EARLY SETTLERS IN WALLACE

Southland Times, Issue 24239, 24 September 1940, Page 7

EARLY SETTLERS IN WALLACE

REUNION. HELD AT RIVERTON

APPEAL MADE FOR NEW

members

The annual gathering of the Wallace Early Settlers’ Association was held in Riverton. There was a large attendance of members of the association under the chairmanship of Mr E. J. Stevens, one of the founders. ‘ Tributes were paid to those older members who had passed away during the year—Mrs R. Anderson, Mr T. Giller, Mr C. Molloy, Mrs C. Johnstone, Mrs Griffith, Mr and Mrs M. Anderson, Mr J. McDonald, Mr M. Woods, Mr J. C. Couling, Mr R. Sweetman and Mr D. Crawford. In welcoming those present the chairman appealed for new members from the younger people who would carry on as the older people were passing away. They might have had a museum built, he said, but several circumstances had interfered and *• they were still waiting, but he hoped they would see it when things had settled down after the war. He was still not in favour of the going to Inver.cargill. The secretary (Mr H. Spear) read letters from Mr J. L. McG. Watson, Mr C. S. Stevens and Mrs D. Crawford. He also read a report of the initial meeting held on July 5, 1924, of which Mr E. J. Stevens was the convener and chairman.

After the roll had been called, Mr J. Carnegy Gardner, formerly of Clifden and now of Invercargill, said he thought it was a wonderful thing to keep up the old traditions and meet old friends. It was 63 years since his people had gone to Birchwood and it was good to look back on what they, with the other pioneers, had achieved. He was convinced that those old people had great stamina and they had left this tradition to carry on. Southland had made wonderful strides but there were always some pioneer faces missing. He wondered, he said, if the world was improving. He rather thought the younger generation was not a patch on the old people. Young people of the present day did not look for work, but waited on the Government. In the old days people were more self-reliant, he said.

It was a wonderful thing to keep up the old customs and to remember those who had passed. During the afternoon a musical and dancing programme was given as follows:—A piano duet, Misses M. Martin and R. Robertson; dancing, Misses J. Stevens, T. de Clifford, V. Lockett and A. Thomson; acrobatic dancing, Miss Phyllis Wilson; Highland dancing and hornpipe, pupils of Madame Thorne (Invercargill), accompanied by Mr Tate (Invercargill) on the pipes; Miss Maureen Leddel, story without words and recitation; duets, Mrs G. D. Souness (Oamaru) and Miss Flora McKay (Gummies Bush); songs, Mrs C. R. J. Inder and Mr Gordon Wilson.

Mesdames A. Castle and F. Thomson and Miss Janet More were accompanists. The chairman thanked all who had helped and congratulated them on the pleasant day they had enjoyed, and particularly the young people for their assistance.

Among those present were: Mrs Gilchrist (South Riverton), Mrs S. Watson (The Narrows), Mrs W. Armstrong (Waipango), Mr and Mrs G. E. Beer (South Riverton), Mrs A. F. Webb (South Riverton), Mrs E. V. Stevens (Otapiri), Misses A. and E. Densham (Riverton), Mr and Mrs E. J. Stevens (Hekeia), Mr and Mrs J. R. Nuttall (Longwood), Mr and Mrs W. G. Robertson (Lorneville), Mrs Webb (Thornbury), Mr and Mrs E. B. Gee (Napier), Mr and Mrs W. B. Hopcroft (Gummies Bush), Mr and Mrs R. Lyon (South Riverton), Miss E. Galloway (Riverton), Mrs Watson, sen. (Longwood), Mrs W. Trotter (Tihaka), Mrs W. Prentice (Gummies Bush), Mrs W. Clarke (South Riverton), Mrs F. Thomson (Riverton), Mrs Inder (South Riverton), Mrs A, Castle (Riverton), Mrs Stevens (Riverton), Mrs Souness, Mrs G. A. Wilkes, Miss F. McKay, Mr and Mrs J. Crawford (Beach road), Mrs A. Thomson (Riverton), Mr E. Howell (Riverton), Mr E. Daniel, sen. (Otaitai Bush), Mr J. Templeton (Orepuki), Mr C. Foster (Thombury), Dr N. G. Trotter (Riverton), Mr H. Spear (Colac), Mr W. Stormonth (Riverton), Mr J. McKay (Riverton), Mr W. Forde (Isla Bank), Mr D. McFarlane (Gropers Bush), Mr N. Woods (Pahia), Mr J. Ewings (South Hillend), Mr Tracey King (South Riverton), Mr G. McLean (South Riverton), Mr J. Reidie (Ermedale), Mr and Mrs J. McKenzie (Gummies Bush), Mr J. Douglas (Ermedale), Mr J. Carnegy Gardner (Clifden), Mrs J. Hunter (South Riverton), Mrs J. Mclntosh (South Riverton) and Mrs S. Helm (South Riverton).