CARTERTON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 August 1940, Page 7

CARTERTON

ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS LOYAL HEART OF OAK LODGE. (“Times-Age” Special.) The quarterly summoned meeting of Loyal Heart of Oak Lodge, Manchester Unity Order of Odd Fellows, was held last night and was presided over by N.G. Sister Eagle. A vote of condolence was passed to P.G. Bro. G. S. Bruce in his recent bereavement. One member declared on the sick funds. Bro. E. M. Bish who had been on the railway staff at Dunedin for . some years, notified the lodge that he had been transferred to Wellington.

A letter of recommendation from Loyal Albion Lodge, Dunedin, was issued to .Bro. J. D. Gillies, to enable him to visit lodges outside his own district. Bro. Gillies is a police constable stationed at Carterton.

The Grand Master of the New’ Zealand branch, Bro. N. B. Bellringer wrote concerning the death cf the late Grand Secretary, Bro. A. G. Shrimpton, P.G.M., and matters concerning the appointment of a new Grand Secretary.

It was resolved that the secretary write to the District Secretary notifying him that Heart of Oak. Lodge would be pleased to welcome the G.M. and his officers on Monday, September 16.

The lecture master advanced the degree lecture to members present. A maternity claim was passed for payment.

A PIONEER SETTLER MR W. B. ALLEN HONOURED. Mr W. B. Allen, whose 93rd birthday was celebrated yesterday, was born in Wellington and was a son of the late Mr and Mrs George Allen Senr., who migrated to New Zealand from the Island of Deal in 1841. Mr W. B. Allen was apprenticed to the carpentering trade. At the age of 17 years, along with his employer, he made his first trip across the Rimutaka ranges in 1864. He went to Upper Hutt with his employer and five other men and carried out additions to the Golden Fleece Hotel. Later they went to Mungaroa to erect an hotel for Mrs Collins. During the work on this building two fivehorse wagon teams pulled up one night. They got away very early next morning on their journey across the ranges. Mr W. Chamberlain in one wagon took the lead, followed by Mr G. Cave. They came to a very bad bend in the road but managed it safely. Later on Mr Cave went to sleep. Suddenly awakening Mr Cave pulled the wrong rein and the vehicle capsized over the bank. The horses freed themselves. Luckily the wagon did not roll far down hill and was soon fixed up. Messrs Chamberlain and Cave then went on their way and reached Masterton next day. After the hotel was finished at Mungaroa, Mr Allen made his first trip across the Rimutaka with a Mr Benge in February, 1864, accompanied by his two sisters and two of Mrs Collins’s daughters. They ex-

perienced an exciting time. Mr Aller and the girls walked back to Mungaroa On the following Monday Mr Aller was sent for a load of bricks frorr Fleets Kiln, where the Hutt Railwaj Station now stands, and met the firs' coach to go over the Rimutaka hill the driver being the late Mr Thoma: Ray, of Clareville. Last evening, members of the Carterton Silver Band entertained Mr Allen at a social and dance in the Bandroom There was a very' large gathering and the guest of the evening was congratulated upon having reached his 93rd birthday. Among those present were Mr W. Toomath, Mrs C. E. Carter, Councillor Gregory, Mrs Palmer, and Mr W. H. Smith, representing the early settlers of the Hutt Valley. Dancing was enjoyed to music supplied by Udy’s Orchestra. Supper was later partaken of and the health of Mr Allen was toasted with enthusiasm. Mr and Mrs George Allen reared a family of nine children, all of whom are dead except Mr Wm. B. Allen, and two daughters, Miss C. Allen, aged 89, of Owen Street, Wellington, and Mrs Chisholm, of Lyall Bay, who is 85 years of age. Mr George Allen Senr., was a Wellington city councillor, and was an ex-Mayor of Wellington. He was the donor of the Allen Ward that is attached to the Wellington Hospital. One of his sons, Mr T. P. Allen, took over a farm at Lower Hutt’and was one of the earliest breeders of Romney Marsh sheep in New Zealand. Mr W. B. Allen, along with Mr Stewart Parnell, shared the honour of establishing the 8-hour day in New Zealand., Euchre Tournament. There was a good attendance at the Bandroom, Carterton, on Saturday evening when the committee of the Women’s Division of the. Farmers’ Union held a successful card tournament for patriotic purposes. The prizes were won as follow: —Ladies: Mrs Page, 1;

Mrs M. Ticehurst, 2; Mrs F. O’Keefe, 3. Men: Mrs O’Halloran, 1; Mrs W. Miller, 2; Mr Humphries, 3. A competition for knives was won by G. Kai. Personal Items. Mr Tan Mackie, of the Carterton District High School staff, left Carterton yesterday afternoon for Waiuku. Mr Percy Reid, who underwent an operation in the Masterton Hospital recently, returned to his home at South Carterton yesterday. Melverton Estate. It is understood that the estate of the late Mrs Nicolson. ‘'Melverton.'' Clareville, has been purchased by Mr H. Nicolson, of Otaki. who has now acquired the whole area of about one hundred acres.