal, and though he would in the flesh be absent from them he would always he with them iu the spirit of brotherhood. The other toasts honoured wore :—“Yisitiug Lodges”, Bros. L. : Seigel, Goebel and Mar;-ton ; ‘ ‘ Officers and Brethren of the Court, ’ ’ Bros. Hcappy and Seigel. Bro. Thebridge then proposed the health of Lis successor, and wished him every success iu the responsible position of secretary to which Mr Hcappy suitably replied. Songs were contributed during the evening by Bros. Goebel, Marstou, Yvißcocks, Palonski, Thebridge, McDonald and Heappey. Bro. O. Callingham was the accompanist. The only thing calculated to mar the pleasure of the evening was the knowledge that the Kalcomhe Foresters were about to lose an old and esteemed Brother and the district ono of its old and conscientious toilers. Iu wishing Mr Thebridge success in his now venture and . happiness in Lis Woodvillo home, r only echo the sentiments of all who have known him and his iu tins district. Tiie promise of a good soaking given as on the 25th was not fulfilled, ;rud though the refreshing rain continued for a long time it was not heavy. With many hundreds of others I was iu it for many hours waiting for “The Race. ” What did I think of it? Well I’ve been asked that question many times and have answered with the words': uttered when I saw the champion over a mile from home. Boxing the binoculars, I said, “Webb’s gob him whipped,” and is holding Tressider as he wishes. I’m satisfied and I’m off. “Oh, it’s not over yet,” said some one near, but it was bar shouting, and there were three miles of that cheering line with punctuating roars from the knotted thousands. Then it was not a question with me of how many lengths Webb was ahead at the finish, hat how many chains the champion could have finished in front of Tresidder if called upon to |do his possible? As a picture it was indeed very beautiful ; never have I seen a river so attractive. It appeared to me before its surface was disturbed as some mysterious mirror I had read about, producing many familiar and some strange reflections. The stillness and suspense as we waited for the long delayed start was painfully oppressive, and it was a positive relief when we knew they were“off, and away. The“leaders of the procession first appeared as automotors upon, long and double pointed bamboos, raipdly nearing us; we noted ®the machine-like regularity of the rowers’ movements. There was no diminitiou iu the speed of those light and fragile crafts between those long and powerful strokes. The glittering surface of the mirror was only slightly disturbed by them, but behind these silent rowers came the noisy water churners, exhaling black smoke and smashing to fragments that lovely looking glass. Six hours for six minutes look upon’such a scene with the conviction that our man |must win, warning up our blood, was it worth it? Emphatically yes. I would do it again tomorrow if I was assured“there would be no two hours furtherfwaiting for the steamer to take me back and beyond further risk of rheumatics. Talk about beer gone stale, [flat chamapgne, or your head iu the morning, there is no comparison. Wet, weary, waiting and fearful you’d miss your train, nothing to relieve the derpession. Oh, I was full of it, and I think that other and more satisfactory arrangements will have todae made for future contests or fewer will use the water way to the hill sidefgandstaud, that ideal position from which to see the best in river pictures, together with an uninterrupted view of the most perfect sculling for the championship that the world can produce.