Kaitangata.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXXII, Issue 63, 9 August 1906, Page 5

Kaitangata.

[From Our Own Correspondent. The annual meeting of the Kaitangata branch of St. John's Ambulance Association was held in Mr T. Espie's studio last | Monday evening, Dc Fitzgerald in the chair. The attendance included a large number of ladies. Mr T. Espie was reappointed secretary of the uieus' branch) and Miss J. Robertson secretary and Miss Moina Smith treasurer of the ladies' branch. Monday and Tuesday evenings were set apart for male and female lecture nights. Dr Fitzgerald consented to again act as instructor. The secretary (Mr Espie, was instructed to approach the Dunedin branch with a view to procuring the loan of a stretcher for Kaitangata. Regret was freely expressed at the apathy shown to the society by those following up suet! a precarious occupation as mining. It would be thought that such a humane and manly work would be assiduously sought after by those engaged in the coalmining industry, with a view to being able to render assistance in time of need. The Rev. E. O. Blamires, who is at present conducting an evangelistic mission at Balclutha, occupied the pulpit at the Kaitangata Methodist Church on Sunday afternoon last. He preached an excellent sermon from Paul's conversation to Agrippa, and Agrippa's reply, " Even thou almost persuadeth me to be a Christian," and in the course of a vigorous and impressive address he explained that there were Agrippas to-day who had not come to a decision, and exhorted his hearers for the sake of Christ to make a decision to come out on the side of Christ once and for all; they would never regret it. There was a large congregation, and the rev. gentleman's remarks made a great impression. Mr and Mrs Strange, who are en route to Bolivia, South America, from Victoria, Australia, conducted the services on morning and evening in Presbyterian Church on Sunday. In the evening Mr Strange gave a very graphic and forceful address on mission work, and the history ot bis conversion to missionary work. He explained that through the over hrow of Roman Catholic thraldom in the Argentine there was an open door for Christ's Gospel to be taken to that country, and Christ's command, "Go ye out into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature," was a command to all who were able and willing to undertake that work. Mrs Strange also gave a brief address applicable to mission work and the Christian's duty towards it. Mr J. F. Arnold pays another visit to Kaitangata and addresses a meeting on Sunday afternoon in the Methodist Church. The address will be specially to workers, and solos and anthems, and a discussion will be invited. He also occupies the pulpit in the evening. Civic honors in Kaitangata are evidently not appreciated, as on Friday, after the hour for""nominations to fill the vacancy in the Borough Council had closed, no budding aspirant was fortht coming. This caused the chief residen to go on a searching expedition, in company with a representative of the Press, and when failure seemed to stare them in the face, a wily Scotchman came along, and .the chief resident brought all bis persuasive eloquence to bear on the man from the land of the thistle. Finally, without giving him time to consider the responsible position he was about to undertake, and fearing lest he Bbould retreat, they carried him away in triumph to the council chambers, where the document was duly signed, and the town clerk proclaimed the nomination outside, the only audience being a small dog. The beguiled victim left lamenting his fate, a sadder if not a wiser man.