Honour A. E. Harding On 80th. Birthday

Northern Advocate, 2 April 1941, Page 6

Honour A. E. Harding On 80th. Birthday

About 60 friends of Mr A. E. Harding paid him a surprise visit to wish him many happy returns on his 80th birthday. The large social room at the Aoroa homestead was filled to overflowing by those wishing to congratulate the octogenarian and also members of his family upon their splendid record of public service to the town and district.

All speakers paid tribute to the many-sided activities of the guest of the evening, as a family man, as a churchman, as Kaipara’s first member of Parliament, a member of the Hobson County Council for 24 years (nine years as chairman), an original director of the Northern Wairoa Coop. Dary Co., Ltd., member of the Kaipara Hospital Board, the founder of the Kaipara Telephone Club and many and varied other branches of local enterprise. Many Interests

Particular stress was paid to Mr Harding’s efforts to introduce into this area better classes of beef, cattle and sheep, to maintain healthy, manly sport and many ways by which he had been successful in improving the amenities of the district.

Speakers included the Mayor (Mr Raymond Gibson), the Rev. Tvo M Raynor (Methodist Circuit), Mr F ■Wordsworth (chairman of the Hobson County Council), Mr J. A. McLean (chairman of the North Auckland Electric-power Board), Mr J. H. McCarroll (chairman of the Kaipara Hospital Board), Messrs C. N. Taylor F. A. Jones, S. Colmore-Williams and Geo. Smith (Matakohe)..

On behalf of those present, at the special request of Mr C. N. Taylor, the Mayor (Mr Gibson) presented to Mr Harding a particularly fine specimen of- a carved walking stick of Maori craftsmanship.