FAREWELL TO REV. FATHER HILLS, S.M. SOUTHBRIDGE

New Zealand Tablet, 27 April 1911, Page 772

FAREWELL TO REV. FATHER HILLS, S.M. SOUTHBRIDGE

(From our Christchurch correspondent.) In the Town Hall, Southbridge, on last Wednesday evening, a farewell social was tendered to the Rev. Father Hills, S.M., who has been pastor of the Ellesmere parochial district for the past three years, and who is now leaving to enter upon the duties of parish priest of Blenheim. There was a representative attendance of parishioners resident in that portion of the district. Mr. M. Curran presided, and with him on the platform were the Rev. Father Hills and Mr. AI. Twiss. An enjoyable programme of songs was contributed by Mesdames L. Andrews and T. McEvedy Miss L. B. Kilbride, Father Hills, and Messrs. J. Kilbride! F. McDonald, and Bernard McEvedy. Miss F. McDonald played a pianoforte solo artistically, and the accompanists were Mesdanies Andrews and McEvedy, and Misses Kilbride, G. McEvedy, and F. AlcDonald." During an interval in the programme, Mr. M. Riordan expressed the deep regret of the congregation at Father. Hills’ departure from the district. He had great pleasure in asking Father Hills to accept a purse of sovereigns as a small token of the congregation’s esteem and goodwill. . . The Rev. Father Hills was very warmly received on rising to reply. He cordially thanked all present for their attendance and for the excellent entertainment given in his honor. He desired to thank them most heartily for their kindness to him during his three years' residence in the district, and especially for their generous gift that evening. Air. Riordan had said that the present was a small token of the congregation’s goodwill toward him, but if it had been a thousand times smaller he would have treasured it quite as much, and he would accept it in the spirit in which it was given. He did not know that they , -ere more sorry that he was leaving than he was himself He had done his best during the time he had been in the district and was quite satisfied to remain here, but his superiors had decided otherwise. The three years he had spent in the district were the happiest of his life, and he had been quite willing to remain among them. He would however, with the help of God, do his best in his new parish! r ather Hills concluded his remarks by stating that he would always have a warm corner in his heart for tho people of this parish whom he would unfailingly remember in his daily Mass. On behalf of the Ellesmere branch of the Hibernian Society, Mr. T. Riordan handed to Father Hills, who had been chaplain of the branch for three years, a well-filled purse of sovereigns. Father Hills had, as chaplain, proved to be the right man in the right place. In thanking the members of the branch for their present, which was to him quite unexpected, Father Hills expressed his admiration of the society as a factor for good in the parish. He wished the branch every prosperity in strength of numbers and beneficial results. An excellent supper was provided by the ladies of the parish.