ELTHAM.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 15 May 1918, Page 8

ELTHAM.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

HOCKEY CLUB

At a well-attended meeting held for the purpose of forming a combined hockey club (Mr Shephard in the chair), it was resolved that a combined club, to be known as the Eltham Hockey Club, be formed, with separate teams for ladies and gentlemen. The officers were elected as under: Patron, Mr Wilkinson, M.P.; president, Mr Crump; vice-presidents, Hon. W. Carncross, Messrs A. A. Stewart, G. D. Gow and J. Moffitt; captain, ladies, Miss B. Whiting; vice-ceptain, Miss I. Hill; secretary, Miss Hendricksen; treasurer. Miss Hill; gents' captain, Mr Robinson; vice-captain, Mr C. L. Wilson; secretary, Mr D. Clement.

Mr Shephard kindly consented to act as coach. The colors selected were navy and red. Another meeting will be held later to complete arrangements for the season. A NARROW ESCAPE. What might have proved a serious accident was narrowly averted on Monday night. Several members of the local Druids' Lodge were returning from Hawera, where they had been attending an installation ceremony, and while negotiating one of the bends on the Boylan road the lights of the motor car suddenly went out, and although the driver (Mr H. Blake) quickly applied the brakes and brought the car to a standstill, it was found that the car had left the metal, and one of the wheels was suspended over an incline of a considerable depth. Had the car proceeded another foot the whole party must have been precipitated into the gully. After some difficulty the car was again got on the metal, the lights readjusted, and the; party got home without further mishap. FAREWELL TO SOLDIERS. A successful function took place at the Fire Brigade Hell on Tuesday night, when Firemen V. Philpot and N. Rearaon, who are going into camp with the 42nd Reinforcements, were farewelled. There was a full muster of firemen, and several visiting firemen were also present from Kaponga, and, later in the evening, a contingent of Stratford firemen under Superintendent Grubb arrived.

Superintendent Nuttall, during the evening, presented Fireman Phillpbt with a case of pipes and a tobacco pouch and Fireman Reagdon with a safety razor. He spoke in high appreciation of th.c services of each man, and said'^ that possibly Fireman Phillpo. had put up a record in attendance that would take -some beating. During a term of membership of six yeans they had had 180 musters, and Fireman Philipot had missed only one of them, and that through no fault of- his own. The Eltham fire Brigade had contributed now some thirty-four men to the front, of whom, he o*egretted to say, nine would ne,yer return. *

In reply Fireman Reardon, in returning thanks, said it had been through no fault of his own that he was not away earlier, having been before the doctors no less than elghx times, but he trusted they would give him a chance to get away this time. Fireman Philipot, as a Second Division reservist, was anxious to take a part 'in the' war, where already he had five brothers serving, and his wife had four brothers doing their biv. Toasts of the health of the departing soldiers . were enthusiastically drunk. Other toasts drunk ware those ot the Eltham Fire Brigade, proposed by Mr E. Parrott, who referred to the efficiency of the brigade, notwithstanding the fact that their ranks had been depleted; "The Visitors," proposed by Superintendent Nuttall, who spoke of the comradeship existing between brigades. Mr Betts, in reply to the latter toast, -congratulated the Eltham Brigade on their patriotic record. Songs and recitations were rendered during the evening by Messrs Andrews, Betts Burrows, Cullen, Philipot, Thompson' Stephens, Nuttall and Parrott, a very pleasant evening being spent.