TOKAORA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 5 August 1919, Page 4

TOKAORA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELCOME HOME TO OUH BOYS

On Friday evening last .the Tokaora lesidents met in the local schoolroom to welcome home some of our returned boys. Tho room was tastefully decorated by natiive evergreens, minting and flags of the varied Allied nat-ons iliere is no doubt the local Welcome Home Committees, with Mr and Mrs G. F. Francis as secretaries for the respective committees (ladies and Gentlemen) spare no time or pains to give our returned ones and visitors a first good impression. Quite a large crowd put m an appearance, which suii proves there » need for enlargement in ouonly public hall. Talent came from Hawera and Okaiawa to assist with the concert, and all gave a good account ot themselves. Mrs Harris (Hawera), Mis Betts (Okaiawa, and Mr B. Hazeii inenti played the accoaipaai- | At the conclusion of the'concert Mr ; Jl. ii.. Johnson called on Mr J R Cori !S^ pllf nt g°ld medais to the two j leturned soldiers. In doing so Mr Corrigan congratulated them on their safe I return and splendid manner in which they had assisted to uphold the honor i ?L OUr f™}™* fla S and Empire. Had ! they and others not rushed to the colors wem New Zealand would be now i SSS ffma^ rule ' and what au awf»l ! plight for a free people to even think ■ ot. Private Roy gum he noticed, had l^een awarded the M.M., and he congratulated him on his bravery and di«I tinctaon. Private Quin left by the 13th Reinforcements, so ne ha J ha( f l* lengthy period settling with old Fritz i jHe also welcomed Gunner H. J Finlav' who went by a later reinforcement, but had a very strenuous time at the big fZ S i*£H Fi an?era mud- m* Datterv , (the 12th) had given a good account of +W + T S7 also noted that the two soldiers had been school and class mates m the local school and it was only meet and proper that'thev should receive their mtdals together* He wished them many years of good ?£! V° . V? ar th% se tokens J an<3 d„e time hand them down to then- successors «> that they can see they were true I and loyal citizens of our Empire Musical honors were heartily accorded the lads, aiio both returned soldiers suitably replied. Supper was then serred, the place cleaned, and dancing kept ui> to a late

¥^ F ttMJlls Pla*ved the dance music and Mrs Harris and Miss Ida Exlev the extras.