SPLENDID PIONEERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 141, 16 June 1936, Page 15

SPLENDID PIONEERS

ADVENTUROUS SCOTS

Nearly 80 members of the Seatoun branch of the League of Mothers attended a meeting held recently in the Seatoun Kiosk, Mrs. A. P. Smith presiding, , , , „ , , The choir gave a delightful rendering of the negro spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and two songs charmingly sung by Mrs. Lovatt, a visitor to the league, were greatly appreciated.

Mr. N. R. McKenzie gave an interesting review of his book. "The Gael Fares Forth." The work, he said, was the history of an adventurous band of Scots who left Ross-shire, Sutherlandshire and the Hebrides in the first quarter of last century, settling in Nova Scotia, where they formed a prosperous settlement. Famous for their High standard of education, intelligence, and morality, they were led by the Rev., Norman McLeod, M.A., . a brilliant graduate of the University of who, for the life-work he had undertaken in a remote country, refused to accept a stipend or salary. He owned a farm and'thtf people worked'it for him. After spending a generation in Nova Scotia the party moved again, first to Australia and then to North Auckland. For this migration they built their own ships, officered, manned, and provisioned them. These ships brought to New Zealand about 1000 persons, who settled at Waipu and neighbouring places. Many interesting facts-were told by the: speaker of the liferwork of this remarkable band of people. Many of their descendants, he said, could be {'raced in the names of well-known citizens of the Dominion, including Seatoun itself.

Mr. McKenzie was sincerely thanked for providing such an entertaining account of a page in New Zealand history not very well known.

Afternoon tea provided by the committee was greatly enjoyed and the usual social 'chat followed.