TATARAIMAKA.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1922, Page 7

TATARAIMAKA.

PRESENTATION TO MR. AND MRS. MOSS. The esteem in which Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Moss are held by residents of the Tatargimaka district was evidenced by the crowd that assembled at the Tataraimaka School on Friday night to farewell them on the eve of their leaving the district to take up their residence in New Plymouth, after about eight years, during which Mrs. Moss has held the position of headmistress of the local school and Mr. Moss has been postmaster. Indeed, in the words of the chairman (Mr. R. H. Gatenby) the gathering was easily the best ever held in the district, the room being crowded, making dancing with any degree of comfort almost impossible. The music was supplied by, Mr. Pearson, Miss L. Honeyfield playing an extra, while Messrs. F. Bellshaw and Rex Honeyfield were M.C.’s. An excellent musical programme was rendered, the items, which were thoroughly appreciated, being of outstanding merit. Mrs. Larking and Miss Cattle (Puniho) were encored for their duet,' “Home to the Mountains”. Miss McKeague, of Gisborne, sang “Sleep and the Roses”, and, in response to an encore, gave “Robin Adair”, with which she gained first prize honors at the Napier musical competitions. Later she sang “Coming the Rye”, and was again encored. Mrs. Larking sang “Rose in the Garden”, and, as an encore number, “The Flower That Never Dies”: Miss Cattle rendered a sweet little ballad in Russian, and, as an encore, “Open Your Heart”. Mrs. Longley sang “Break of Day”, and, as an encore, “Rose in the Bud”. Mr. Jenkin (Okato) was encored for his rendition of “Echo”, responding with “When the Ebb Tide Flows”. Mr. Willis, of Okato, supplied the humorous element, giving “Stone Cracker John” and “Jack Briton.”, and, as encore numbers, “The Floral Dance” and “They Were Very Good to Me”. Mr. Pearson played all the accompaniments. After a bounteous supper, dispensed by the ladies of the district, Mr. R. H. Gatenby, on behalf of the committee, thanked the performers for their excellent programme. He went on to say that if he were to talk for a couple of hours he could not express in so favorable a way the esteem and respect in which their guests were held as did the large gathering that evening. They were losing two of the best and most important residents of the district, Mrs. Moss as schoolmistress and Mr. Moss as postmaster. Mrs. Moss had held the position for eight years, during which she had won the hearts of all who knew her, being gentle, kind and unassuming. He had never heard an adverse word i said of her, unless it were that she was perhaps a little too kind-hearted. Mr. Moss, as postmaster, had always been courteous and obliging. He felt that Tataraimaka was losing two good people, whose places would be hard to fill. In calling upon the Rev. Coleman to present the guests with a wallet containing a substantial sum in notes, he said that Mr. and Mrs. Moss could look upon the splendid gathering as a distinct compliment to their worth. He extended A welcome to Mrs. Smith, the new teacher.

The Rev. Coleman, in handing the wallet to Mr. Moss, amidst applause, stressed the importance of education and of the value of influence in moulding the character of the children, on whom the future prosperity and welfare of New Zealand depended, and he fouched on the splendid influence Mrs. Moss had with the children of Tataraimaka. Mr. Lewis, on behalf of Mrs. Mossj expressed thanks for the kindly thoughts and handsome present's. She regarded the day as a red-letter one. She would always look back upon the happy years she had spent in Tataraimaka, which she was leaving with regret. Mr. Moss also expressed his thanks in a few appropriate words.

The gathering th?n accorded the guests musical honors, after which dancing was continued until the early hours, when “Auld Lang Syne” concluded a most successful function, the complete arrangements for which were a distinct credit to the organisation of the committee, of which Mr. R. H. Gatenby was chairman and Miss O. Paterson secretary. In the afternoon a pleasant ceremony took place at the school, when the children assembled to make a presentation to their teacher. A number of the parents were also present, including Mr. R. H. Gatenby, chairman of the school committee, who, in a short speech, referred to the excellent qualifications of Mrs. Moss as a teacher. He then called on Olga Hutchins, the senior pupil of the school, who, in a pretty little speech, expressed the deep regret of the children at losing Mrs. Moss, and presented her, on behalf of the scholars, with a handsome silver teapot, suitably inscribed, and a silver cake knife.

Little Gwennie Morris then presented Mrs. Moss with a bouquet. Miss Paterson, who has been associated with Mrs. Moss for a considerable time as assistant, also expressed her regret at the departure of Mrs. Moss, whose good qualities and sympathetic nature she eulogised. Mrs. Moss, who w r as deeply affected, briefly expressed her appreciation of the kindly sentiments and her regret at severing her connection with the Tataraimaka School and the children.

Afternoon tea was then served, after which the children spent an hour in games, etc., Lucy Knight contributing a song.