SOCIAL TO CANON PASCOE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12398, 11 January 1901, Page 11

SOCIAL TO CANON PASCOE.

There was a large attendance at the evening, when: Cakbn and ' Mrs Pascoe. by the congregation of Avonside Church, to welcome them, after their visit to England- The room was prettily decorated with greenery and banners of .Welcome. Mr F. E. Wright occupied the chair. Apologies were read from Canon Dunkley, Revs H. C. M. ■ Watson and Pollock, Colonel Slater and Mr M. Murphy. The’ Chairman; in opening the proceedings, saAl it was his pleasant duty to welcome Capon and Mrs Pascoe back to the parish of Avonside. And beside-their beloved and esteemed vicar and his wife, they had with them that evening their churchwarden, 'Mr C. Bean, who had! returned on board the Gothic at the same time as Canon and Mrs Pascoe. Mr R. ftm Fisher , also welcomed Canon .Pascoe. Canon Pascoe, who was received with loud (and continued applause, said he was glad to be home again, and his reception had touched him deeply. Next Sunday he would begin hia twenty-second year amongst them, and his work, though extensive, was made easier by the assurance of love they had given him. He intended to devote his life to the service of Avonside parish. The work was, perhaps, beyond the power cf one man to perform satisfactorily, and he trusted in time to have a curate to assist him. He thanked them ail for the good work done in his absence. Before he had left he had said it would’ be a fitting monument of their Jubilee, which would fall on Christmas, 1905, if the. Church. were completed. His Words had proved seed that had fallen bn good ground, and by the energetic action of the vestrymen many others had been induced to take an interest in the project, and he felt sure the work would go bn. He desired, also, to' thank the ladies, by whose efforts the lectern had 'been purchased for the church, and would have' wished to have seen the Rev Mr Pollock present that evening, that he might have expressed gratitude to him for the work done in Avonside during his (the speaker’s) absence. Canon Pascoe com eluded that he- was glad, indeed', to be back, and would enter upon his duties with renewed vigour after the expression of love and esteem he had met with that night. (Applause.) Mr C. Bean then addressed the meeting, saying they were all glad to welcome their vicar and Mrs Pasloe back. They owed l him (the speaker) a’debt of gratitude, because he had gone to England and brought Canon and Mrs Pascoe home. (Laughter.) He himself was glad to be home again, and glad that he should have returned in time to be pre-, sent that evening. He could tell them of the return voyage, and how the thoughts of-at least three of the Gothic’s passengers were constantly dwelling upon Avonside, The Chairman had spoken of hedgerows and wild roses, but he (the speaker) had been in England twenty-nine days, and twenty-eight of them were wet. He knew more about the-mud of London than the hedgerows; —England:.-wasall- very pwell, a dear bid Homeland;--*but :to a New. Zealander, New Zealand was first' and England next. . He believed they would all work' together, and one day complete Avonsddb'■Ohuroh.’ (Ap-“ plause> The Rev A. "W. .Ayer-ill then welcomed Cammi Pascim Jback to his charge on behalf of the clergy .of the. diocese. ■During t(h© .evening several songs were sung by members of the congregation, and much amusement was caused by a young man, dressed as a Maori, singing “Soldiers of the Queen” in the Native, language. Tea Was dispensed by the ladies.