COUNTY CENTRES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4054, 10 May 1917, Page 7

COUNTY CENTRES.

NEWS AND NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

SPIIEADEAGLE.

> The little school at Spreadeagle was taxed to its utmost for seating accommodation for the large number of people who gathered to bid farewell to Mr Chas. Stokes and family last Saturday evening. After residing for 40 years in the Spreadeagle district, Mr Stokes is retiring from active farm life, and intends to settle in Ashburton.

Mr F. Evans, on behalf of the residents, presented Mr Stokes with an easy chair, and hoped he would be long spared to enjoy his well-earned rest. For his daughter, Mrs Wakelin, he asked Mr Stokes to accept silver teapot. Miss Stokes was presented with a ladies' handbag. Miss Stokes is a prominent member of the Spreadeagle branch of the Lady Liverpool Fund, and will be greatly missed. Mr Stokes feelingly thanked the the friends for their handsome present and good wishes towards him family and himself. He said he was not going far away, and would be able to look on now as a retired farmer, and wonder how they were going to weather through another dry year. (Laughter.) Occasion was taken to present Private Fred. Smithies, who was down on final leave, with a luminous wristlet watch. Private Smithies had only been a year or so in the district, but had made himself very popular, and received quite an ovation upon rising to return thanks.

Cheers were given for the guests, and the audience sang, " For They Are Jolly Good Fellows,"

A good programme of vocal and instrumental music was submitted, the following rendering items: —Misses Farrelly, Evans, Stokes, and Mclllroy, and Messrs Norris, F. Evans, Private Smithies, Connolly, B. Evans, Aschen, Green, and Hutcheson. The evening closed with the singing of the National Anthem.

Two most enjoyable progressive euchre evening have been held by the ladies of Spreadeagle, in aid of the kady Liverpool Fund, and the sum of £4 13s 6d has been handed over to the main branch, also 20 gifts for the boys in the trenches.