OLD BOYS’ REUNION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 30 March 1931, Page 4

OLD BOYS’ REUNION

NELSON COLLEGE ANNIVERSARY EASTER CELEBRATIONS It is expected that Easter will see a large influx of Nelson College Old Boy’s for the 75th anniversary celebrations which commence on Saturday morning. The actual date of the opening of the school is 7th April, 1850, so that the reunion function coincides almost to the clay. It is hoped that there will he two Old Boys present of the original eight who attended the opening of the school on that first day 75 years’ ago, namely’, Mr H. J. Lewis, of Tahunanui, and Mr Thomas Harley, of Wellington. The first gathering and general welcome will be held at the College on Saturday’ morning at 10 o’clock, when a welcome will be extended by’ the Principal and the chairman of the Council of Governors, and replied to by the president of the Association. On Saturday’ afternoon there will be cricket, tennis and shooting contests. If sufficient visiting Old Boys desire to play’, a cricket match will he arranged between two teams of visitors, otherwise a visiting XI will play the present boys. In the evening will be held what will really be the principal gathering of the celebrations, the smoke concert ancl social evening at the College, commencing at 8. The toast list is being kept very "short in order to give old boys plenty’ of opportunity to fraternise and renew old friendships. The principal speakers will be Air Arthur Fair, K.C’., the Solicitor General; Mr F. Milner, Rector of Waitaki High School; and Mr R. P. Furness, of Bleuhem; the main replies being taken by the Principal/ the president of the Association and Sir T. H. Williams, president of the Christchurch branch. On Sunday’ afternoon those visitors (and their wives) who desire will be taken for drives to various parts of the district and in the evening there will be a church parade. Assembling at the Church Steps at 0 p.m., groups will move off to the various churches, the ministers of which have kindly undertaken to hold appropriate setrices. It is thought that the visitors will prefer to he able to go to the church they’ attended when at College and that weighed with the committee in considering whether to hold one big service or not.

Monday will be a free day and the celebrations will conclude with a ball at the College in the evening. In eonjunction with this a room will he provided for those desiring to play bridge. Admission to the hall is necessarily’ limited to Nelson College Old Boys and their partners. The committee lias endeavoured to make the whole of the functions free, but it has been found necessary to make a small charge of 2s 6d for the men for the dance only. The smoke concert will he free and there will he no charge for ladies to the dance. Admission to the dance will he strictly by ticket only’, obtainable from the lion, secretary (Mr E. R. Neale).