OUR PIONEERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 241, 11 October 1934, Page 8

OUR PIONEERS

CLD COLONISTS MEET. TOWN HALL GATHERING. So wide an interest in the old colonists was shown in Auckland yesterday that at the annual reunion and thanksgiving service of the New Zealand Old Colonists' Association the body of the Town Hall was packed to the doors. The function fell on the ninety-second anniversary of the arrival of the Duchess of Argyle and the Jane Gifford.

The Mayor, Air. G. W. Hutchison, presided, and with him on the dais were Archbishop Averill, members of the Auckland City Council, Mr. E. W. Alison and other citizens prominent in many walks of life. Telegrams of apologies for absence and congratulations were received from his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, the Prime Minister. Mr. G. W. Forbes, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Coates. and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Savage.

The Archbishop delivered an address during the service, and the Rev. ,J. A. Thomson, Moderator of the Auckland Presbytery, offered prayer. Mr. W. R. G. Emerson was organist. Sacred solos were sung by Miss Phyllis Gribbin.

After the service followed a concert. The Mayor, who spoke briefly, welcoir.ed the new president, Mr. Alison, saving that his record of public life in New Zealand of no fewer than 5G yars surely must be a record. He paid a tribute to the work of the honorary secretary, Air. S. Coldicutt, and on his motion tlio Archbishop was elected an honorary vice-president of the association. The motion was carricd with applause.

A motion of congratulation is to be sent to Air. P. Le Quesne, of Hamilton, who celebrated his 9Sth birthday last Sunday. The Archbishop took the opportunity of congratulating Air. John Banbury on his presence at the gathering.

Community singing, other musical items and afternoon tea concluded a memorable day.