AWAMOKO CHURCH SOIREE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10594, 25 October 1910, Page 1

AWAMOKO CHURCH SOIREE.

(From Our Own. Correspondent.) •

The Presbyterian soiree held last Thursday;.passed oft splendidly, everything being just, as it -should he.. The people of Aivamoko have been rejoici,ng at the splendid success -of ; the -gathering. There was a very large attendance from far and near, and. the hall was packed to the door. A splendid programme was provided, both vocal and instrumental, and all those who contributed items were m the -best form, as was shown by the applause of .the -audience. Many items would'have been recalled, but the chairma-n was adamant in refusing to accede owing to the length of'the programme. The chair was occupied bv the Ilev. Mi Steven, and as usual he--just carried out lii£ duties to perfection. On his right the Rev. P. S. Hav, of Duntroon, occupied a prominent seat on the platform, and the Bev. W. Wright, of Oamaru, ■on the left. The Chairman made ,-a few remarks, stating the object of-the gathering. .He ; stated that it was not altogether for finances that the soiree was suggesed, -but rather as a social gathering, as it had been such a, long time since such :a thing was held in Awamoko. It was :to be "hoped that we would have an annual soiree in.the future. The cliair- • man then introduced the Eev. P. S. Hay.

' Mr Hay congratulated the people of : : Awamoko on having such: a large i gathering, and stated that the last'.Awamoko soiree -at wlucli he was pre'sent was something over twenty years i'ago, and it was held in the schoolliouse, ; which would now be much top small'for , the audience on tins . occasion. Mr Hay isaid it' was a pleasure to see. sucli a hall as Awamoko had, roomy and well • lit. He thought • that; .lie; could not ; speak on : a- better, subject • than the weather. The weather at present seemed to be the topic of tlie day, and we ] i would be all much xefreshed if we only sliad a nice-rain.-- The weather, he said, -Iliad: a good deal tb.jdo with cburch atr; tendance, more especially a; rainy day.The rain on a Sunday seemed to be' more penetrating than, the' r^in; of; any other day . Not oven .' the boots and umbrellas could keep out >tlie damp on Sundays. Now lie urged the people of Awamoko not to keep away from church services on wet days, as it was very disheartening for .the,: minister to travel so far and find no one .present.:. .He hoped: that on the next wet Sunday the building would be well filled. He also hoped -that a wet day would come very soon. The Rev. AYY -Wright - :was"ithe next - to give eloquent' address. He; ■ .visited Awamoko over t\yen£y, years: ago, - . lie said, , and lie was; pleased to i see some, of the old. identities that were .present in those, days. He also said: ithat vthe people . of (Awamoko had not lost any of their hospitality in all those long '-years, as lie Jiad>. just-:been in theroom behind .the.:hall and-.liad partaken of some of xhe good things, that were there to feed the multitude of peopl.e, and the. goods things of file present were ,of - a; ~ much : moie tempting appearance than in : til©' 'times' of . the. oatmeal bannocks. . -The speaker,-, alter giving 1 a few very appropriate anecdotes;: laid 1 great stressi ,in 'the -future* .success .of, the Church,", fuel" -said that all depended on the youth of tlie community. , v , During the evening Tnsti umentaLti 10s were contributed by Mr and Mrs' P. Rive-hhd Mr Hedges and.Messrs White a,nd:. Hedges and Mrs; Tonkin. Duets were also-contributed ly: spn and Steven ajid Messrs .Goodall aiid Nels oh ; solos' bv - Messrs Fricker, Goodwill,:Nelson,.:Ri,ve, Lieu,t i ; Watkins, 'Mrs Tonkin,-arid Miss ..Rossquartette by- Mrapd Mr,s .Rive, Miss Steven and Mr Hedges; ..recitations, Mrs Hedges and Sir Burnard- The acconipanists were i played < by Misses Ross,- Burnard, Jolinston, Mrs Tonkin, and Mr Hedges. "At the conclusion of the gathering votes of thanks were proposed to all' vthose. who so kindly assisted to make the soiree wsuch a. success. Financially it hvas'farsJibove expectations. Refreshments were handed round and all pre-sent-did justice thereto.-. .