OLD IDENTITIES' PICNIC

Evening Star, Issue 16352, 19 February 1917, Page 7

OLD IDENTITIES' PICNIC

The Port Chalmers Old Identities' Association held their first picnic at Portobello ou Saturday, and the gathering was such a pleasant one that the participants freely expressed the hope that it would bo repeated as an annual fixture. The pleasantness of the first picnic had many contributing factors, all of which combined to make success. One of these factors, and perhaps the main cue, was the return in spirit to the old pioneer days when good fellowship was a living force, and when new-found freedom from irksome old bonds served to make the new life so worth while that the preliminary (privations merely served to make the gladner,i of it more real. Reunion and the exchange of early-day reminiscences made tbo picnic a landmark in the hind of pleasant memories. -The picnic ground was in a paddock on tho left-hand side of the road which runs from Portobello to Hooper Inlet. Previous arrangements had assured evervthhi" bemg in working order. Mr G. L. Asher! president of the Association, was capably supported by his other officer*, includinc Mr A. Leek, whoso chief care was others' pleasure. A guests' committee, consist-msr of Messrs W. J. jLove, D. M. Mawson, and I. C. Isbhter, attended to the visitors. The bports Committee, consisting of Messrs D. A. Da Mans and W. G. tail, assisted by Messrs W. Love and J. Osborne, carried out tho attractive sports programme until a shower of rain rendered a curtailment unavoidable. A ladies' committee, consisting of Mesda-mes Basiro, Thomson, Love, and Picka.rd, also did good work. The hot water and the milk department was capably administered by Sir David Burt, who, it is interesting to note, arrived at, the Port, from \ictoria in tho Omeo, and took a prominent part m waterfront work in the wool-ship days, and now- finds scop? to show his goodwill to the association 'by acting as caretaker of their rooms.

A lsitcrs to In; picric included Mr J. F. Ayson (Royal Albert, 1855) and Mrs Avson (1352). Mrs E. Forgis fdaughter of the'late Cnpuun Driver, who was the first pilot at Otag-o Head;-), Hr Robert Millar (Robert Himclcrson, 1858), Mr Thomas Thomson (] S4S, who paid his previous visit to Porfcobsllo 40 years ago). Mr Samuel Gill (Star of 'Tasmania, 1862), Mr J. Purdie (Nelson, J. 863) and Mrs Purdie (Robert Henderson, 1865), and/Thomas Douglas (Chile, 1860). The visitors from "Waikouaiti numbered 14, and included Mr T. Alleock. the secretary of the Early Settlers' Association of that district. In lienor of these visitors the .'ports Committee put on two races for Waikouaiti people cr.lv. the winners be.m«-: Ladies, Mrs Tait 1 and Mrs Shand 2: men. Messrs J. Sommers 1, D. M'Gregor 2, and P. ioomey 3. At. the conclusion of these eve-nts. Mr J. M-Lnchhud. secretary of the Port Old Tdenties' Association, expressed the pleasure it was to have Mr Allcock and the other Waikouaiti visitors present at tlu picnic. In reply, several acknowledged th.pleasure it afforded them to attend such a gathering and extended a hearty invitation to the 'Wadtouaiti old identities''picnic ne.xD month.

which fell about th.e middle- of the afternoon caused the picnickers to adjourn to the public hall, where an impromptu concert was held and brijf speech.es given. Here also Mrs M. 'Woolsey won tho competition for the most years 'resident in Otago, she bavins larded at "Waikouaiti from the. Magnet in 18 U). Tup following wee the other competition, with th<?ir rtilider.t vcars in parentheses) :—Mesdames Smvth '(67;, Purdie (52), Decern - 55), Robertson (44) 80-mar <52), Sheriff is+). M'Queen (54). and East (56). Mr Adier thanked all those who had helped to assure the success of the. picnic. Referring to earlier days, ho said it was fitting their first picnic 'shauld be held at Portobello, for it was associated with the memory of the time when, the Port picnics were held on Flagstaff Hill, Quarantine Island, or I'ortobc lio. and Portobello was the most popular of tho three. In addition the earh'c.st. days of settlement, were recalled by the Portobello family names <£ Seat-mi M'Cartney. Dickson. Weir. Kerr, Macandrew'. and others. It was owing- to flip energy and foresight of such people, and the enrjv that we enjoyed the privileges of the present time. He was one of the first to suggest such a picnic as the one hold riiat day. and although the fine weather of the forenoon had not'held out. all day, the outing, nevertheless, had been a decided success. He had no doubt that similar (picnics would be held every venr. and it -would bo a good thin-r to do' so, for it brought the old people toother and enabled them to enjoy themselves in a wav that W3 perhaps not otherwise practicable.' Their first picnic had proved itself a success. Mr Lindsay, of Green Island, said that oA identity picnics were a Euro way of bringing the old people together Mr J. M. Dickson. M.P., raid he wn= pleased to be at tho picnic, and was "i«d he was able to place the ball at the picnickers' disposal when the rain camo on As a member of the Otago Harbor Board he w- 3 pleased to bo abl- to say that a special committee on which he acted had deeded to recommend that one. of the streets" on the Harbor Board property be named Daudi op street, m memory ot the late Colonel Bauchop. (Applause).

Votes of thanks were passed to Messrs J. Mill and J. 11. Stevenson for the free irnj of" the ferry bouts, and to 3lr Dickson foi the free use of the hail and picnic ground. Tho picnickers returned to Port "by the Waireka.