MOKOIA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 22 May 1919, Page 4

MOKOIA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

WEXCOME HOME TO .RETURNED

MEN

On Tuesday evening . the Mokoia Hall was again crowded, the occasion being the welcoming home of R.QiM.S. T. Bickford, Privates Telfer, Nickel, Fainyeatlwr and Lawler. The Rev. 0. H. Grant Cowen occupied the chair. The musical section of the programme was provided by St. Mary's Choir, Haj wera, under the baton of Mr Burgess. The choir rendered two glees, which were very much appreciated. Solos were also contributed by Mrs Sunderland, Messrs Chadwick, Sutton, Smith and Henderson. Master Smith ably played the accompaniments. The committee owe a deep debt of gratitude to Hawera friends for the kindly assistance given at the social functions held recently. The ladies of St. Mary's choir also deserve special praise for braving the "wintry elements existing on Tuesday evening. At the conclusion of the splendid musical programme, the chairman, in a splendid address, extended a hearty welcome home to the guests of the evening, and presented each soldier with a cheque for £10. R.Q.M.S. Bickford, on behalf of his fellow soldiers and himself, returned thanks for the hearty welcome extended to them, and thanked the residents of the district for the gifts presented. The singing of "For they are jolly good fellows" and cheers for the sol- : diers brought a very pleasant incident |to a close. Supper was then partaken I of, and dancing was afterwards carried lon until the early hours of the morning. During the evening the chairman read a telegram of apology froni I Mrs Williams, of Wanganui, who was j unable to be present. GENERAL. The beginning of the 1920 dairying season will bring many changes to Mokoia. Messrs Prowse, Torstonson I and Melville have disposed of their properties and have secured new homes Jin the Hawera district. Mr T. Morrison, stationmaster, has also decided to enter the ranks of the landowners, and will be leaving th c district in the near future. The late season has proved a very successful on e for the dairymen of the district. The factory is still carrying on operations on alternate days. The splendid rainfall of Monday evening has had a beneficial result, the green appearance of the countryside being a great contrast to the parched appearance of previous weeks. A new post office and store is in course of erection, and will prove of great convenience to the residents of the district. Mr Main, of Hawera, is to be the new occupant. Some few days ago the school was visited by Mrs H. W. Blackie, physical inspector and instructress. The following is a copy of the work inspected: "This was my first visit to this school, and I was very pleased indeed with the progress. The work is taken regularly and is well above the usual grading. Discipline is very good, and the positions are taken with that precision that is the hall-mark of a good class."