AN OLD SETTLER HONORED.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1915, Page 6

AN OLD SETTLER HONORED.

-Mi;. J. j;. hill i'',\i:i-:"i\'i-:i.Lia). The inclement wcatke:- ( :i '!'';-::v..!:i,. ni.uiit did imt prevent the resident- ol kgmont Load and dUrici from a-soin'.;-ling in goo.ln numbers Ui liid farewell to Air. J. U'. Hill, who'is iiioviii.; to -New J'lyniiiutli after a I'ortv ycaiV rc-i----dence at Hillsborough, during whi.li he ha-, 1 ccd to tlie forefront in any movement that lias tended to til.' advanco«.cut of the district. A strong committee, comprising II. ( . Sampson (chairman). 1,." \V. ili-Jiop (-('Cretan), T. Ilawkings, 11. 0. Skelton, J!. Ai.kclton, L. Marsh, !•'. Smellie, Jl, Marr and 10. Rarriball hail made ci m;ilcle :\>: rlingcirie.iils, and as the catering had been tii'l;cn in hand by lie; ladies of tiie district, nothing was lacking to ensure tlic success of the gathering, 'the social took the nature of a dunce, interspersed with musical items, Mr. 1.. \\.. Jiishop made a capable MX'., and with his assistant (Mr. 11. Handball) kept matters moving merrily. Miss Hilda Jiishop provided excellent d.incc music, extras being rendered by Mrs. Taylor and Mr. P. Parker. An interesting item was the Lancers in which the old identities took the floor. Two scls were formed as follows: Mr. .). 1!. Mill and Mrs. J. W. Jiidiop, Mr. and Mrs. .1. Omnett, Mr. and Airs. I), ltisliop. Mr. J. '\V. Bishop and Mrs. 11. T. Bishop; Mr. and Mrs. T. Sampson, Mr. T. Haw,.ings and Airs. K. Al. Skelton, Mr. and Mrs. Len Marsh, Mr. 11. li. Samp-oa and Airs. Barribatl. AnoLher o.d identity (Mrs. Taylor) played the inn i.e. Mr. J. S. Connett, in a brief speecii, mad.' a presentation. Jle stated that in each there was a'desire to pais the'autumn lit his life as a spectator of, instead of of participators in, the strumous life. In youth, when full of vigor, one was anxious to get in and shift tilings. Latei one was quite willing to let the other | chap do it. During Air. Hill's long ivsi-i ' deuce he had seen vast changes on Kg-1 mont Road. Mr. Hill could give them] | a history of his experience, of the. struggles and hard times thai th • early j settlers had had to put up with. Tluse. | if not quite forgotten now. were only a] vague memory. The efforts put forth j | .by the leading spirits in a new din-1 ' triet changed the aspect according to the amount of energv displayed, first | «'ame the school, then the factory, the hall, good roads, and mail and te ephor..' J accommodation. In all of these Air. Hill • took a leading part. His association | with the school (lated back over thirty years, lie had'.been a director of the old Hillsborough Dairy, Company from I its inception. As lvprc-cntatiw on the County 'Council he had done yeoman service during the pa.-it twe.ve j ear.', I and also as a member of tic Ifo-pital j and Charitable Aid Board ar.d of the .Sa- ■ tioaal Park Hoard. As a number of j the Taranaki Agricultural Society he j was a grafter, which .was sijying a .' lot, as, though there was a large committee, the workers eould be counted on both hands, lie expressed the hope that Air. Hill would still retain his interest in this, especially as they were ! about to go on their new grounds and required the support of all the old members and as many new ones as possible in the outlying; districts, which up to tin? present had given little or no support.' Whether Ah". Hill decided to ! continue in semi-active public, life or retire altogether they CjOuld only lie of one mind, that he had done his share i on behalf of the district and county, lie expressed regret that the late Airs, i Hill was not there to share the exprcsI sion of good feeling, as quite a lot of • Air. Hill's success »».. due to her in- , terest and assistance.

Mr. 11. (.'. Sampson, after apologising for the absence of .Messrs ,i. Brown, F. C. J. Bellringer, and A. Morton, endorsed these remarks. All worn pleased that Mr. Hill was able to retire, hut all would feci his loss, as ho had helped the district in every possible way. No one would realise how* he had helped until lie had left. He had lieen the main mover in the institution of the Hillsborough Dairy Company, and had also been its mainstay until ta.ken over by the Bell .Block Company? U had prospered under his guidance as chairman. He had been keen on educational matters, having been on the Be.!l lslock Committee when that school was opened, lie was also the main mover in severing the Hillsborough school district, having been chairman ever since and things had gone on smoothly. Jleferring to Mr. Hill's work on the County Council, he pointed out that in the old l'.oad Board days they had .1 struggle to maintain their roads, , .Mr. lull had advised them to merge, pointing out that the county had machinery to make the roads. They all knew, he said, how the roads had been improved, ami they would now compare favorablv with any in the county., Mr. Hill wa.' tin- oldest resident on the road, ami could claim to be the pioneer of Hillsborough district. He had been one of the hardest workers, both in connection with the erection of the hall ami also in wiping off the debt, and he had just h.inded in his resignation as treasurer, but they did not know how to replace him. lie hoped that his successor on the farm would be a. second Mr. Hill. Mr. ConnetU'then asked Mr. Hill to accept a handsome writin" desk as a small token of appreciation from the settlers, and trusted that lie would be spared for many years of usefulness and that the friendship.-, made would long remain.

Mr. J. K. Hill, in a brief reply, said that words failed to come to his lips to express what he felt. He had seen many changes. He compared the days of the old mud roads, when it was a clay's journey to New Plymouth and back, to the present roads, which made it only a matter of a few minute.). Thirty-six years ago .he had met with an accident, and his people had the only vehicle on the road, in which, lie was taken to town by Messrs Marsh and Greenway. The trip that night was something awful. Those who lived in the district now might not notice its progress, but those who remembered it as boys said that they had not seen a district that had progressed as much '.is Hillsborough. It was with feelings •of regret he left, because the people had not only entered into his pleasures but also into his sorrows. "For lie's a dolly tiood Fellow" was lustily sung as Mr. HMI resumed bis seat.

-During- the evening songs were rendered by .Messrs ,1. 'Sorensen (.'J) and Henderson and a recitation was given by -Miss Hilda Jtidiou.

: The takings at "the door were handed to the wounded soldiers' fund, the whole of the expenses of the iocial ami presentation being In' voluntary subscription.