OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1940, Page 10

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

MASTERTON MEMORIES (To the Editor). Sir. —I received a few days ago, from Petone, a long and most per-sonally-interesting letter which was written me by Mr Alf. Medhurst (better known, perhaps, at least to his old-time Central School classmates, bv the surname of Robins), in which its writer —alas, now become the occupant permanently of an invalid’s wheel-chair —recalls to happy memory many local mid-early events in the church and social life in which he once had the privilege to share.

Gifted with a fine voice for singing. Mr Medhurst became a boy chorister in the old St Matthew’s all male voice choir. Years later, when he was heard in oratorios, amateur operatic and concert programme efforts so plentifully recurring in those precinema “canned music” days, regular patrons of these local enterprises often predicted that Medhurst’s now remarkably deep and sonorous voice, with still more expert tuition, would some day carry its owner far. Alas for all such vain hopes as these, universal as they then were, Mr Medhurst later contracted a most serious illness, while a resident of Wanganui, which, as my reference to wheelchair occupancy would suggest, brought a most promising musical career to a close.

However, and as if slightly to compensate him for the lost art of song, another if less pronounced art (that of painting) has become a source of comfort to him. In this latter connection. one of Mr Medhurst’s recent paintings on public exhibition —that of Solway College depicting all its nat-ural-regioned beauty of native forest trees and glimpse of far-distant western mountain peaks, snow-dad. as in this picturesque view of its allgloried cloudland terrains —was a matter of much comment by residents of Petone who, daily seeing him on sunny days either wheeled about or sitting in his now familiar wheel-chair, little thought this new talent of his for art was reaching out so far. Another of Mr Medhurst's more outstanding exhibited paintings—that of St Augustine’s Church. Petone—its artist recently had later the personal and joyous privilege of giving it to its first vicar (the Rev J. D. Russell), now the popular Archdeacon Russell, of St Luke's Church, Oamaru; just then on furlough and revisiting old-time Petone parishioner friends. At the “social welcome” tendered to Archdeacon Russell before departure south (during the course of which happy gathering Mr Medhurst’s most appropriate gift was made) our ex-Mastertonian friend Medhurst recounted his own first meeting with Mr Russell, at Masterton .when at the age of 22 that gentleman first came out to New Zealand as ambassador for England’s famous Blue and White (Ribbon) League. Memorable, indeed, the speaker said, were the Blue and White League meetings held at “Oxford House” college for girls (first of its kind in the history of Masterton the speaker thought), where its lady Principal, Miss Sheppard (now so well known throughout New Zealand as Mrs (Colonel) Porter, in connection with many branches of Women’s Institutes, Temperance Leagues, and allied good-of-community affairs, regaled its young members with suppers, as well. Mr Russell’s later establishment of Masterton’s all-famous "Coffee Club” —chief nightly rendezvous of junior club Rugby team exponents, in local plenty those days—was also warmly acclaimed by Mr. Medhurst.

Not dreaming that a few days later —at the hands of local members of the C.E.M.S. —he himself would be receiving from them a tangible, if small, token of their brotherhood esteem for an old-time St Matthew’s Church member who had rendered great services to both church and parish in days past, and was sorely health-stricken, Mr Medhurst’s reminiscent address continued a while longer (with the approbation of jris audience) as his memory rioted amidst still earlier scenes: The old meandering stream (today’s hidden Town Creek, this part at least) as its sluggish flow was intercepted, as it were, by the old hand-railed bridge, on a track leading from the front main street to the old St Matthew’s Church, and its adjacent schoolroom ever-open doors; the laurel hedge on each side of the said pathway leading thereto; and the old hotel (Elkins) orchard causing seasonal by-paths on territory never provided for when the real one seemed sufficient to meet all church and social needs —and each of these contriving to make, as they did, all the old St Matthew’s Church area, the sightliest of all Masterton’s thorough-fare-handy domains. The story of the old St Matthew’s Boys’ Club (opened by ex-Governor Lord Onslow) and its meetings in the church schoolroom, where venturesome members of the club assailed each other with boxinggloves and fencing-sticks, while the more timid section looked on at these gladiatorial onslaughts, or played draughts, chess or dominoes, on its far-end stage, was but a natural further sidelight on old times. Tales of high-class concerts, nigger minstrel shows, and Harry Hall’s famous “Mrs. Jarley’s Waxworks” extravaganza, amateur operatic society rehearsals, etc., came up for review, and associate splendid memory of the three vicars (the Revs. Paige, Yorke and Earee), who respectively piloted young members of the Church of England through a period in their lives when, without such aids, they might have found themselves otherwise and worse employed. At this stage of Mr Medhurst’s letter prompting me to append such thoughts as these, of a conjectural kind in the latter instance, I would in thanking you. apologise for using up so much of your widely-read journal’s valuable space.—l am, etc., N.J.B.

Masterton, August 28.