SOCIAL AND PRESENTATION

Shannon News, 26 March 1929, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PRESENTATION

RETIREMENT OF MR AND .MR alex. McDonald. EARLY DAYS AT IHAKARA RECALLED. A social evening was held in the 111 kara Hall on Friday, Ala roll 15th, a farewell to Mr and Mrs Alex. M Donald, respected residents of !oi standing in that- district, who hai retired from farming and’ are comi? to reside in Levin. The gathering ws a convincing testimony to the estee felt for the departing settlers, as the were about 120 people present. Mr S. A. Broadbelt, who preside said it was much to be regretted thi

Mrs McDonald was unable to atten owing to illness, and all ’would join i the hope that she would speedily l restored to health. The chairman wei on to state that- Mr and Mrs McDoi aid had been residents of Ihakara ft close on 41 years, having taken up thei section out of rlie green bush. The •were both of splendid' character, an very fine neighbours, 'who had bee ready at all. times to assist other sc' tiers. Mr McDonald had watched tli district, grow, and if any of those prei c-nt wished for any information in r< gard to their holdings, or to surve pegs, boundary lines or distiilguishin marks, then if they were to apply 5 t Mr McDonald lie would be able to tel them, for he had a wonderful memorj Mr Broadbelt then, on behalf of th residents gathered in the hall), aske Mr McDonald to come ' forward am accept tangible evidence of the respee in which lie and Mrs McDonald wen hold. In handing to Mr McDonald a» electric kettle and an -electric iron, th< chairman expressed the hope -that tliey would be treasured not so much fo their intrinsic value as for the wealtr of good feeling conveyed by them. Hf also trusted that the recipients wouh long be spared to enjoy the life of re tirement and rest which they had s. well, earned. ( At this stage the audience rose an< lustily hang, “For they are jolly gooc fellows. ”

Appreciative sentiments were voiced by Mr J. 11. Tayfor, who said that nobody would miss Mr, and. Mrs McDonald more than he would. He deeply regretted that they were leaving; but those amongst whom they were going would find them excellent neighbours. His own family and Mr McDonald’s had met in one way and another every day for fourteen years. Mr McDonald had set a capital example to the younger generation in thj way that lie. had lived, being a mall of splendid character. The speaker trusted that Mr and Mrs McDonald would enjoy a lengthy period of retired life. • '

Ip responding, Mr McDonald said it gave him very great pleasure indeed to be present.to meet so many friends. He had not had any idea that the residents were going to be so kind and considerate to him. He went on to 'give the audience some idea of the hardships encountered by the ' early pioneers. It would be 41 years in May since lie first came into the block, and at that time tliere was practically standing bush from Otaki to Linton, there being just a few small portions cleared. One of the worst jobs he had had to do was to bring 9ft. sheets of iron on his back, along a narrow bush track, from the Koputaroa station, to roof his whare. A still more severe task was that of carrying an*-18ft board, lOin by lin., through the bush. No bridges existed, -and the only means of .communication was a foot track. He called to mind an occasion ' when, not far from where his home now stood, there was a survey camp, He came out of his shack in the morning, to go to Koputaroa, and- found the surveyors perched on top of a fairly high stump. There was water all around them, and they were trying to. boil the billy on another stump, whilst all their ridge-pole of theirtafler( xzlififf their belongings were hanging on the ridge-pole of their tent. No post office then existed in that district, the nearest one being at Linton. From these' few reminiscences, Mr McDonald pointed out, his hearers would gather some sort of impression of the trials endured by those who had taken part in the opening up of the country. (Ap* plause). During the evening, Miss Rankin and Miss Grace McDonald favoured tlie company with songs, which were xpuch appreciated, the singers being encoredMr John Taylor and Miss Vera Cottle contributed a character song, which was very well rendered and met with a popular reception. Dancing was indulged in, to music supplied by Miss Boyle, assisted by Mr Arthur Cottle, Mr J. Trembath, and Mr Jim Oliver, (accordeon), and the gathering broke up at a late hour after all had spent' a thoroughly happy time.