COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10133, 16 May 1896, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

{from our own CQKBKSPONDKNT.] V

Te Awamuhj, Friday. ..,,? Me. P. W. Lang, M.H.R., for Waipa, announced his intention of addressing his .'/.,': constituents on Saturday evening next, the ~.'■?.,. 23rd instant, in the Public Hall, Te Awa* - ' mutu. . >«■. Hdntly, Friday. ," ■ A valedictory social to Mr. and Mrs. Mac- .. . donald, who are leaving for Dunedin, was held here in Ralph's Hall, on Wednesday '..- = evening. _ The weather in the earner part of

the evening was wet and stormy, many from the surrounding districts being deterred from . coming in on that account. The attendance, in spite of this, was good, numbers arriving from Ohinewai and Rangiriri later in th« ■'.' evening owing to an improvement in the weather condition. Dancing was commenced at half-past eight p,m. The musical portion of the programme was entrusted to the Misses Soppet, of Hamilton, who worked most energetically, and provided excellent music, their efforts being supplemented by . Messrs. Hooton, Drury, Skellern, Tattley, and Turner. Songs were suog by the Misses ■ Swan, M. Soppet, and Troughear, and Messrs. Macdonald and Tattley. After refreshment/} had been partaken of, Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald were invited on to the stage where, in a complimentary yet graceful, and more than oidinarily eloquent speech, the Rev, Mr. Walls, on behalf of the subscribers, presented Mr. Macdonald with a gold watch and chain, as a tangible expression of the respect entertained for him in the district both as a railway officer and as a townsman. Mrs. Macdonald was then presented with a pretty fretwork music ~. stand on behalf of one the male members y of the Presbyterian Church choir, of which ,*" Mrs. Macdonald has been au invaluable ! member. Mr. Macdonald feelingly thanked .'! the donors for the valuable presents made '■■.. to him and his wife. Dancing was then re- .-.<:, sumed, and kept up until two a.m., when ■ '. all retired, pleased with the success ot the gathering. ,v